How to Play the Call of Duty Games in Order

To accidental Call of Duty is an important portion of video crippled past would beryllium an understatement. It’s hard to deliberation of first-person shooters (or enactment games successful general) without mentioning this series, which has go 1 of the astir palmy franchises ever aft revolutionizing single-player campaigns and online battles.

For decades, CoD has dominated the multiplayer scene. Apart from creating iconic characters similar Captain Price and Alex Mason, the bid has besides introduced unexpected figures to their ranks, similar Spawn, Snoop Dogg, and Lionel Messi. With Black Ops 6 present available, you mightiness privation to look backmost connected implicit 20 years of Call of Duty history.

With entries exploring conflicts from some our past and our imaginable future, here's each Call of Duty crippled successful chronological order.

Jump to:

• How to play successful chronological order
• How to play by merchandise date

How Many Call of Duty Games Are There?

Due to rather a fewer subseries, a reboot, and the galore studios that person worked oregon are moving connected the series, it tin beryllium a spot troublesome to find however galore Call of Duty games person been released.

If we see lone the main entries with single-player campaigns, including each the World War II titles, the Modern Warfare subseries (plus its reboot), and the Black Ops subseries, determination are 20 video games successful the Call of Duty franchise

That said, things get analyzable erstwhile you adhd each the expansions, online experiences, mobile games, and spin-offs. For example, Call of Duty: United Offensive is an enlargement for the archetypal game, portion Call of Duty: Finest Hour and Call of Duty 2: Big Red One are broadside stories of the archetypal 2 entries.

Spin-offs see strategy crippled Call of Duty: Siege, launched successful 2016 based connected Infinite Warfare’s universe; Call of Duty: Heroes, released successful 2014; and the mobile mentation of Call of Duty: Black Ops. In fact, galore main entries person importantly antithetic editions for mobile/handheld erstwhile compared to the large console releases. Examples of this are PS Vita’s Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified and Nintendo DS’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Defiance.

Then there’s the Chinese free-to-play Call of Duty Online, released successful 2015 and unopen down successful 2021. 2019’s Call of Duty Mobile took its spot and is inactive moving today.

The unsocial Zombies modes person go a staple of the bid since their archetypal inclusion successful 2008’s World astatine War, and they person appeared successful aggregate entries since.

Finally, the franchise entered the conflict royale and unrecorded work genres with Warzone, launched successful 2020, which became a immense success. Two years later, it was replaced by Warzone 2.0, a implicit overhaul of the game’s representation and experience. Warzone Mobile brought the conflict royale acquisition to iOS and Android devices successful aboriginal 2024.

To debar confusion, it’s worthy mentioning that the reboot of the Modern Warfare bid volition beryllium numbered with Roman numbers. Also, Black Ops 4 is not added to the database beneath for its deficiency of run (it’s a multiplayer-only experience).

Which Call of Duty Game Should You Play First?

For the involvement of simplicity and accessibility, we urge 2019's Modern Warfare reboot arsenic a coagulated starting constituent for Call of Duty campaigns. Starting present creates a straightforward way done the rebooted Modern Warfare trilogy, arsenic each 3 games are disposable connected modern Xbox and PlayStation consoles, arsenic good arsenic PC. Plus, dissimilar the Black Ops subseries, each crippled was released wrong the past 5 years, meaning nary should consciousness excessively dated.

Call of Duty Games successful Chronological Order

Beware of insignificant spoilers for the stories, characters, and applicable events of each crippled successful the database below.

1. Call of Duty (2003)

The franchise's archetypal crippled was developed by Infinity Ward and published successful 2003. This is the archetypal of galore entries successful the bid focused connected World War II, pursuing the steps of different household names similar Medal of Honor.

In the archetypal Call of Duty, you play 3 antithetic campaigns arsenic antithetic soldiers from 3 countries: the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union.

The North American soldier, Private Martin, starts his grooming successful 1942 and participates successful the penetration of Normandy successful 1944, portion the British Sergeant Evans fights successful Operation Tonga that aforesaid year. Evans volition aboriginal beryllium helped by Captain Price, a recurrent sanction successful the franchise. On the different hand, the Soviet Alexei Ivanovich Voronin’s run takes spot successful the Battle of Stalingrad.

2. Call of Duty 2 (2005)

The sequel of the archetypal rubric repeats the settings and nations but with immoderate antithetic perspectives. Instead of 3 campaigns, you acquisition four: 1 from the position of a North American soldier, 1 from the Soviet Union, and 2 from Britain.

As Private Vasili Koslov, you person to support Moscow from Nazi German soldiers, portion North American Bill Taylor joins the service that assaults La Pointe du Hoc during the infamous D-Day. The British soldiers, Sergeant John Davis and David Welsh, participated successful the struggle successful North Africa. Davis is led by Captain Price.

3. Call of Duty: World astatine War (2008)

A fewer years aft Call of Duty 3, the squad astatine Treyarch came backmost and delivered their past introduction based connected the struggle the bid has been breathing disconnected since its beginnings. This time, however, the run was lone divided into North American and Soviet forces.

You travel American Marine Private C. Miller during the Makin Island raid successful 1942, and aboriginal successful the Battle of Peleliu, successful which American forces confronted the Japanese army. The Soviet conception takes spot successful the Battle of Stalingrad, but this clip connected the Eastern Front arsenic Private Dimitri Petrenko.

4. Call of Duty 3 (2005)

The archetypal main crippled successful the bid not developed by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty 3 was Treyarch’s archetypal effort astatine recreating World War II events.

Taking spot successful 1944, armies from Britain, Poland, the United States, Canada, and France combat against Germany's Nazi forces successful the colony of Chambois, France, during the Battle of Normandy.

This is the lone main introduction you cannot play connected PC.

5. Call of Duty: WWII (2017)

Almost a decennary and a fractional aft the archetypal game, workplace Sledgehammer Games returned the franchise to World War II. This was the archetypal clip successful the main bid determination was lone 1 protagonist successful the campaign: Ronald “Red” Daniels, accompanied by his loyal squad. As Red, you combat Nazi German forces crossed the European theater, from Normandy to Germany.

While WWII has immoderate little flashback sequences successful 1940, which would acceptable it arsenic the archetypal crippled successful the bid chronologically, the halfway of the rubric takes spot successful 1944.

6. Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

In the latest introduction acceptable successful World War II, developer Sledgehammer Games tried erstwhile again to bring Call of Duty to its roots and research this humanities lawsuit from a antithetic perspective.

Contrary to 2017’s WWII, you are presented with aggregate characters connected antithetic fronts. The main nonsubjective is to larn much astir Phoenix, a concealed Nazi task that could alteration the tide of the warfare successful favour of Nazi Germany.

Vanguard besides has flashback sequences for antithetic protagonists starting successful 1941, but the bulk of the run is acceptable successful 1945, adjacent the extremity of the war.

7. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)

Developer Treyarch changed eras with Black Ops. Going from 1961 to 1968, you’ll acquisition the events of the Cold War and portion of the Vietnam War for the archetypal clip successful the series.

The main protagonist, Alex Mason, works with the CIA and is tasked to retrieve events that would assistance find Soviet sleeper agents. These agents are astir the United States, and they program to merchandise a unsafe chemic limb called Nova 6.

8. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)

Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War helps link the archetypal Black Ops and Black Ops 2. While the main protagonist this clip is nicknamed “Bell,” you get to take your name, gender, and different details similar dialog lines.

Set successful 1981, you squad up with characters from erstwhile games, including Alex Mason, Frank Woods, and Jason Hudson. Under CIA’s Russell Adler, your elite squad is expected to drawback a Soviet fig that goes by “Perseus” who is readying to onslaught the United States.

9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)

The sequel to the archetypal Black Ops presents 2 timelines. On the archetypal one, you travel Alex Mason’s footsteps respective years aft helium and his squad successfully stopped Nova 6. It’s 1986, and Jason Hudson asks Mason to assistance with the hunt for Frank Woods, who disappeared successful Cuando Cubango, Angola.

The 2nd timeline is centered astir David Mason, Alex’s son, who’s looking for Raul Menendez successful 2025. Menendez is the person of Cordis Die, a violent enactment that provoked the Second Cold War.

10. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024)

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 takes spot successful the aboriginal 1990s, opening successful 1991, aft the events of Black Ops 2's late-80s storyline. The communicative is centered astir the Gulf War, wherein Frank Woods and his squad of rogue agents are hunted by a shadowy radical that's infiltrated the CIA.

Historical figures represented successful the crippled see erstwhile U.S. president Bill Clinton and erstwhile Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

11. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

The past introduction to person a fig aft “Call of Duty,” Modern Warfare is the archetypal clip the bid abandoned its classical Allies vs Axis struggle for thing much recent.

In 2011, Yasir Al-Fulani, the president of a fictional Middle Eastern country, was executed by Khaled Al-Asad, the person of a revolutionary party. Meanwhile, Russia is going done a civilian warfare provoked by Imran Zakhaev, an arms dealer.

A squad commanded by Captain Price and formed by protagonist John “Soap” MacTavish person to halt an planetary crisis.

12. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)

Set 5 years aft the events of the erstwhile game, Modern Warfare 2 tells the communicative of Vladimir Makarov, an Ultranationalist who continues the enactment of Imran Zakhaev. It turns retired this extremist enactment gained power of Russia, truthful Makarov gained the powerfulness to commencement committing violent acts against the United States.

Well-known faces similar the Captain Soap and Captain Price articulation forces with Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson, Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley, “Nikolai”, and different agents to halt Makarov’s concealed plan.

13. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)

The extremity of the archetypal Modern Warfare trilogy brings the pursuit of violent Vladimir Makarov to its climax. Captain Price’s squad re-arranges itself with Yuri, an ex-Spetsnaz known by Nikolai. Captain John "Soap" MacTavish is besides contiguous for the last mission.

Makarov captures Boris Vorshevsky, the president of Russia, who was going to found bid with the United States. After threatening the president’s daughter, Makarov acquired atomic motorboat codes, becoming an planetary information erstwhile again.

14. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

In 2019, Infinity Ward rebooted the palmy Modern Warfare bid by reusing immoderate classical characters successful a caller timeline. Well-known faces similar Captain Price are contiguous successful a caller struggle with Russia.

Set successful the aforesaid twelvemonth it was released, a fictional republic called Urzikstan is invaded by a Russian army. While this onslaught is going on, a violent enactment called Al-Qatala, besides from Urzikstan, begins with operations against antithetic countries successful the world. Captain Price, alongside his Task Force 141 and the Urzikstan Liberation Force, effort to de-escalate the conflict.

15. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)

Taking spot successful 2022, Modern Warfare II follows the communicative of the MW reboot, featuring returning characters from Task Force 141 and the Urzikstan Liberation Force person Farah Karim.

Al-Qatala is inactive a threat, but each eyes are connected Quds Force, an Iranian revolutionary radical commanded by Hassan Zyani. Zyani is supported by Al-Qatala and a Mexican cartel from the fictional metropolis of Las Almas, and helium plans violent acts against the United States aft the assassination of General Ghorbrani, an Iranian forces leader.

16. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)

Picking up aft the events of 2022's Modern Warfare II, MWIII erstwhile again stars Task Force 141, including recurring characters John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, and John "Soap" MacTavish. Ultranationalist violent Vladimir Makarov, the villain from 2011's Modern Warfare 3, erstwhile again serves arsenic the antagonist.

17. Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)

A standalone introduction with fewer connections to erstwhile titles, Call of Duty Ghosts was developed by Infinity Ward successful 2013. As its sanction indicates, it focused connected the peculiar cognition radical called Ghosts, a U.S. squad tasked with concealed missions.

It’s 2027, and aft a decennary of conflicts successful the Middle East and an lipid crisis, a South American unit called the Federation of the Americas initiated a warfare against the United States. Working with your caller team, you person to halt Gabriel T. Rorke, the erstwhile person of Ghosts.

18. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)

Advanced Warfare was the archetypal introduction to instrumentality spot respective decades beyond its merchandise date. It was besides the archetypal crippled developed chiefly by Sledgehammer Games.

Set successful 2054, you power Jack Mitchell, a subordinate of the United States Marine Corps who aboriginal fights successful the backstage subject corp known arsenic Atlas aft suffering an accident. On this occasion, the force forces are a Chechenian separatist radical called KVA led by Joseph "Hades" Chkheidze.

It was 1 of the archetypal entries to diagnostic futuristic changes successful gameplay owed to its setting, similar the information that soldiers present deterioration exoskeletons, which bring them unsocial abilities.

19. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)

The extremity of the archetypal Black Ops trilogy was besides acceptable successful the future. More specifically, successful the twelvemonth 2065, erstwhile a Third Cold War betwixt the Common Defense Pact and the Winslow Accord is happening. Robotic drones, cyborg supersoldiers, unpiloted aerial forces, and different technological advancements instrumentality halfway stage.

A achromatic ops squad composed of you (simply referred to arsenic “The Player”), Jacob Hendricks, and your cybernetics part volition beryllium tasked with preventing the struggle from reaching a much unsafe state. You analyse a unusual lawsuit successful Singapore and look retired for the 54 Immortals, a transgression organization.

20. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)

No Call of Duty crippled went further into the aboriginal than Infinite Warfare. Around the 2080s, the United Nations Space Alliance was created aft humans had spent each the earthy resources disposable connected Earth. Beginning the colonization and exploitation of resources connected different planets, this confederation is defended by the Solar Associated Treaty Organization, a subject unit that battles the totalitarian authorities Settlement Defense Front from Mars.

How to Play the Call of Duty Games By Release Date

1. Call of Duty (2003)
2. Call of Duty 2 (2005)
3. Call of Duty 3 (2006)
4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
5. Call of Duty: World astatine War (2008)
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
7. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)
10. Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)
11. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)
12. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)
13. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
14. Call of Duty: WWII (2017)
15. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
16. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)
17. Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)
18. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
19. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)
20. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024)

What’s Next for Call of Duty?

It's official: Black Ops 7 is adjacent up successful the Call of Duty franchise. A uncover trailer was shown astatine the caller June Xbox Showcase, showing Milo Ventimiglia arsenic David Mason. Michael Rooker is besides acceptable to reprise his relation arsenic Mike Harper from Black Ops 2.

The seventh Black Ops crippled volition beryllium acceptable successful 2035, implicit 40 years aft Black Ops 6, and brings backmost co-op campaigns. We don't person a merchandise model rather yet, but it's surely imaginable Activision sticks to their accustomed docket of October oregon November releases.

Axel Bosso is simply a contributing freelancer for IGN, covering everything related to video games (he's down immoderate of the Wikis you mightiness person utilized implicit the years)!