Bob Murphy Show Ep. 495 A Conversation With One of the Creators of Call of Duty
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Apr 8, 2026 Chance Glasco, veteran game developer and founding Call of Duty developer with 25+ years in the industry. He discusses early programming and animation roots. He recounts forming Call of Duty, design choices like 60 FPS and polish, and creating controversial missions. He also covers political pressures on game narratives and his work on gaming and climate resilience.
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From VHS Demo Tape To AAA Animator
- Chance Glasco got into AAA games by sending a short VHS demo of basic animation and working nights on expensive SGI machines.
- He started as a three-week unpaid intern on Medal of Honor and was hired after showing simple walk/run cycles and a dancing cat final project.
Team Breakaway Launched Call Of Duty
- A 22-person exodus from the Medal of Honor team formed a new studio and partnered with Activision to found Call of Duty.
- Chance stayed through multiple mainline titles from Call of Duty 1 to Ghosts, witnessing the franchise's rise.
Prioritize Frame Rate Over Graphics For Shooter Feel
- Call of Duty prioritized designers and 60 FPS responsiveness over maximum graphical fidelity to create a superior first-person feel.
- The studio favored polished scope control and Quake/Doom modder DNA to keep gameplay tight and reactive.