Sledgehammer Games opens new UK studio

Call of Duty developer Sledgehammer Games has opened a new studio in Guildford.

The new UK office will work alongside teams in San Francisco, Melbourne and Toronto, focusing on live content for Call of Duty: Vanguard, as well as future projects.

"I'm just really excited to bring our studio brand to the UK, along with the incredible franchise we get to work on. It's another opportunity to do our own small part to grow the industry, in a place where there's a huge number of talented developers," said Sledgehammer COO Andy Wilson.

"As we have done in our other locations, we will be looking to build partnerships with schools and universities to help nurture and grow the next generation of talent. It's not just about finding people who already work in the industry, it's about providing pathways for those who are looking to get in. I remember that daunting feeling very well and it makes me happy to be providing opportunity, especially as we emerge from a historic pandemic."

Liz Wyle, general manager of Sledgehammer Games Guildford, added: "Guildford has a long history of video game development, and as a result, there's a lot of top-tier talent and an existing game dev community there and in the surrounding towns. We're also an easy reverse commute in from London, which has a huge talent pool."

Sledgehammer opened its Toronto studio back in May, while its Melbourne office opened back in September 2019.

Parent firm Activision Blizzard meanwhile, is still caught up in multiple ongoing lawsuits pertaining to equal pay laws, and an alleged culture of "harassment and discrimination against women" across the company.

You can catch up with the latest headlines surrounding the lawsuits here.