Sledgehammer and Raven working on COD Modern Warfare 3

This year’s new Call of Duty title will be Modern Warfare 3 and it will be co-developed by Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software, sources close to the project have told the LA Times.

Activision had claimed that the turmoil at Infinity Ward – bosses Zampella and West were fired and much of the top talent quit – would not effect operations at the studio, but it would appear Activision has had to call in help from two of its other internal studios.

According to people familiar with the situation, Sledgehammer Games has been drafted in to work alongside Infinity Ward on the game’s single-player campaign. Meanwhile, Raven Software has been told to complete the multiplayer element of the game.

The sequel is reported to be well into production, but the extra development resources have been required in order to meet the vital November 2011 release date.

Sledgehammer’s work on Modern Warfare 3 has, however, had a knock-on effect on its own Call of Duty project, with Activision forced to delay the production of the franchise’s latest spin-off, various sources have told the LA Times.

Given the strength of the Modern Warfare series it makes absolute sense for Activision to be doing all it can to ensure the game makes its planned November release date.

However, we could be in a situation where in order to maintain an unchanged release schedule, Sledgehammer’s first game ends up being rushed out without being given enough development time. Either that, or resources from other projects are cut in order to offer assistance to the spin-off game.