Naavik Gaming Podcast Call of Duty: Origins
Jun 17, 2025
Dan Bunting, former Studio Head of Treyarch and a key architect behind the Call of Duty franchise, shares his gaming journey. He reveals how community feedback shaped the iconic Zombies mode and recounts his experiences in developing the Black Ops series. Dan discusses Treyarch's adaptive design philosophy and highlights the importance of innovation in keeping the Call of Duty franchise at the forefront. He also opens up about his transition to entrepreneurship, the future of gaming technology, and the evolving challenges facing the industry.
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Dan's Journey Into Gaming
- Dan Bunting entered the games industry via a winding path starting from modding and working at FX Networks.
- He landed at Treyarch in 2003, initially working on the canceled Dead Rush and then on Call of Duty in early 2004.
Treyarch's Identity Emerges
- World at War was Treyarch's first real expression of its unique identity in Call of Duty.
- The game pushed boundaries with dark themes and introduced co-op, leading to the birth of Zombies mode.
Origins of Zombie Mode
- Zombies mode originated from a mocap session showing soldiers that looked like zombies.
- There was no initial narrative, but community theories fueled its evolving conspiratorial storylines.