The free-to-play battle royale franchise has become the most profitable immobile game of 2020. Its revenues were around 150.91 billion thanks to the micropayment store. It puts it above previous series winners, Black Ops 4 and WWII, which generate approximately 150 billion in revenue.
- All the Call of Duty games in order – complete series list
- How to play the Call of Duty games in timeline order
- Call of Duty: WW2
- Call of Duty: Finest Hour
- Call of Duty: World at War
- Call of Duty 2
- Call of Duty
- Call of Duty 3
- Call of Duty: Big Red One
- Call of Duty Games In Order
- Call of Duty
- Finest hour
- What Is Call of Duty?
- What Was the First Call of Duty?
- Call Of Duty 3
- Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty: World At War
- 5) Call of Duty 3
- 6) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Call of Duty Mobile
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
All the Call of Duty games in order – complete series list
From WWII to our brutal future, here’s how to play Call of Duty games in release order or timeline.
In just two years, the Call of Duty series will be turning 20 – the first game in the series was released in 2003 and since then the sequels have come thick and fast.
it can be difficult to keep track of the order of games in the timeline as many of them span several years. Please consider this guide as only one way to do it, not the final way, as there are indeed arguments for shuffling the order.
And of course, some Call of Duty games are still in progress, and CoD Season 3 is about to bring a lot of new content to Black Ops – Cold War and Warzone.
If you’d like to play all of the existing CoD games in sequence, here’s a guide on how to do it – but remember, there are an awful lot of them!
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How to play the Call of Duty games in timeline order
If you want to play the Call of Duty games in an order that makes sense, the most consistent timeline to follow is a real-life story. This isn’t perfect science as some games span more than one era, but it’s still a great way to play in the series. With that in mind, check out our recommended Call of Duty timeline order below.
Call of Duty: WW2
The first game on the timeline is World War II, which was released relatively recently in 2017. When we mentioned that some of them can be shuffled, well the first entry is a good example of this as the game starts in 1940 – the earliest date in the COD timeline – but then it shifts and takes place around 1944 – 1945.
So while we chose to put it here, you can post it after World at War without making much difference. One of the perks of starting here is that you can play zombie mode and take down Nazi zombies, which is as fun as it sounds.
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
This is another game that jumps on the timeline, but going to its earliest point, this is where we decided to put it. American, British and Soviet soldiers are at the center of this game, which gives us three different campaigns in one game. Also, as a fun fact, it was the first game in the series to be made for console and released on the original Xbox and PlayStation 2.
Call of Duty: World at War
Kiefer Sutherland leads the voice cast for this WWII-based entry that remains one of the highlights of the series even through all these years. This one takes place in a theater in the Pacific against the Imperial Japanese, and it’s an epic campaign that continues to this day.
Also, it was the first game to feature a zombie mode, which in itself is a reason to call this game one of the greatest Call of Duty games.
Call of Duty 2
We’ll go back to the earliest date shown in the game to decide where it will be placed, which is 1942. The sequel to the original game, Call of Duty 2, raised the stakes and gave us four different main characters of different nationalities, all with an eye on freeing the world from the evil Nazi regime.
Call of Duty
Now we’re back to the beginning with the original Call of Duty game, which was first released in 2003. In this one you have three different campaigns led by British, Russian and American soldiers.
The stories run from 1942 to 1944, but as with any other game we go with the earliest date, so 1942 puts it on our list here – right after the game that followed to keep us all on our toes.
Call of Duty 3
Another WWII set game, this one at least makes placement easier as it doesn’t span many years. So we can throw it in here, no complication on the sides. Call of Duty 3 revolves around the events of Operation Cobra, where the Allies fought to exit Normandy.
Call of Duty: Big Red One
It’s a must-play for fans of the smash hit miniseries Band of Brothers (if you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor and do it now) as it takes place around 1944 as it features several cast members in its voice line – including Michael Cudlitz and Richard Speight Jr.
It looks like the web version of Battle Royale will have an 80s-themed map as part of the Call of Duty Season 3 update, which is due out soon.
Call of Duty Games In Order
CoD: Black Ops Cold War on the left, CoD 1 on the right.
The original game debuted in 2003. The first person shooter Infinity Ward was released exclusively for PCs with Microsoft Windows.
The series began with a single player campaign from World War II. This homonymous game is the first of 17 titles that make up the main series or narrative of the series.
An additional 12 spin-offs are also part of a series such as Warzone and the mobile versions available.
Some CoD titles have single-player campaigns for fictional conflicts, such as CoD: Modern Warfare. Others mix historical events with fictional characters and storylines, like the original title.
Likewise, every CoD game includes both a single-player campaign and a multiplayer aspect. For many players, both layers are equally important.
However, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the only title in the main series to come out with no single-player experience. Still, it is one of the most successful series.
That said, 2001’s Modern Warfare was the first CoD to launch with crossplay features. Currently, MW, Warzone and Black Ops Cold War allow you to play with your friends on any platform (PC, Xbox or PlayStation).
Call of Duty
The game debuted in 2003 exclusively for Windows computers. Provides a single-player campaign from WWII.
Its gameplay was similar to Medal of Honor, albeit with additional points of view and additional scenarios. It is worth noting that the campaign includes American soldiers, British agents and Soviet comrades.
His greatest introduction to the industry was artificial intelligence to control allies. NPC colleagues follow and support the player during the mission. They also react to circumstances and situational changes. It leads you to survive the war itself, instead of playing the classic lone wolf game.
Another notable feature was the ability to aim with sights. It was one of the first games to implement targeting.
Call of Duty Classic premiered in November for all available consoles. Players could get it by purchasing the premium edition of Modern Warfare 2. You can still play the Xbox Series S / X as it is backwards compatible.
Finest hour
CoD: Finest Hour is the first console version of the series. He came out for PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox in 2004. This is an expansion to the original game with a three-part campaign.
It also has a multiplayer mode that supports 16v16 battles. This makes it the first Call of Duty online game.
The stories run from 1942 to 1944, but as with any other game we go with the earliest date, so 1942 puts it on our list here – right after the game that followed to keep us all on our toes.
What Is Call of Duty?
Call of Duty is a series of first-person shooters with over forty-two games on almost all consoles and platforms, including mobile devices. Although the franchise initially had a player following British, US, and Canadian troops during World War II, it has expanded over time.
Now there are sequels, and the spin-offs feature a variety of settings such as Cold War, Modern Times, Futuristic War, and Space. It’s a very popular game, but it didn’t always hit the mark in its releases.
The original series won critical acclaim and revolutionized the style of FPS games. But some games in the series are buggy and a few of them are no longer available.
Much of this can be attributed to the minor producers who didn’t make the first game but had licenses to produce expansions for the story. Nevertheless, it is still a popular series with a lot of favorite games.
What Was the First Call of Duty?
The first Call of Duty was released for Microsoft Windows. He tracks WWII warfare from the perspective of American, British and Soviet troops. It revolutionized FPS shooters with new AI controlled allies supporting the main player in missions.
The game was developed by a team of project leaders from the highly successful Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. Call of Duty has won over eighty Game of the Year awards and garnered great reviews.
It became popular very quickly, and less than a year later, an add-on was released. Call of Duty is now available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is now part of a larger series of sequels and spin-offs, many of which are loved and praised.
Call of Duty gameplay is based on three different campaigns.
The US campaign follows Private Martin, who is a new soldier in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He needs help completing his basic training at Camp Toccoa before the action moves to eight more solo missions.
The British Campaign follows Sergeant Jack Evans and Unit 2 Ox and Bucks during Operation Tonga. Evans fights the German troops to remove them, then takes part in five more missions with different troops and squadrons.
The Soviet campaign follows Corporal Alexei Ivanovich Voronin during the Battle of Stalingrad, where he and the recruits cross the Volga to force the Germans to retreat. Then he takes part in the next nine missions.
Call of Duty: Ghosts was released in 2013 and is the sixth Call of Duty game created by Infinity Ward. The game starts its own story in the campaign mode, continuing the success of the multiplayer mode from the previous parts.
Call Of Duty 3
Release date: November 7, 2006 | Platforms: PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii | Developer: Treyarch | Worldwide sales: 7.2 million copies
The third entry in the Call Of Duty franchise was one of the more disappointing titles to be published. Call Of Duty 3 was Treyarch’s first attempt to develop a CoD game with no changes to gameplay features.
Treyarch has developed some lovely looking maps and the game has received a visual facelift. However, the only thing they brought to the series were a lot of heroes. The game lacked gameplay and the multiplayer was no different, but the inclusion of vehicles was fun and welcomed by many.
This title missed the PC, but if it did, I don’t think CoD2 players would have changed after seeing how good this game was (and still is). The game may have sold more copies than the previous title, but that’s not a reflection of how well it played.
Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Release date: November 5, 2007 | Platforms: Microsoft Windows, OS X, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii | Developer: Infinity Totem | Worldwide sales: 15.7 million copies (up to 2013)
Call Of Duty made some changes to the series and did it with the highest class. Modern Warfare marked the end of (for now) the old WWII scenery and, wow, was that spectacular.
The basic mechanics haven’t changed much; in fact they have been improved, only this time with loads of new weapons and toys. The single-player campaign is considered one of the best in the series and includes both the American and British hero. The game was revolutionary and the wall penetration mechanics really were something worth seeing when this game was released.
CoD4’s multiplayer was also one of the best so far with the introduction of a prestige mechanic and a perk system that players could customize. CoD4 saw a resurgence in the PC competitive scene when modding tools were re-released. CoD4 offered players a quick FPS alternative to games like Counter-Strike, and it caught on again with “Promod”.
One of the most popular games in Call of Duty history, Modern Warfare was remastered a few years ago, so you can play it with improved graphics and gameplay – or just stick with the original version, which still holds up to now.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
image Source: Activision
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was released in 2007 and developed by Infinity Ward. This is the first Call of Duty game that was not set in the WWII era, but rather has a contemporary feel. The game won Game of the Year in 2007 and was the best-selling game of the year.
In the case of the campaign, the action takes place in 2011, when a radical leader executed the president of an unnamed country in the Middle East, and a nationalist movement ignites a civil war in Russia. The conflicts are seen from the perspective of the US Force Reconnaissance Marine and the British SAS commando, and are taking place in various locations such as the UK, the Middle East, Azerbaijan, Russia and Ukraine.
The multiplayer portion of the game features different game modes and includes a leveling system that allows the player to unlock additional weapons, weapon attachments, and camouflages for their weapons as they progress. COD 4 includes modern hardware and new features, many of which are exclusive to multiplayer, such as “killstreaks”; Killing a few enemies without a player dying between kills gives you access to a variety of resources including air strikes and helicopter support to help your squad.
As you gain experience in the multiplayer game, the player will advance to the next levels, unlocking new weapons, perks, challenges and game modes. The highest attainable level is 55, but the player has the option to enter Prestige mode, which restores one level and removes all accumulated unlockable items. This process can be repeated up to 10 times, each time giving a different insignia.
Call of Duty: World At War
image Source: Activision
Call of Duty: World At War was developed by Treyarch and released in 2008. The game brought the series back to World War II and is the first installment in the Black Ops series. It is also the first game in the series to include the popular Zombies game mode.
Zombies is a survival game mode where a group of four players has to fight against waves of zombies that only increase with each round. The game mode has no level limit, so the player plays until they finally succumb to the Zombies.
The campaign narrative focuses on the theaters of World War II in the Pacific and Eastern Front, with the participation of the United States, Japan, the Soviet Union, and Nazi Germany. It is told from the perspective of Private Marine Cor. C. Miller, Locke’s US Navy NCO and a Red Army soldier, Private Dimitri Petrenko, and is based on several historic battles from the Second World War.
The multiplayer gameplay in World at War is similar to that in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. All versions of the game use a similar perk and ranking system and offer six multiplayer modes including Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. The three killstreak rewards can be used to turn the tide of battle: a recon plane showing enemies on the minimap; artillery attack on the area and attack dogs that respawn and attack their opponents. They are earned for 3, 5, and 7 kills respectively. They are available in all game modes, except Team Survival, and cannot be edited.
In terms of gameplay, one of the more interesting characters was the ability to form teams and control his German Shepherd, Riley. The multiplayer game was obviously similar again only with new weapons and surroundings, but this time there was an element of destructible environments.
5) Call of Duty 3
Release date: 2006
Supported platforms: Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 2, Playstation 3
The third game in the series was the first to be available for the Nintendo Wii and PS3 consoles. It was also the last title available on the original Xbox.
Call of Duty 3 was also the first title produced by Treyarch Studios. It maintained World War II settings and allowed the player to play as a Canadian, Polish, American or British soldier for 14 missions.
The multiplayer mode has been greatly expanded to allow you to play with up to 24 players on PS3 and 360. Variant 360 included an online ranked mode that garnered much praise.
6) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Release date: 2007
Supported platforms: PlayStation 3, Windows PC, OS X, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS
It was the first title to depart from WWII and focused on a more modern timeline with updated technology and weapons.
The new game engine was developed specifically for Modern Warfare, and Infinity Ward is back as a development company.
The action of Modern Warfare takes place in 2011 and places the player in Russia, the Middle East, Great Britain and Ukraine.
It introduced a new leveling system combined with online multiplayer, which allowed players to unlock new items as they played more often and progressed. The game was a huge success and was the best-selling game of 2007.
This version has been released for the PlayStation Portable. It is a Call of Duty 3 spin-off. It tracks British, American and Canadian troops during World War II. You can play wirelessly with up to six players on nine different maps.
Call of Duty Mobile
Image via Activision
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Call of Duty Mobile is a popular free phone title that has become the highest-grossing mobile launch ever in 2019. In addition to the fan-favorite multiplayer, the game also features zombies and a Battle Royale mode for up to 100 players per match. Many consider it to be the best Call of Duty mobile game ever made.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Image via callofduty.com
Release Date: October 25, 2019
Modern Warfare remains Call of Duty’s most iconic sub-series, which makes sense that it will eventually be brought back by Infinity Ward. This 2019 title has restarted the story as a new version of Captain Price’s recruits helps defeat the dishonest Russian general Roman Barkov.
The game introduced a new Battle Royale mode called Warzone, in which 150 people fell into battle on a giant map. Warzone promises to make it into other Call of Duty titles in the future.