Building Headquarters - The Social Hub in Call of Duty WWII

Explore the development of Headquarters, a groundbreaking 48-player social hub feature in Call of Duty WWII, in this 2019 GDC talk by Sledgehammer Games' Riley Pietsch. Discover how the team created character-driven storefronts, implemented engaging minigames, and designed new ways for players to showcase their achievements and interact with the community. Learn about the goals, challenges, and unexpected outcomes of introducing this innovative social space to the Call of Duty franchise. Gain insights into improving core gameplay loops, expanding player archetypes, and embracing fun and unexpected elements in game design. Understand the importance of low-friction interactions, user-generated content, and post-launch themes in creating a successful social hub experience.

Intro
INTRODUCTION
PRESENTATION AT A GLANCE
GOALS SETTING OUT
IMPROVE THE CORE LOOP
ADD SOCIAL COMPONENTS TO EXISTING FEATURES
EXPAND PLAYER ARCHETYPES
EMBRACING FUN & THE UNEXPECTED
LOW FRICTION
LOW BARRIER TO INTERACTIVITY
ORDERS & CONTRACTS
MINIGAMES
USER GENERATED MEDIA
POST-LAUNCH THEMES
UNEXPECTED RESULTS
CONCLUSION