The design director of Call of Duty developer Treyarch says the series’ jetpacks gave him post-traumatic stress disorder. David Vonderhaar, who has worked on the CoD series since Call of Duty 2: Big Red One and most recently shipped Black Ops 4 with Treyarch, confirms in a new Twitter thread that jetpacks will not return to the next game in the franchise.
When a fan encouraged Vonderhaar to ensure the gadgets return in the next Call of Duty, the developer simply replied, “NO.” Another player joined in, expressing his love for jetpacks, prompting Vonderhaar to once again rebuke the suggestion. “Such short-term memories”, he states. “You hung me from the highest branch. No. NO. I have PTSD.” It is unclear whether Vonderhaar’s PTSD assertion is genuine or merely a joke, nor whether the cause is the jetpacks themselves or the ensuing criticism from fans at the time.
Jetpacks made their first CoD appearance in Sledgehammer’s Advanced Warfare in 2014. They went on to appear in Treyarch’s Black Ops III and Infinity Ward’s Infinite Warfare, before being dropped for WWII and Black Ops 4. Now, it appears certain the next game, which is rumoured to be in development at Treyarch, will once again eschew the flying gadgets.
We don’t yet know what setting Call of Duty 2020 will boast. However, Kotaku reported last year that the game will be titled Black Ops V, with Treyarch taking over from the previously attached Sledgehammer, thereby bucking the franchise’s usual three-year development rotation.
Such short-term memories. You hung me from the highest branch. No. NO. I have PTSD.
— David "Vahn" Vonderhaar (@DavidVonderhaar) January 5, 2020
In other news, you can now play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare using Donkey Kong bongos. Sort of.