Call of Duty has been a beloved FPS franchise for over 2 decades, making it one of the longest-running in history. With that in mind, here is a chronological list of every Call of Duty game.
Few video game franchises can rival the success of Call of Duty. From its initial release in the early 2000s, the series has solidified its place as one of the top-selling franchises in history, delivering numerous iconic first-person shooter titles over the years.
With numerous Call of Duty games available, it can be difficult to determine which was released first and which is the most recent.
Keeping this in consideration, we have compiled a comprehensive list of Call of Duty games in chronological order, starting from the initial release to the highly-anticipated latest installment released in 2023.
How many Call of Duty games are there?
Prior to disclosing the complete list of Call of Duty games in chronological order, it is essential to understand the total number of games that fall under the Call of Duty franchise.
At present, there are a total of 23 primary titles in the Call of Duty franchise, including both Warzone and Warzone 2. The most recent release was Modern Warfare 3, which came out in November 2023, and the upcoming release of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is scheduled for October 24, 2024.
Call of Duty (2003)
Where it all began.
- Release date: October 29, 2003
- Developer: Infinity Ward
- Sales: 4.5 million
- Platforms: PC, Mac, N-Gage
The renowned first-person shooter franchise began in 2003 with the launch of Call of Duty, which was designed to compete with the widely successful Medal of Honor games. However, CoD quickly gained dominance with its distinctive World War II campaign that presented the war from the viewpoints of American, British, and Soviet forces, and its multiplayer mode.
Despite its current simplicity, this was the initial indication of what would be revealed in the future.
Call of Duty 2 (2005)
Call of Duty 2 saw the series get even closer to the games we know today.
- Release date: October 25, 2003
- Developer: Infinity Ward
- Sales: 5.9 million
- Platforms: Xbox 360, PC, Mac
Continuing in World War II, Call of Duty 2 was the first game in the series to be released on consoles. It received widespread acclaim for its stunning visuals and four unique campaigns.
“The release of Call of Duty 2 also introduced several features that have since become commonplace in the FPS genre, such as regenerating health and a HUD indicator for nearby grenade landings.”
Call of Duty 3 (2006)
CoD 3 was the last release before the franchise took over the mainstream.
- Release date: November 7, 2006
- Developer: Treyarch
- Sales: 7.2 million
- Platforms: PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC
At this point, we are pleased to introduce Treyarch as a new addition to our team, taking on the development of Call of Duty 3 as the series transitioned into its annual release cycle that we have grown accustomed to.
With the introduction of CoD 3, multiplayer started to have a more prominent role, although it would have been difficult for anyone to anticipate the events that would unfold.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
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- Release date: November 6, 2007
- Developer: Infinity Ward
- Sales: 15.7 million
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC
After being absent for a year, it’s fair to say that Infinity Ward revolutionized the FPS genre with the launch of Call of Duty 4, elevating CoD to a level that was unmatched by any other game.
In addition to its exceptional contemporary campaign, which includes iconic moments and characters that remain popular even now, its multiplayer mode developed a ground-breaking formula that revolutionized the gaming industry. It has since earned the reputation of being one of the greatest games of all time, and we wholeheartedly agree.
Call of Duty: World at War (2008)
Nazi Zombies became an instant hit when World at War was released.
- Release date: November 11, 2008
- Developer: Treyarch
- Sales: 15.7 million
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, DS, PC
The following installment in the Call of Duty franchise is World of War, where Treyarch returned to the WWII setting, but incorporated the progression and perks systems introduced by Infinity Ward a year earlier.
The release of World at War also marked the debut of Nazi Zombies in the Call of Duty franchise, a game mode that would go on to achieve tremendous success in the following years. This also set the precedent for future CoD games to launch with three modes: campaign, multiplayer, and a co-op element.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
Modern Warfare 2 is still one of the CoD series’ most popular games.
- Release date: November 10, 2009
- Developer: Infinity Ward
- Sales: 25.02 million
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Many would argue that Modern Warfare 2 was the perfect follow-up to CoD 4 as it doubled down on everything the original got right. It delivered an exceptional story and instantly classic maps such as Rust, Highrise, and Favela.
Thirteen years later, Modern Warfare 2 continues to be hailed as the top game in the series by numerous fans.
Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
Treyarch moved to a whole new time period with Black Ops.
- Release date: November 9, 2010
- Developer: Treyarch
- Sales: 30.72 million
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, DS, PC
In 2010, Treyarch broke new ground with the introduction of the first game in the popular Black Ops series, by building upon the concept of Zombies and transitioning to a Cold War backdrop.
The campaign of Call of Duty, with its gripping and distinctive storyline, continues to be one of the most unforgettable experiences the game has to offer. It also paved the way for the only sub-series that can rival Modern Warfare in terms of popularity.
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Following up Modern Warfare 2 was no easy task, but that’s what Infinity Ward did.
- Release date: November 8, 2011
- Developer: Infinity Ward
- Sales: 30.71 million
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC
Despite not receiving the recognition it deserves, the multiplayer of this game boasts a variety of thrilling weapons and diverse maps that would make any other series envious.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012)
Black Ops 2 is still the best-selling CoD of all time.
- Release date: November 12, 2012
- Developer: Treyarch
- Sales: 31 million
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U, PC
The next game on our list of Call of Duty titles in chronological order is still the highest-selling installment in the series to this day.
Despite its numerous plot twists and a captivating online multiplayer experience, Black Ops 2 remains a top contender in the Call of Duty franchise, thanks in part to its revolutionary Pick 10 class building system.
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Many have forgotten Ghosts, but Riley, the dog, will stay with us.
- Release date: November 5, 2013
- Developer: Infinity Ward, Neversoft, Raven Software
- Sales: 28.98 million
- Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Wii U, PC
Despite selling nearly 30 million units, CoD: Ghosts is still regarded as a flop almost ten years after its release.
Despite its unfortunate release between console generations, Ghosts has largely been forgotten by the community, and we are still eagerly awaiting closure on its ending.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)
The introduction of Exo Suits would bring in a new era of CoD.
- Release date: November 3, 2014
- Developer: Sledgehammer Games, High Moon Studios
- Sales: 21.76 million
- Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
Ultimately, we reach the initial ‘jetpack’ game in the Call of Duty series as Sledgehammer introduced the feature in their debut entry. The divisive addition was intended to heighten the importance of mobility as the franchise began to shift towards a futuristic setting.
Despite not being a poor addition to the list, Advanced Warfare did initiate a trend that would be enhanced in subsequent years. Nevertheless, it never reached the level of affection and admiration that some of the earlier games received.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III (2015)
Black Ops 3 seemed to perfect the jetpack formula.
- Release date: November 6, 2015
- Developer: Treyarch, Beenox, Mercenary Technology
- Sales: 26.72 million
- Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
Out of all the futuristic CoDs that have been released, Black Ops 3 is often considered the standout. The implementation of thruster boosts added a new level of verticality to multiplayer, which players greatly enjoyed.
The introduction of customizable Specialists with unique abilities added even more variety, which is crucial in franchises that release new installments every year.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
Not even Jon Snow could save Infinite Warfare.
- Release date: November 4, 2016
- Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Treyarch, High Moon Studios, Beenox, Vicarious Visions
- Sales: 13.6 million
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Despite the addition of Modern Warfare Remastered, Infinite Warfare faced strong criticism from fans upon its release in 2016 and did not see a significant increase in sales.
Following the third and final installment in the jetpack era of Call of Duty, which took players on a journey through space, many were feeling fatigued by the increasingly unrealistic settings and gameplay. Fans were eager for the next game to go back to its roots.
Call of Duty: WWII (2017)
WWII was another fun game, but it didn’t capture the magic of the older titles.
- Release date: November 3, 2017
- Developer: Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software
- Sales: 19.82 million
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
In 2017, Sledgehammer Games responded to the demand for a “boots on the ground”game by setting it during WWII, bringing players back to the origins of the conflict.
Despite the refreshing change, the addition of a new War multiplayer mode was not enough to elevate CoD WWII to the level of Word at War.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018)
Without Blackout, would Warzone have blown up the way it did?
- Release date: October 12, 2018
- Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software, Beenox
- Sales: 14.3 million
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Despite the lack of a single-player campaign, Black Ops 4 was a thrilling advancement for Call of Duty. This was largely due to Activision’s venture into the battle royale genre, marking a significant shift for the franchise.
Despite Blackout not achieving its intended goal of becoming a rival to Fortnite or PUBG, it served as the basis for future success and is still held in high regard by a portion of the community.
Call of Duty Mobile (2019)
It was only a matter of time before CoD took over the mobile market.
- Release date: October 1, 2019
- Developer: TiMi Studio Group
- Downloads: 500 million+
- Revenue: $1 billion+
In 2019, publishers started to recognize the significant amount of profit that can be gained from a high-quality free-to-play mobile game.
Despite being released in 2019, Call of Duty Mobile continues to maintain its popularity on both Android and iPhone. This is due to its vast selection of guns, maps, and modes, accumulated over the span of more than 15 years. As we enter 2022, the game shows no signs of slowing down.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
Modern Warfare (2019) rebooted the MW name and was generally praised.
- Release date: October 25, 2019
- Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Beenox, High Moon Studios
- Sales: 30 million
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Despite experiencing a decline in sales over the past few years, Infinity Ward made the decision to revitalize the series by relaunching the popular Modern Warfare games.
The trio of Captain Price, Soap MacTavish, and Gaz all reappeared in a more intense campaign that focused on the brutal realities of war, while the multiplayer aspect was hailed as a resurgence of the franchise’s classic gameplay.
Call of Duty: Warzone (2020)
Warzone changed Call of Duty forever.
- Release date: March 10, 2020
- Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games, Beenox, High Moon Studios, Activision Shanghai, Toys For Bob
- Downloads: 100 million+
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
While 2018’s Blackout only briefly explored the battle royale genre, Warzone fully immersed itself and successfully combined the most desirable elements of the genre with the beloved CoD gunplay.
After two years and more than 100 million downloads, it could be argued that no game has had as significant of an impact on Call of Duty as Modern Warfare did in 2007.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)
Black Ops Cold War was yet another solid entry in the series.
- Release date: November 13, 2020
- Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Beenox, High Moon Studios, Activision Shanghai, Demonware
- Sales: 30 million
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
In 2020, Treyarch continued their tradition of taking players back in time by setting Black Ops Cold War in the 1980s. This highly anticipated sequel to the original Black Ops brought back beloved characters such as Alex Mason and Frank Woods, and the multiplayer experience offered familiar yet enjoyable gameplay elements.
Despite Warzone’s dominance, BOCW was able to achieve impressive sales and was well-received upon its release in the same year.
Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)
The latest WWII CoD didn’t go down well with fans.
- Release date: November 5, 2021
- Developer: Sledgehammer Games, Treyarch, Raven Software, Beenox, High Moon Studios, Activision Shanghai, Demonware
- Sales: 30 million copies
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Despite returning to World War II, Call of Duty Vanguard failed to meet expectations. Although the game still featured the traditional CoD gameplay, it was disappointing due to a lack of originality and numerous glitches upon release.
Activision has acknowledged that the game did not meet initial sales expectations, prompting a shift in focus to the release of Modern Warfare 2 in 2022 in hopes of improving sales.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
Modern Warfare 2’s release continued to prove CoD’s dominance in the FPS market.
- Release date: October 28, 2022
- Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Beenox, Treyarch, High Moon Studios, Sledgehammer Games, Activision Shanghai, Demonware, Toys for Bob
- Sales: TBC
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
The most recent addition to the Call of Duty franchise is Modern Warfare 2, which has been a tremendous success in the commercial market. It achieved a record-breaking $800 million in sales within the first three days of its release, solidifying its position as the most successful launch in CoD history.
Despite facing a few bugs and the removal of popular maps, the game remains at the top of the gaming charts and continues to be a massive success. In recent seasons, the multiplayer has significantly improved and continued to thrive.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 (2022)
Warzone 2 has proven popular amongst BR fans.
- Release date: November 16, 2022
- Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Beenox, Treyarch, High Moon Studios, Sledgehammer Games, Activision Shanghai, Toys for Bob
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Despite retaining many of the core principles that made the original Warzone 2 popular, the game was later rebranded as just Warzone. However, it still deviated from what players were accustomed to in the original game by slowing down the gameplay and prioritizing a more traditional Battle Royale experience.
In the year 2023, the game was renamed as Call of Duty: Warzone. Despite this alteration, it still features the improved looting mechanics, fresh weapons, and maps. Additionally, it is expected to carry over into Modern Warfare 3, where it will be closely integrated with Sledgehammer’s upcoming game.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
Modern Warfare 3 sees Sledgehammer return to MW for the first time in 12 years.
- Release Date: November 2023
- Developer: Sledgehammer Games
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
The latest installment in the Call of Duty franchise is Modern Warfare 3, which serves as both a reboot and a direct sequel to MW2 released in 2022. Unlike its predecessors, this game was developed by Sledgehammer, known for creating titles such as Advanced Warfare, WW2, and Vanguard.
The game brings back the franchise’s origins by including familiar elements such as a traditional minimap, a perk system, and map voting. Additionally, the entire original Modern Warfare 2 launch map lineup makes a return. Along with an expanded health pool and revamped loadouts, players can also look forward to new features like After-Market Parts.
So, there you have it! That was the complete list of Call of Duty games, arranged in the order of their release. Additionally, if you are a fan of Need for Speed or Resident Evil games, you can also check out their respective lists in chronological order.
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