How James Bond Could Have Prevented Call of Duty From Ever Existing

Michael Condrey, co-founder of Sledgehammer Games and former EA producer on James Bond titles, revealed how a critical development decision could have prevented the Call of Duty franchise. Around 2001-2002, while working on 007 Nightfire, Condrey was seeking a PC developer for the game's port. Vince Zampella and Jason West, then part of 2015, Inc. (developers of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault), pitched to handle the Nightfire PC port, needing funding for their next project. However, EA ultimately chose Gearbox, which produced a famously terrible port, and concurrently ended its relationship with 2015, Inc. This led Zampella, West, and others from 2015, Inc. to found Infinity Ward with Activision, establishing the immensely successful Call of Duty series, a path that would not have unfolded had they secured the 007 Nightfire contract.