Ex-Call of Duty designer "who survived the crunch" in order to launch Black Ops 1 & 2 calls out executives "raking it in" from sales of remasters

eurogamer.net Oct 20, 2026

Ex-Call of Duty designer “who survived the crunch” in order to launch Black Ops 1 & 2 calls out executives “raking it in” from sales of remasters

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Oct 20, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Former Treyarch veteran Gavin Goslin used LinkedIn to denounce Activision’s July re‑release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2, arguing that executives are “printing money” from titles he helped build under intense crunch, while the original creators receive no compensation. Goslin, who spent over 15 years as a level artist and designer on both games, described the re‑issues as low‑effort ports that have nonetheless topped sales charts in 2026, generating roughly 11 million copies sold and nearly $450 million in revenue, according to data‑tracker Circana. He called the disparity a “fundamental flaw” in industry talent valuation and urged the establishment of legacy rewards for developers. Activision has not responded to the allegations.

💡 Why It Matters

· It spotlights a growing clash between publisher profit models and the lack of residual rights for developers who built legacy franchises.

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Xbox Game Pass Reportedly Getting ‘Major Overhaul,’ Will Feature ‘À La Carte’…

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💡 The move could redefine how console subscriptions compete with streaming services, offering gamers flexibility while protecting Xbox’s premium titles. It also signals Microsoft’s willingness to restructure its revenue model to balance subscription growth with traditional game sales.

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The CyberPowerPC Gaming PC RTX 5060 Ti Prebuilt Gaming PC Drops to…

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💡 The deal delivers high‑end gaming performance at a price that undercuts many custom builds, making advanced PC gaming more accessible to budget‑conscious consumers.

gamesradar.com · Oct 21

Palworld lead calls Steam Next Fest a gamble that’s “still worth taking”…

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💡 The discussion underscores how developers can still leverage large digital festivals to refine and promote their games, proving that community engagement outweighs the noise of AI‑heavy releases.

gamesradar.com · Oct 21

The Xbox Nano controller is cute as hell, but I regret to…

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💡 The Nano’s release illustrates Microsoft’s pivot toward low‑cost, family‑friendly peripherals, potentially reshaping how casual gamers approach console accessories. Its timing amid workforce reductions underscores a broader industry trend of balancing product innovation with cost‑control measures.

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💡 The exploit threatens to erode the protective barrier Sony relies on to safeguard upcoming blockbuster releases, potentially accelerating piracy and undermining the console’s security model.