Ex-Modern Warfare director fears Call of Duty could lose its identity under Microsoft's ownership

Sledgehammer Games co-founder and former director of several Call of Duty titles, Glen Schofield, has voiced a fair bit of apprehension regarding Call of Duty’s long-term viability following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

In an interview with VGC at Gamescom Asia in Bangkok, Schofield pointed out the potential incompatibilities between Xbox’s corporate culture and the creative teams behind the franchise, drawing comparison to the perceived downturns in other Microsoft-owned IPs like Halo and Gears of War.

Expressing his unease, Schofield stated, “I worry about it immensely, I really do,” while pointing out Microsoft’s track record with established franchises as a red flag.

He questioned, “Because what’s happening to Gears of War, where’s Halo… you know what I mean? And look at EA, you look at these big companies, and I’m like, where are the Strike games? Where’s this game? And there are so many that just fall by the wayside.”

Schofield discussed his concerns about cultural assimilation, suggesting that once integrated into a larger corporation like Microsoft, studios adopt behaviors that could potentially erode their unique incentives and drive.

He speculated that the lucrative bonus system tied to Call of Duty’s performance, which has historically been a motivator for developers, might be replaced by Microsoft’s standardized compensation structure, ultimately leading to decreased drive among staff. 

He stated, “Unfortunately, once you’re assimilated by one of these companies, I think you take on some of their traits. The other thing is, I don’t know, but I would imagine that the Call of Duty bonus system is out, and now you have theirs, and people are going to go ‘that isn’t that’.”

Schofield backed up his concerns regarding the franchise’s creative downturn by mentioning the exodus of veteran talent from Call of Duty teams, including his own exit alongside co-founder Michael Condrey and longtime Treyarch designer David Vonderhaar, who left in 2023 after nearly two decades.

He pointed out the declining quality of recent entries, claiming, “I hate doing this, but since I left Sledgehammer, none of the games have been very good. I mean, the last one (Modern Warfare 3, 2023) was a 50. They still sell well. You know, that happens.”

Modern Warfare 3 (2023) received a Metacritic score of 56 and a generally unfavorable user score of 2.3 out of 10, reflecting criticism from players who felt they were playing an expanded DLC rather than a standalone sequel. Still, Modern Warfare 3 (2023) was dubbed the best-selling game in the U.S. in November and December, and ultimately ended the year as the second best-selling game behind Hogwarts Legacy.

While Microsoft maintains its view that the acquisition has helped enhance Call of Duty’s reach through Game Pass and Cloud Gaming, Schofield fears creative stagnation among key development studios under Microsoft's oversight.

He reflected on his timing, saying:

I feel like I got lucky. I feel like I was at the heyday of EA during my time there. I mean, it was a who’s who working there. And then I got to Activision, where I made Modern Warfare 3 (2011).

As a matter of fact, Modern Warfare 3 was the last Call of Duty to win Action Game of the Year, and my other two games were nominated for it. But now, you know, you don’t see them.

Whether or not Schofield’s concerns prove true remains to be seen, but his opinions on the future of Call of Duty do show growing unease among veteran developers, many of whom still work on the franchise to this date.