DEVELOPING THE EXOSKELETON FOR CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE

Nearly three years ago, we set out on a quest to deliver an all-new near future setting for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. The team focused on the tools that a Tier-1 Operator of the future would have, and began researching  the technology that would be on the battlefield of tomorrow. Through research, and early gameplay prototypes, we were excited and inspired by the innovations that an exoskeleton would offer for our fans. “The idea for the exoskeleton came out of our extensive research into various real-life super soldier programs,” said Bret Robbins, Creative Director at Sledgehammer Games. “A soldier’s strength and endurance are a constant limitation on the battlefield, and real advancements were being made in that area.” It became the heart of the Advanced Soldier, our story, and the main driver of new gameplay mechanics and player experiences.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is rooted in relatable headlines and we focused on the opportunity to deliver a believable future setting. Striking the  balance between science and fiction could only be achieved through extensive research. Using the design principle of “form follows function” our concept team met with a wide group of military operators, technologists, futurists, and industry leaders to compile a grounded understanding for the exoskeleton on the battlefield of the future. “It was extremely important that the exoskeleton did not read as overly complicated from a distance,” said Joseph Salud, Art Director at Sledgehammer Games. “We developed a design that the player would recognize and understand in a split second upon seeing the exoskeleton – what it was, how it works, and how it provides exciting new abilities for Call of Duty players.”

The exoskeleton is a core mechanic of our game, but it’s just one of the many future technologies we’ve researched for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Be sure to visit our Blog each week as we unveil our process of developing the various weapons, vehicles, and technology found in our game. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Instagram for more updates from our studio.