Treyarch hiring for new Call of Duty

If, for some reason, you thought that Call of Duty: Black Ops developer Treyarch would be taking a break from the annualized FPS franchise, think again. Recent job listings are searching for experienced programmers that have "an expert understanding of the Call of Duty game universe." The company is looking for an "expert on recent first person shooters and the trends of the genre."

Treyarch's first foray into the Call of Duty franchise was Call of Duty 3, which released in 2006. Since then, it's taken turns with Infinity Ward in producing additional games to the annualized franchise. Call of Duty: World at War released in 2008, and Call of Duty: Black Ops followed in 2010. Given the studio's track record, it's easy to anticipate that the next Call of Duty game from Treyarch will ship next year, in 2012.

There are currently no details on what Treyarch's next COD game will be. However, some speculate that the recent Rezurrection DLC may hold a clue. Sledgehammer Games was previously rumored to be working on a sci-fi Call of Duty game, before their focus switched to Modern Warfare 3. Treyarch recently released its own sci-fi take on the genre with the zombie "Moon" map. Combining fantasy weapons, low gravity, and zombies, it's clear that Treyarch is willing to take the series into unconventional territory.

(via OXM)