Few games have defined a genre as well as Call of Duty. If you’re a fan of the first-person shooter, then you’ve undoubtedly played at least one of the titles that have hit shelves on an annual basis for more than fifteen years. Here’ s a look back at all of the Call of Duty games we’ve enjoyed so far.
The list below is in chronological order of release of each CoD title and shows also the platforms supported for each game (such as PS3, PS4, PC , XBOX etc).
Moreover, the listed titles are only the main games in the series (not expansion packs or limited edition games).
1) Call of Duty (Original)
Release Date: 2003
Supported Platforms: Windows PC, OS X, N-Gage
The first Call of Duty was a first-person shooter(FPS) set during the World War II era. It was heavily inspired by the Medal of Honor video games, but with some significant variations in storytelling, locations, and AI gameplay.
One of the biggest differences was the group of AI-controlled squad members who traveled with the player and supported him during skirmishes.
This was a major step forward from FPS games of the previous years. Call of Duty won numerous awards and was considered a massive success.
2) Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Release Date: 2004
Supported Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube
The next release in the series was significant because it was the first to be released on home video game consoles.
It shared many similarities with the original Call of Duty but is considered a side-plot to the main story established in the previous game.
The player participates in battles as a soldier in either the Soviet Union, U.S., or British army depending on the scenario.
The local and online multiplayer support attracted competitive players from around the world, though it was not supported on the Nintendo GameCube.
3) Call of Duty 2
Release Date: 2005
Supported Platforms: Windows PC, Xbox 360, OS X, Mobile Phones
This was the first Call of Duty game to be released on the Xbox 360 and was considered a flagship title. The player experiences the game through the vantage point of four different characters in four different campaigns with a total of 27 missions.
There were several new features added as well as a complete overhaul of the graphics system. These changes helped the game to become the 360’s most popular launch title.
On consoles, one of the biggest attractions was the online multiplayer with maps that supported 8 players in a variety of game modes, including deathmatch, headquarters, and capture the flag.
4) Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
Release Date: 2005
Supported Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation 2, Nintendo Gamecube
With Call of Duty 2 serving as a launch title for the 360, the studio released Big Red One as an alternative for the GameCube and PlayStation 2.
It is a side story to the main game much like Finest Hour was for the original Call of Duty. This was the last time that a Call of Duty game would be released on the Nintendo GameCube.
Gameplay focused on a single formation of soldiers instead of multiple groups like the previous games.
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. It was also the last title available on the original Xbox.
Call of Duty 3 was also the first title to be produced by Treyarch Studios. It maintained a WWII setting and allowed the player to play as either a Canadian, Polish, American, or British Soldier throughout 14 missions.
Multiplayer was expanded significantly to allow for games with up to 24 players total on the PS3 and 360. The 360 variation included a ranked mode online that earned significant 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
This was the first title to step away from the WWII setting and focus on a more modern timeline with updated technology and weaponry.
A new game engine was developed specifically for Modern Warfare and Infinity Ward returned as the development company.
Modern Warfare’s story takes place in 2011 and places the player in Russia, the Middle East, the UK, and Ukraine.
It introduced a new leveling system connected to online multiplayer that allowed players to unlock new items as they played more frequently and progressed. The game was a huge success and the top-selling game of 2007.
7) Call of Duty: World at War
Release Date: 2008
Supported Platforms: Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii
Treyarch returns as the development studio for the fifth official title in the main Call of Duty series. Once again, the setting takes place during World War II.
Despite lacking the Black Ops title, this is considered the first game in the Black Ops story. This was also the first Call of Duty game to introduce the zombies that would become a staple of future titles.
Battles in World at War take place in East and include Japan, the Soviet Union, and Germany. It focuses entirely on the story of a single marine.
8) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Release Date: 2009
Supported Platforms: Xbox 360, Windows PC, PlayStation 3
Modern Warfare 2 returns to the same storyline as the previous title in the Modern Warfare series. The story focuses on a single group of special forces units while they hunt for the leader of an extremist Russian organization.
There are two main playable characters in the campaign, but the real star of the show was the multiplayer mode.
Many new features were introduced that remain with the series today, such as killstreaks and deathstreaks bonuses.
Infinity Ward stuck with the previously established system of leveling up during multiplayer matches where the player can gain access to new weapons, gear, and perks.
9) Call of Duty: Black Ops
Release Date: 2010
Supported Platforms: Windows PC, OS X, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Black Ops was the first official title in the new Black Ops series and was developed by Treyarch Studios. It featured an in-depth story that was more focused and complex than any of the previous titles.
The player traveled to a variety of locations around the globe, including Cuba, Hong Kong, and the Arctic.
A new form of currency was made available that players could purchase with real money. It would eventually sell more than 25 million units and become one of the most successful video games ever made.
10) Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
Release Date: 2011
Supported Platforms: PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft PC, Xbox 360
MW3 was the final Call of Duty game available on the Nintendo Wii home console. It is also the final game featured in the Modern Warfare series.
The story for MW3 picks up immediately after the events of MW2. A slightly enhanced version of the engine was used and many complaints about the previous games were corrected.
However, the overall gameplay felt very familiar. During the campaign mode, the player assumes the roles of various soldiers spread throughout the world and are accompanied by a squad of AI-controlled units.
11) Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Release Date: 2012
Supported Platforms: Nintendo Wii U, Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Blacks Ops II was the first Call of Duty available on the new Nintendo Wii U system. The campaign for the story takes place during the 1980s and later during 2025.
The player takes turns in each time period controlling a separate character. It was the first Call of Duty to focus on a nonlinear style of gameplay and to include more than one possible ending.
Some of the new features in the game included permanent death, robots, and branching storylines.
12) Call of Duty: Ghosts
Release Date: 2013
Supported Platforms: Nintendo Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC
Ghosts was the tenth major Call of Duty game and the first available on the next-gen PlayStation 4. The single-player campaign featured gameplay and story elements very similar to previous Infinity Ward titles.
However, the new innovations in Multiplayer and the new Extinction game mode were loved by fans. In multiplayer, characters could destroy or alter certain parts of the map.
Sniper gameplay was improved with the addition of the ability to see outside of the edges of the scope when scoped. Finally, the extinction game mode put teams of four against hordes of attacking aliens.
13) Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Release Date: 2014
Supported Platforms: Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
Advanced Warfare marked the first time Sledgehammer Games was the lead developer on a Call of Duty title.
This was the first time since Call of Duty 2 that used a new game engine that was rebuilt from scratch.
The game featured performances from well-known actors Kevin Spacey and Troy Baker and takes place around the year 2054.
Overall, the game was viewed as a significant improvement over the previous title thanks to its immersive story, expanded multiplayer, and lightning-fast gameplay. It would go on to win multiple awards.
14) Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Release Date: 2015
Supported Platforms: PlayStation 3, Playstation 4, Windows PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One
The story in Black Ops III moves further into the future than previous titles with a date of 2065. The campaign was designed with four-player co-op in mind.
Developers focused on creating larger maps with less action taking place in confined rooms and buildings.
The futuristic timeline allowed for some unique features and abilities. The famous Zombie mode returned with even more challenges and character options.
It was an overall success, but didn’t do much in terms of innovation.
15) Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Release Date: 2016
Supported Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows PC
Infinity Ward returned in 2016 with a new contract and a new game: Infinite Warfare. The setting was primarily outer space where the player was battling for the future of the solar system.
This new setting provided players with unique methods of travel and styles of movements due to a lack of gravity.
The player could also take control of a fighter in space and engage in free aerial combat for the first time in the series.
16) Call of Duty: WWII
Release Date: 2017
Supported Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows PC
Fans were excited when Sledgehammer Games returned to the roots of Call of Duty with a classic World War II setting on a next-gen console.
The gameplay takes place primarily from the vantage point of Ronald Daniels who fights alongside AI-controlled squadmates.
The AI units are significantly improved from previous titles and offer various forms of tactical support during combat.
Multiplayer mode was also expanded and improved with a new social hub that allowed non-combat interactions between online players.
17) Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Release Date: 2018
Supported Platforms: PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Treyarch decided to focus entirely on multiplayer and abandon the campaign mode entirely with Black Ops 4.
It still featured a handful of solo missions, but these missions were not the focus of the game. Instead, a lot of effort was placed into refining and improving the multiplayer experience.
Automatic health regeneration, a feature added in Call of Duty 2, was removed from the game. Several maps for the Zombie mode were included from the beginning.
Improvements to recoil and ballistics made gunfights feel more realistic than ever.
18) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Release Date: 2019
Supported Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The latest Call of Duty game is a reboot of the existing Modern Warfare series. The new MW has an expansive campaign mode with storylines developed specifically for single-player as well as co-op.
This game is the first in the series to fully support cross-platform gameplay between consoles. One of the biggest improvements is the Ground War multiplayer mode that is capable of supporting up to 64 online players at once in a massive battle.
19) Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Release Date: 2020
Supported Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4 (PS4), PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War asks an interesting question. How can you portray a cold war in an action-based game?
The answer is to largely focus on intertwining Call of Duty’s combat with stealth mechanics. Make no mistake, you’ll find yourself enjoying a lot of the same types of gameplay experiences that are found in other Call of Duty titles.
But Black Ops Cold War does a good job of adding spy missions and a more nuanced and politically focused take on plot progression. Not to mention that stepping into the Reagan era is a refreshing change of pace.
20) Call of Duty: Vanguard
Release Date: 2021
Supported Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4 (PS4), PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Call of Duty: Vanguard marks the series’ return to World War II. Saying that this era is well-represented within the larger genre would be an understatement.
But games return to the era so often for good reason. It’s an iconic war that opens up a vast number of questions about specific battles and strategies.
And Vanguard presents World War II with amazing graphical fidelity. As with many Call of Duty games, the story tends to be a little flimsy.
But fans of visual storytelling will find a lot to love in Vanguard. Not to mention that the choice of 20 multiplayer maps adds a tremendous amount of replay value.
21) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Release Date: 2022
Supported Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4 (PS4), PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has a long history. It’s a sequel to a reboot from 2019 while sharing a name with an unrelated entry in the franchise from 2009. And on top of that, it features characters and protagonists from previous entries.
But confusing legacy aside, the game offers a very straightforward experience. Modern Warfare II (2022) is Call of Duty stripped down to the essentials.
You’re out in the world fighting “modern warfare”. But the game does provide some new innovations. The water-based missions in particular are a breath of fresh air.
Aquatic mechanics are difficult to deploy in a fun way, but Modern Warfare II manages to do it. And the game offers some nice improvements to the stealth elements found in other Call of Duty games.
Of course, the multiplayer also receives the level of attention you’d hope to find in the franchise. All in all, Modern Warfare II provides a nice selection of elements from all over the larger franchise.
I’m not quite sure how many COD games came for handheld systems but I know there was one for the Ps-Vita, I believe it was a Black Ops game.
Where is blackout and warzone
The list is subjective.
this list posted on 10 Feb 2020 needs an update, some missing games…
Ohmy the list above shows only the main titles in the series.
I actually owned black ops 1 for the nintendo ds, maybe it wasnt official?
Update it so that Black Ops Cold War is included after Modern Warfare.
Where CODM I play that one more than anything on a system.
Ps Vita game was called cod black ops declassified
The PSP C.O.D game was Call of Duty: Roads to Victory
As soon as you get to cod 4 modern warfare you have it listed as number 6 when it is number 7 and you have cod world at war as number 7 when it is number 6 and every cod their for is out of order and you are missing cod modern warfare 3 is missing and black ops declassified is missing and road to victory is missing and other.. but these titles should definitely be on the list the other are later on before this list came out so I do/did not list them but I can if you would like..
Codm, black out, warzone, and a list of nintendo ds cod games from black ops to modern warfare 1,2 and 3.
Louis, thanks for your comments. As the article states at the beginning, these are the main titles and not expansion packs etc.