# Treyarch lays off lead Call of Duty writer and Zombies veteran after “approximately 20 years” of service

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/treyarch-lays-off-lead-call-of-duty-writer-and-zombies-veteran-after-approximately-20-years-of-service/
- Published: 2026-11-15T15:14:10+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-15T16:26:42+00:00
- Original publisher: Eurogamer
- Original article: https://www.eurogamer.net/craig-houston-layoff-treyarch-call-of-duty-layoffs
- Topics: Business, Call of Duty, Companies, Entertainment, Gaming, Horror, Software, Technology

## Key points

- Craig Houston says he was laid off after about 20 years at Treyarch.
- He helped write Call of Duty campaigns and led Zombies storytelling.
- The cuts are linked to Xbox’s reorganisation affecting 3,200 jobs.

## Summary

Craig Houston, Treyarch’s former senior lead writer, says he has been laid off after approximately 20 years with the studio. His departure matters to Call of Duty fans because he helped shape the series’ campaigns and was the main writer for its Zombies mode for many years.

Houston joined Treyarch on Call of Duty 3 in 2006 and went on to work across numerous titles, including the Black Ops games. The article links the cuts to a wider Xbox reorganisation affecting 3,200 jobs; Treyarch is owned by Xbox through Activision Blizzard. Fans and former colleagues have publicly praised Houston’s work and wished him well.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.