Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward swallows Neversoft

An internal memo from Activision director Eric Hirshberg would indicate that the publisher wants to merge Call of Duty developers Infinity Ward and Neversoft. The new studio will continue under the name Infinity Ward. Neversoft’s leading duo resigns.

GiantBomb website claims to have an internal Hirshberg memo that he wrote to staff at both studios. In it, the director of publisher Activision, owner of both Infinity Ward and Neversoft, announces that he wants to merge the two business units. The two worked together on the development of Call of Duty: Ghosts, and it showed, according to Hirshberg, that the two companies have “similar competencies.” That was reason for Hirshberg to merge the two into what he calls a ‘super studio’. The new studio continues under its best-known name; Infinity Ward. The move also has personnel implications. Hirshberg appoints Dave Stohl as director, forcing current Infinity Ward director Steve Ackrich to step back. Joel Jewett and Scott Pease, the duo at the head of Neversoft, resign and leave the games industry.

Neversoft has been active under its own name for 20 years. It first achieved success with a series of games centered on Tony Hawk. Between 1999 and 2007, it delivered nine games around the skateboarder. After that, Neversoft became responsible for the Guitar Hero games. After 2007’s Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, it would deliver 7 more games in the series. When the rhythm game market collapsed, Activision decided to let the studio work on Call of Duty: Ghosts.

It is unknown what Neversoft and Infinity Ward will be working on, although that is probably a new Call of Duty game. Activision announced earlier this year that it wants to release a Call of Duty game every year, with three studios taking turns delivering a game. Infinity Ward and Treyarch have been delivering Call of Duty games for some time. Sledgehammer Games must ensure that the studios always have three years to work on a game.