CoD community bid farewell to David Vonderhaar as iconic dev leaves Treyarch after 18 years
Treyarch / David VonderhaarAfter 18 years, the legendary CoD dev David Vonderhaar confirmed his departure from Treyarch and Activision. Upon finding out, the CoD community bid farewell thanking him for all the work he’s done for the franchise.
Witnessing an iconic dev depart from the studio where they played a pivotal role in creating games as memorable as David Vonderhaar did at Treyarch is undoubtedly a bittersweet experience.
Vonderhaar first appeared in the Call of Duty credits back in 2005 as a Sr. Online Manager for CoD 2: Big Red One. Over the next years, he would rise from Lead Multiplayer Designer to Studio Design Director for the Black Ops franchise at Treyarch, being involved in the development of 8 titles within the Call of Duty franchise.
Following his departure after a remarkable 18-year journey, players expressed their farewells, extending gratitude for his contributions to the franchise, particularly the Black Ops saga.
David Vonderhaar leaves Treyarch & Call of Duty
Through a LinkedIn post on August 18, 2023, David ‘Vahn’ Vonderhaar announced that he would be leaving the Treyarch and Activision team after 18 years.
In his post, Vonderhaar shared a sentimental message with the Call of Duty community:
“Thank you to the Call of Duty community for your passion and enthusiasm. That energy has often fueled our determination as a studio and individuals. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to interact with so many of you directly online and in person. This energy will always be a massive part of me.”
After the news was shared, the CoD community began with farewells and heartfelt messages. One such message came from 100 Thieves co-owner Jack ‘CouRage’ Dunlop, who expressed his gratitude by recalling, “You helped guide me at the start of my casting career.”
ActivisionPlayers joined in on X by using the hashtag ‘ThankYouVahn’ to share their sentiments. This included sharing images, collages, and favorite game screenshots, accompanied by written messages like “Thank you for the childhood you gave to millions.”
Based on the outpour of support, the immense importance and influence that Vonderhaar has had on the Call of Duty franchise and the Black Ops saga are clear to see.
Expressing the impact of the news, one fan lamented, “I’ve never felt pain like this.” The sentiment was echoed by popular streamer Swagg, who succinctly summed up the collective feeling with, “Forever a legend.”
Under CharlieIntel’s post, fans continued to express their gratitude to Vahn for his work. Some of them highlighted that the games he was involved in were “bangers,” emphasizing how outstanding they all were.
His departure will leave a significant hole for Treyarch to fill, with the studio reportedly at the helm of the CoD title to be released in 2024.
Echoing the CoD community’s sentiment, we extend our best wishes to David Vonderhaar with what’s next.
For more on Call of Duty, be sure to check out everything we know about Modern Warfare 3 or why a CoD expert thinks MW2 guns won’t be as effective in MW3.