Activision today has revealed plans to expand the ever popular Call of Duty franchise. Activision plans to release a new Call of Duty game this fall from Treyarch, mean while, Infinity Ward is in development on the first two downloadable map pack for Modern Warfare 2 scheduled for release sometime this year.
For the first time, the company is announcing that it plans to release a new game in the Call of Duty series in 2011 and that Sledgehammer Games, a newly formed, wholly owned studio is in development on a Call of Duty game that will expand the Call of Duty franchise into the action-adventure genre.
Sledgehammer Games is helmed by industry veterans Glen A. Schofield and Michael Condrey. Prior to joining Activision Publishing, Schofield was the Executive Producer of the award-winning game, Dead Space and Michael Condrey was the Sr. Development Director on the game. The Dead Space franchise has won more than 80 industry awards worldwide including the prestigious A.I.A.S. Action Game of the Year and two B.A.F.T.A.S.
While, the Call of Duty business unit will be led by Philip Earl, who currently runs Activision Publishing’s Asia Pacific region and previously served in senior executive positions with Procter & Gamble and Nestle. Activision Publishing veterans Steve Pearce, chief technology officer and Steve Ackrich, head of production, will lead Infinity Ward on an interim basis.
In a press release from Activision, the company has confirmed that Jason West and Vince Zampella are no longer with Infinity Ward. However, the company will not comment as to the reason West and Zampella are no longer with Infinity Ward.