Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III was created in just 16 months, it's claimed
It has been claimed that Activision gave developer Sledgehammer Games just 16 months to develop this year’s Call of Duty title after it was reported that it was originally set to be a DLC.
The details:
Several developers who worked on the recently released Modern Warfare 3 told Bloomberg that the game began as an expansion to last year's MW2, and that development was projected to be completed in 16 months. Activision executives allegedly changed development plans during the project, turning the DLC into a full sequel.
The project's 16-month timeframe was not changed to allow the developers more time to create a full game, reportedly forcing the team to work nights and weekends. Sledgehammer had experienced a similar type of crunch with its previous title, Vanguard, and employees were assured that the situation would not happen again in the future.
Developers have also claimed that all content additions and changes had to be approved by fellow COD studio Infinity Ward, resulting in long wait times and the rejection of some fan-requested changes, such as the return of the "Pick 10" create-a-class model rather than the gunsmith introduced in MW2019.
Despite the claims, an Activision spokesperson previously denied that the game was ever intended to be an expansion, stating that it was always intended to be a "premium game." In an interview, Sledgehammer studio head Aaron Halon stated that he believed the rumor was spread as some employees were led to believe that the title was originally an expansion since it is "a new type of direct sequel" with unlockables transferring between the two games.
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