What Sledgehammer Games does

Sledgehammer Games is a private AAA video game development studio founded in 2009 in Foster City, California by Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey, and currently operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision Publishing, Inc. (now part of Microsoft Corporation following the October 2023 close of the approximately $68.7 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition). The studio specializes in the development of first-person shooters within the Call of Duty franchise, with a portfolio spanning Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011, co-developed with Infinity Ward), Advanced Warfare (2014), WWII (2017), Vanguard (2021, Zombies co-developed with Treyarch), and Modern Warfare III (2023). Active and pipeline products include Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (released November 14, 2025) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (in development), with the studio reportedly working on additional Nintendo Switch 2 ports via a cloud-streaming partnership with Ubitus.

Technically, Sledgehammer develops multi-mode games — campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies — on proprietary engine technology targeting console (Xbox, PlayStation), PC (Steam, Battle.net, Microsoft Store), and cloud platforms. The studio maintains a global footprint with studios in Foster City / San Mateo (California), Melbourne (Australia), Toronto (Canada), and Guildford (United Kingdom), supported by world-class teams across audio, design, engineering, and art disciplines.

Commercially, Sledgehammer generates revenue through three streams under the Activision / Microsoft publishing umbrella: one-time full-game licenses at a $69.99 standard price point with premium editions available at higher tiers, recurring subscription revenue via Xbox Game Pass (e.g., Vanguard scheduled for June 17, 2026), and ongoing in-game monetization through Battle Pass, BlackCell, and seasonal operator bundles. The studio's primary customer segment is the global Call of Duty player base — estimated at over 1 billion people — reached through a combination of digital storefronts, physical retail, the Call of Duty League esports ecosystem, and franchise-wide marketing across social media and content channels.

Name

Sledgehammer Games

Legal name

Sledgehammer Games

Website

https://sledgehammergames.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sledgehammer Games is a private AAA video game development studio and subsidiary of Activision Publishing (now Microsoft), founded in 2009 and specializing in first-person shooters within the Call of Duty franchise, including Modern Warfare III, Vanguard, WWII, and Black Ops 7.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Development

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Live-Service & MMO Game Studios (MPAFAAAD)

Keywords

• Video game development
• First-person shooters
• AAA game studio
• Multiplayer game design
• Console PC games

Headquarters

HQ city

Foster City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Full Game Sales: Selling complete video game titles at standard retail price ($69.99 standard edition), with premium editions at higher price points. Titles include Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023), Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021), Call of Duty: WWII (2017), Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011).
2. Subscription Revenue (Game Pass): Games added to Xbox Game Pass subscription service following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, generating revenue through the subscription model for catalog titles.
3. In-Game Monetization: Battle passes, BlackCell, and in-game bundles for seasonal content, multiplayer maps, and operator skins.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sledgehammer Games is a AAA video game development studio that designs and develops first-person shooter games for the Call of Duty franchise, including campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes. Titles are developed for console, PC, and cloud platforms and are published and distributed by Activision Blizzard (a Microsoft subsidiary).

Product overview

Sledgehammer Games is a game development studio specializing in the Call of Duty franchise. The company develops first-person shooter games featuring campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes. Their portfolio includes titles across multiple Call of Duty sub-series including Modern Warfare (MWIII, MW4), Black Ops (BO7), Vanguard, WWII, and Advanced Warfare. Games are published by Activision and distributed across console, PC, cloud, and mobile platforms including Xbox Game Pass.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 A 2011 first-person shooter and sequel to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, developed by Sledgehammer Games with Infinity Ward, continuing the Modern Warfare storyline and published by Activision for console and PC.
• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare A 2014 futuristic first-person shooter featuring next-gen physics and advanced movement capabilities, developed by Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision for console and PC.
• Call of Duty: WWII A 2017 first-person shooter set in World War 2, developed by Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision for console and PC.
• Call of Duty: Vanguard A 2021 World War 2-themed first-person shooter developed by Sledgehammer Games in collaboration with Treyarch for Zombies mode, featuring campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes. Published by Activision for console and PC.
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III A 2023 first-person shooter developed by Sledgehammer Games, featuring campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes. Part of the ongoing Call of Duty franchise published by Activision for console, PC, and cloud platforms.
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 A 2025 first-person shooter game featuring campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes with a narrative set in 2035, published by Activision for console and PC.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UbituscoreTechnology or Integration · 28 November 2025Microsoft has partnered with Ubitus, a cloud gaming services provider, to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo Switch platforms through cloud streaming technology. Sledgehammer Games is reportedly working on additional Switch 2 ports as part of this initiative.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Raven Software: Raven Software is an Activision studio supporting Call of Duty: Warzone and other CoD live-service work. It is a direct peer operating on the same franchise with shared multiplayer infrastructure.
• id Software: id Software is a Microsoft-owned studio behind DOOM and Quake, both foundational AAA FPS franchises. It is a direct peer in the AAA shooter category under the same Xbox Game Studios umbrella.
• Bungie: Bungie develops Destiny 2 and was formerly behind Halo, making it a direct peer in AAA live-service FPS design and engine-driven multiplayer shooters.
• Infinity Ward: Infinity Ward is a sister Activision studio that co-developed Modern Warfare 3 with Sledgehammer and anchors the Modern Warfare sub-series. It is the closest functional peer, sharing the same franchise, engine lineage, and multi-mode development approach.
• Treyarch: Treyarch is an Activision studio that develops the Black Ops sub-series and collaborates with Sledgehammer on Zombies mode for Vanguard and MW3. It is a direct peer in both franchise development and the live-service Zombies experience.
• DICE: DICE develops the Battlefield franchise for EA, the closest head-to-head competitor to Call of Duty in the AAA military FPS category. It competes directly for the same holiday release window and shooter audience.
• Halo Studios (343 Industries): Halo Studios is the Microsoft studio developing the Halo franchise, a flagship Xbox FPS. It is a direct peer in AAA console FPS development under the same parent company.
• Respawn Entertainment: Respawn Entertainment is an EA studio behind Titanfall and Apex Legends, two leading live-service multiplayer shooters. It is a direct peer in live-service FPS design and annual content cadence.

Broad incumbents

• Ubisoft: Ubisoft is a major AAA publisher operating live-service shooters like XDefiant and Rainbow Six Siege, competing broadly with Call of Duty for shooter players and annual engagement.
• EA (Electronic Arts): EA is the parent of DICE, Respawn, and others, publishing Battlefield, Apex Legends, and Medal of Honor. It is a broad incumbent in the AAA FPS category and the most direct multi-franchise competitor to Call of Duty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SHGames
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SledgehammerGames
• Facebookfacebook.com/sledgehammergames
• Instagraminstagram.com/sledgehammergames
• TikToktiktok.com/@shgames
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sledgehammer-games

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sledgehammer Games