Treyarch head Mark Gordon leaves Xbox and Call of Duty after 22 years at the studio

An official screenshot of a gas mask-wearing soldier from the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign. — An official screenshot of a gas mask-wearing soldier from Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, one of the many games that Treyarch — and Mark Gordon — has developed. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

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.

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Thank you, Mark. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/ZhgY5mXeWcJune 15, 2026

"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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Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. He's been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you'll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he's not writing or gaming, there's a good chance he's either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once. Follow him on X (Twitter).