Call of Duty is a globally renowned and beloved video game franchise. Let's explore its history, chronologically examining each game's release.
Table of Contents
- Call of Duty
- Call of Duty 2
- Call of Duty 3
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty: World at War
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Call of Duty: Ghosts
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
- Call of Duty: WWII
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty: Warzone
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Call of Duty: Vanguard
- Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
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Call of Duty
Release Date: October 29, 2003 Developer: Infinity Ward
The original Call of Duty, released in 2003, offered both single-player and multiplayer experiences set during World War II. The single-player campaign featured four distinct perspectives: American, British, Soviet, and Allied, each showcasing different historical battles and weaponry. Multiplayer focused on objective-based gameplay, such as capturing flags. The game featured a total of 26 diverse missions, ranging from training exercises to large-scale urban combat.
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Call of Duty 2
Release Date: October 25, 2005 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
Call of Duty 2 continued the World War II theme, refining the gameplay with automatic health regeneration when in cover. The health bar was removed, and the game featured three campaigns (American, British, and Soviet), each offering varied missions based on historical events. Multiplayer remained largely unchanged from the first game, retaining its objective-based structure. A post-game documentary provided historical context to the war.
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Call of Duty 3
Release Date: November 7, 2006 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Xbox
Call of Duty 3, an Xbox exclusive, marked a shift with a unified storyline instead of separate campaigns. New actions like rowing were introduced, alongside split-screen multiplayer. Technical improvements were significant, enhancing graphics and animation. This installment notably included civilians (non-playable) and omitted handguns from the campaign.
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Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Release Date: November 5, 2007 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare moved the series into the modern era, setting the stage for a new sub-series. The game's storyline centered on preventing a nuclear catastrophe in 2011, offering American and British campaigns. New features included Arcade Mode, cheat codes, and a class-based multiplayer system, which would become a staple of future titles.
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Call of Duty: World at War
Release Date: November 11, 2008 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
A return to World War II, Call of Duty: World at War featured American and Soviet campaigns, improving upon graphics and AI from previous entries. A notable addition was the Nazi Zombies mode, playable solo or cooperatively. Other innovations included enemy dismemberment, the flamethrower as a weapon, and further character class customization.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Release Date: November 10, 2009 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
A direct sequel to Modern Warfare, this installment continued the modern conflict storyline. New gameplay elements like climbing and underwater sequences were introduced, though not consistently throughout the campaign. Multiplayer expanded with dual-wielding pistols, new game modes, and an enhanced perk system.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops
Release Date: November 9, 2010 Developer: Treyarch Download: Steam
Call of Duty: Black Ops launched a new sub-series, shifting the setting to the Cold War era. The single-player campaign focused on a CIA agent's missions. New features included in-game currency, character/weapon skins, contracts, and a wagering mode. Multiplayer retained the class system and included the popular Zombies mode.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Release Date: November 8, 2011 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
Modern Warfare 3 directly followed Modern Warfare 2, continuing the story and characters. Focusing on refinement rather than radical changes, the game boasted improved graphics, sound, and mechanics, resulting in a highly successful launch.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Release Date: November 13, 2012 Developer: Treyarch Download: Steam
Black Ops II presented a unique campaign spanning two time periods (1980s and 2020s), offering player choice and multiple endings. New features included equipment selection before missions and improved AI. The game maintained its success despite not reaching the record-breaking heights of Modern Warfare 3.
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Call of Duty: Ghosts
Release Date: November 5, 2013 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
Call of Duty: Ghosts introduced new characters and a storyline featuring both Earth-based and space combat, including alien encounters. Character customization, destructible environments, and perk system changes were notable additions.
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Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Release Date: November 4, 2014 Developer: Sledgehammer Games Download: Steam
Advanced Warfare took players to a futuristic setting dominated by private military corporations. The game incorporated exoskeletons, drones, and advanced weaponry, but the storyline and overall reception were less positive than previous entries.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Release Date: November 6, 2015 Developer: Sledgehammer Games Download: Steam
Black Ops III continued the futuristic theme, featuring cybernetic enhancements for soldiers. Jetpacks, wall-running, and underwater combat were added, alongside nine specialist characters expanding the class system.
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Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Release Date: November 4, 2016 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
Infinite Warfare was a standalone title set in space, focusing on resource acquisition on Mars. The single-player campaign lacked major mechanical changes, while the multiplayer introduced customizable exoskeletons.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Release Date: November 4, 2016 Developer: Raven Software Download: Steam
A remaster of the original Modern Warfare, this version focused on enhanced visuals, audio, and animations, while largely preserving the original gameplay.
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Call of Duty: WWII
Release Date: November 3, 2017 Developer: Sledgehammer Games Download: Steam
A return to the World War II setting, Call of Duty: WWII emphasized a classic experience with the addition of "heroic actions" and the return of medkits. Multiplayer featured increased player counts and specialized classes.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Release Date: October 12, 2018 Developer: Treyarch Download: Steam
Black Ops 4 omitted a traditional campaign, instead offering standalone Specialist missions. Multiplayer featured increased health, a new fog-of-war system, and a 100-player battle royale mode.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
Release Date: October 25, 2019 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
A reboot of the Modern Warfare sub-series, this installment presented a new storyline focusing on contemporary terrorism. The game featured controversial content and significant gameplay changes, including increased weapon recoil and the return of Killstreaks.
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Call of Duty: Warzone
Release Date: March 10, 2020 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
Warzone was a standalone battle royale title, offering classic battle royale, Rebirth (with respawns), and Plunder (money collection) modes. It featured a "downed" state and the Gulag, a 1v1 arena for a second chance.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered
Release Date: March 31, 2020 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: callofduty.com
A remaster of Modern Warfare 2, this version updated visuals, audio, and animations.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Release Date: November 13, 2020 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
Set in the early 1980s, Black Ops Cold War featured a single-player campaign spanning various global locations. The Zombies mode received significant updates with loadout creation, tactical item drops, and armor upgrades.
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Call of Duty: Vanguard
Release Date: November 5, 2021 Developer: Sledgehammer Games Download: Steam
A return to World War II, Vanguard featured a campaign with multiple character backstories and a multiplayer mode with a record-breaking 20 maps.
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Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0
Release Date: November 16, 2022 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
Warzone 2.0, included with Modern Warfare II, introduced ammo sharing, an updated Gulag, and a new DMZ mode.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
Release Date: October 28, 2022 Developer: Infinity Ward Download: Steam
A sequel to the 2019 Modern Warfare, this installment continued the storyline while focusing on refinement rather than radical changes. Notable additions included wall breaching and revised swimming/vehicle mechanics.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
Release Date: November 2, 2023 Developer: Sledgehammer Games Download: Steam
Modern Warfare III combined the best elements of its predecessors, offering a combat-focused campaign with familiar characters and a multiplayer mode with a record 24 maps, and a new "Slaughter" mode.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Release Date: October 25, 2024 Developer: Treyarch and Raven Software Download: Steam
Black Ops 6, set in the 1990s during the Persian Gulf War, introduced new mechanics such as climbing, sliding, and a smart movement system. The Zombies mode was restructured into separate rounds.
The Call of Duty franchise, spanning 25 games, continues to captivate players with its blend of challenging gameplay, realistic settings, and engaging multiplayer experiences. The series' consistent evolution, building upon successful mechanics while introducing innovative features, has solidified its position as a leading first-person shooter franchise.
