Former Call of Duty developer Glen Schofield said it's “difficult” to know which direction Activision and Electronic Arts are heading.
In a post on LinkedInThe development veteran shared his experiences at both companies, saying it's “bittersweet” to see the current state of these publishing giants. Activision Blizzard was acquired by Microsoft in a deal valued at $68.7 billion.Bye Electronic Arts will be bought by a consortiumincluding the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, worth $55 billion.
Schofield spent over seven years at Electronic Arts, eventually taking the position of general manager at Visceral Games, which helmed the Dead Space franchise.
In 2009, he founded Sledgehammer Games with fellow Visceral veteran Michael Condrey; this studio was quickly acquired by Activision and brought in to work on the company's flagship shooter Call of Duty.
He left Activision in 2018., months after leaving Sledgehammerand appeared a year later as Founder and CEO of Krafton's Striking Distance Studios, before leaving in 2023. He is currently a director and advisor to Pinestripe Games.
“When the news broke that Electronic Arts was being bought and likely downsizing, I immediately thought of Activision and their acquisition by Microsoft,” Schofield wrote.
“In just a few years, two publishing giants that have shaped our industry for the last 20-plus years have entered a new era.
“It’s a bittersweet moment for me. I worked for about ten years at each company, in my prime. Watching them lose their role as dominant publishers and powerful training grounds hits harder than I expected.”
Schofield says that while it's difficult to gauge the fortunes of Activision and EA, there is an opportunity for the industry's next generation of talent to rise.
“So yeah, it's hard to watch these companies move away from what they once were: big publishers, big developers, and incredible places to grow, learn, and hone your craft. They trained our generations. They made a career. Including mine,” he continued.
New leaders. New studios. New publishers. Someone will take on that mantle, we always do that in the industry. And when they do, I hope they will lead, train and invest in talent like EA and Activision have done. They set a bar that pushed us all to be better people.”
