Best of Call of Duty: All 20+ Games in Chronological Order

Call of Duty Games in Chronological Order

In 2003, the first installment of Call of Duty was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. And now, it has become one of the most successful First-person Shooters in gaming history. With more than 20 games in the franchise, it can be daunting to get started with the COD series. However, it might not be as complicated as one may think. Here is a breakdown of all the games in chronological order:

1. Call of Duty (2003)

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Set in the gritty period of World War II, the game gives players the perspective of multiple soldiers. With the British, American, and Russian allied nations, the action is non-stop. The game offers four main campaigns that span 24 missions. This means players get nine hours of uninterrupted fun and an immersing gaming experience. Call of Duty 2003 also boasts a cast containing stars including Jason Statham & Steve Blum. It should come as no surprise that this award-winning game kicked off this successful franchise.

2. Call of Duty 2 (2005)

After the immense success of its predecessor, Call of Duty 2 came back bigger and better. Still set in World War II, players will now face The Desert Fox in North Africa as British troops. This campaign is supplemented by two others. One is through the eyes of a North American Soldier, while the other follows a Soviet soldier. As expected, the game was a bigger hit than the first installment, selling over 5.9 million copies.

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

Ending off the World War II conflict, Call of Duty: World at War only houses one main campaign split in two. Unlike the previous games, a playable British troop has been cut from the game. Instead, players are left to follow North American troops, and then Soviet soldiers. With the online multi-player mode still active in 2024, the game has found a place in many gamers' hearts. In fact, with 35K+ positive reviews on Steam, the game has been dubbed a classic in the series.

4. Call of Duty 3 (2005)

Not only is this game not developed by Infinity Ward, but it also is the only game in the series not available on PC. Instead, developed by Treyarch, the game consists of one campaign. This includes 14 missions for players to complete. Once again set in World War II, the game picks up in 1944 during the Battle of Normandy. The campaign allows players to explore this world through the eyes of four soldiers. This allows for a multi-faceted gaming experience.

5. Call of Duty: WWII (2017)

This installment also only has one campaign. Here, players follow the story of Ronald "Red" Daniels and his troops in World War II. Unfortunately, there are no other playable characters in the campaigns. These troops fight against Nazis across Europe, showcasing the power of friendship on the frontline. The game explores many historical locations, with the starting point being Normandy on D-Day. As expected, Call of Duty: WWII turned out to be another commercial success, selling 19.82 million copies.

6. Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

Once again, Infinity Ward was switched out for Sledgehammer Games for this installment's developer. Call of Duty: Vanguard is another attempt at returning the franchise to its roots. However, the game came up short and is now considered to have one of the worst campaigns in the franchise. Players can experience battles on multiple fronts in the single-player campaign. The game also offers 20 multiplayer maps in addition to cross-generation/progression play. Now, players can also access a Zombies mode, courtesy of Treyarch.

7. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)

Back in the hands of Treyarch, this installment is a follow-up to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Players follow Captain Alex Mason, a CIA operative, trying to stop the release of Nova 6, a chemical weapon. Breaking away from World War 2, this game is a fast-forward to the Cold War, taking place between 1961 & 1968. The game offers up to ten hours of playtime for its campaign, spanning a total of 14 missions. Call of Duty: Black Ops proved to be the most successful game in the series, selling over 30 million copies worldwide.

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

Developed by Treyarch, Beenox, and Raven software, players are thrown into the early 1980s Cold War. Even better, players face the frontline with characters from previous installments. This includes Jason Hudson and Alex Mason. Furthermore, players can customize their characters down to their dialogue. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has 14 main missions and two optional side missions combined into one campaign. Although this may not be the most successful installment in the franchise, it's still very popular.

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

Selling 19.59 million copies, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 came very close to the success of its predecessor. Published by Activision and developed by Treyarch, the game had multiple endings and is set in the late 1980s. Beginning in 2025, the plot follows Alex Mason's son as he goes up against terrorist, Raul Menendez. However, players switch narratives between father and son in 2025 & 1980s. It has become one of the best installments in the franchise.

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

With Infinity Ward back in the developer seat, this installment sold 17.28 million copies. It offers six playable characters in its single-player campaign. Set in 2010, this game breaks away from the events of the first few installments and World War II. For most of the campaign, players experience a Russian civil war through the eyes of John MacTavish, nicknamed "Soap". The campaign offers 18 missions and up to 10 hours of gameplay.

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

Proving to be even more successful than its predecessor, this installment sees players back in Russia. As the nineteenth entry in the series, players follow Task Force 141. This introduces some of the more popular characters in the series. This includes unit Captain, John Sloan, Ghost (Lieutenant Simon Riley), and Gaz (Sergeant Kyle Garrick). Soap also makes a return as one of the secondary characters. Having sold over 25 million copies, the holds a special place in player's hearts.

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

Picking up right after the end of the previous installment, the game follows Task Force 141. They are still on the hunt for Russian terrorist, Vladimir Makarov. With a developer team-up between Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games, the game features three sets of missions. The campaigns totaled 15 missions and ended up being a commercial success. Ultimately, the game sold more than 30 million copies.

13. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

As a series reboot, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare once again sees players as John Price and his unit. Bringing back Gaz, Ghost, and Alex Mason, the troops take on the terrorist organization called Al-Qatala. The game is set in a fictional location, and the task force has to stop a chemical attack from occurring. Consisting of 14 missions, players complete tasks throughout the fictional country of Urzikstan. The game ended up being the most successful in the series, breaking Activision's sales records.

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

While the previous game proved to be the most successful, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II had the highest-selling opening. Within its first three days of release, the game exceeded an $800 million sell-through. The game offers a single-player campaign that consists of 17 missions. It can be completed in 6 hours and follows Task Force 141 once again. Players have access to multiple new weapons and vehicles, promising an amazing gaming experience.

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

Picking up after Modern Warfare II, players are still following Price and Task Force 141. Vladimir Makarov has widened his grasp, proving to be the ultimate threat. Developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer games, this installment offers 14 high-action missions. The game is the third entry in the reboot series and the 20th in the entire franchise. Despite its low opening ratings, it has proved to be a fan favorite.

16. Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)

As a standalone entry developed by Infinity War, Call of Duty: Ghost still holds strong today. Set in the year 2027, players follow an American special ops team called Ghost. Playing as brothers, Logan and Hesh, players explore a world where the US is no longer a superpower. The game contains 18 main missions with an average campaign completion time of up to 9 hours. Overall, the game sold 1 billion copies within its first 24 hours.

17. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)

Developed by Sledgehammer Games, this installment takes a more futuristic take on the classic series. The game follows Private Jack Mitchell and Will Irons in 2054 after they enlist in the United States Marine Corps. In 2021, the game sold 21 million copies but proved to be one of the less enjoyed installments. There are more than 10 thousand mixed reviews on Steam and a 74% score on PC Gamer. Regardless, the game was still nominated for multiple awards and is a breath of fresh air in the series.

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

Praised for its multiplayer campaign, this is the 12th installment in the Call of Duty franchise. The game follows the plot of Black Ops II after the havoc Raul Menendez wreaked on the world. However, the game is set 40 years after the previous entry, between 2065 and 2070. The plot follows a group of black ops soldiers with cybernetic enhancements. Players have access to three modes of play including the main campaign, multiplayer mode, and a zombie experience.

19. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)

As the 13th installment of the franchise, the game was developed by Infinity Ward once again. This entry also offers a campaign, multiplayer, and zombie mode. For the main plot, players follow Captain Reyez as Infinite Warfare takes the battle into space. The game has an average 6 to 7-star rating from popular gaming review sites and is a franchise classic. Selling more than 13 million copies, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is another success.

20. Call of Duty: Mobile

Although this game is not officially part of the series, it has proved to be just as successful. Developed by TiMi Studio Group for Android & iOS devices, the game generated $1 billion in its first year and a half. It also saw 250 million downloads from mobile app stores. The mobile game combines multiple characters and plots from Modern Warfare & Black Ops. Additionally, it offers different modes including Multiplayer, Battle Royale, and Zombies.

Final Thoughts...

Although many of the stories are connected, it is not a requirement to play them in order. For the most part, each game will place players in the center of a war, forcing them to fight for survival. However, for die-hard fans, this is a great guide. And with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 set to release later this year, players don't have much time to catch up.

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The article was originally written by Jesse Jacobs