After 22 years at the developer, Mark Gordon — the studio head at Treyarch, one of the lead development teams at Xbox working on Call of Duty — has chosen to retire from his position at the studio and “focus on his next chapter.”
Treyarch announced the news on Monday afternoon with a letter to fans on social media, celebrating Gordon’s long and storied tenure at the developer while simultaneously revealing who will step up to fill his shoes.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Mark for his steady guidance and deep care at the studio, its culture, and its people. Mark’s impact on the franchise has been immeasurable, from Call of Duty 2: Big Red One and Call of Duty 3, to World at War and the entirety of the Black Ops series,” wrote the studio.
“As we look ahead, we’re pleased to announce that Treyarch’s Kevin Hendrickson and Yale Miller will step into the roles of co-studio heads,” it continued. “Kevin and Yale are veterans of the franchise with decades of development and leadership experience, both bringing a wealth of deep game knowledge and a shared commitment to Treyarch’s culture and creative ambition.”
Hendrickson and Miller will oversee Treyarch as it contributes to the future of Call of Duty under Microsoft and Xbox, which acquired the legendary franchise when it completed its Activision Blizzard merger in 2023.
Primarily, that work will most likely include new entries in the Black Ops series, though I expect to see Treyarch helping out with other Call of Duty titles as well. Notably, it’s listed as one of the contributing developers on this year’s upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 from Infinity Ward.
As for Gordon himself, he’s undeniably helped shape one of the most successful gaming properties in the world, and I wish him nothing but health and happiness as he moves on from Treyarch and Call of Duty.
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