All Call of Duty games in release order

COD is one of the most beloved FPS franchises of all time, and here’s a rundown of every game in order of release, including the newest Call of Duty.

Video game franchises don’t come much bigger than Call of Duty. Since the series first arrived in the early 2000s, it’s become one of the best-selling franchises of all time, releasing several classic shooting games along the way.

With so many entries in the series now, recognizing which came first and the most recent can be challenging.

How many Call of Duty games are there?

Currently, there are 24 mainline Call of Duty games including Warzone, Warzone 2, and Mobile.

The newest Call of Duty is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 which launched in October 2024.

Call of Duty (2003)

The original Call of Duty is where Activision’s flagship franchise began.

• • Release date: October 29, 2003

• • Developer: Infinity Ward

• • Platforms: PC, Mac, N-Gage

The iconic FPS series kicked off in 2003 with Call of Duty, released as a direct rival to the popular Medal of Honor games. However, COD quickly stole the show thanks to its unique WWII campaign, showing the conflict from American, British, and Soviet perspectives, as well as its multiplayer component.

While it may look and feel basic now, this was the first sign of what was to come later down the line, setting the standards for the iconic FPS franchise to later flourish.

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

• • Platforms: Xbox 360, PC, Mac

Sticking in World War II, Call of Duty 2 marked the first time that the series appeared on consoles, and was widely praised for its impressive graphics and four distinct campaigns.

Call of Duty 2 also saw the debut of a number of features that have become standard in the FPS genre in the years since, including regenerating health, and a marker on the HUD to show when a grenade lands nearby. Though these may seem like small changes, they would become defining aspects of Call of Duty as the years went on.

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

• • Platforms: PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC

Here, we welcome Treyarch into the fold for the first time, developing Call of Duty 3 as the series moved into the yearly release schedule we’ve become accustomed to.

With COD 3, multiplayer was beginning to play a more significant role, although it’s hard to imagine anyone could predict what would happen next.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

Is All Ghillied Up the best mission in CoD history? It’s certainly up there.

• • Release date: November 6, 2007

• • Developer: Infinity Ward

• • Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC

After a year away, it’s no exaggeration to say that Infinity Ward redefined the FPS genre when it released Call of Duty 4, placing COD in a league that no other first-person shooter could touch.

Aside from its stellar present-day campaign, featuring moments and characters that are still remembered to this day, its multiplayer found a formula that would change the industry forever. It’s gone on to be regarded as one of the best games ever made, and you’ll get no argument from us.

Call of Duty: World at War (2008)

Zombies became an instant hit when World at War was released.

• • Release date: November 11, 2008

• • Developer: Treyarch

• • Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, DS, PC

The next Call of Duty game in order is World of War, which saw Treyarch take the series back to WWII, but this time with the progression and perks systems introduced by Infinity Ward a year prior.

World at War was also the first COD to introduce Zombies, a horde mode that would become incredibly successful as the years rolled on, and begin the trend of each game launching 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

• • Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

If COD 4 hit on a formula, then many would argue that it was perfected by Modern Warfare 2. The follow-up doubled down on everything the original got right, delivering an exceptional story and instantly classic maps like Rust, Highrise, and Favela.

13 years on, Modern Warfare 2 is still the best game in the series, according to many fans. Its popularity is apparent, as MW3 (2023) brought back all of MW2’s launch maps, receiving plenty of praise for doing so.

Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)

Treyarch moved to a whole new time period with Black Ops.

• • Release date: November 9, 2010

• • Developer: Treyarch

• • Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, DS, PC

2010 saw Treyarch tread new ground with the first game in the now beloved Black Ops titles, expanding on the Zombies idea and shifting to a Cold War setting.

Its gripping, unique campaign remains one of the most memorable that Call of Duty has to offer, paving the way for the only COD series that can rival Modern Warfare in terms of popularity to this day.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)

Following up Modern Warfare 2 was no easy task, but Infinity Ward pulled it off.

• • Release date: November 8, 2011

• • Developer: Infinity Ward

• • Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC

Rounding out the original Modern Warfare trilogy, Infinity Ward offered players yet another standout campaign, concluding the events started by COD 4 in a dramatic and satisfying way.

While its multiplayer often doesn’t get the props it deserves, it still has a collection of exciting guns and diverse maps that any other series would be envious of. It worked as an expansion to MW2, building on its predecessor to deliver a similar experience.

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

• • Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U, PC

Next up on our list of Call of Duty games in chronological order, we have what remains the best-selling entry in the series to date, and arguably the most well-received entry in COD history – Black Ops 2.

With a branching campaign full of twists and turns and addictive online multiplayer, including the Pick 10 system that changed class building forever, it’s no surprise that Black Ops 2 is considered one of the best CODs out there.

Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)

Many have forgotten Ghosts, but Riley the dog will stay with us.

• • Release date: November 5, 2013

• • Developer: Infinity Ward

• • Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Wii U, PC

It’s strange calling a game that shipped nearly 30 million units a flop, but that’s precisely how Ghosts is seen over a decade on from its release.

Perhaps due to its unfortunate release between console generations, the community has largely forgotten Ghosts, and we’re still waiting for closure on that ending. A sequel or reboot for Ghosts seems highly unlikely, but you never know what the future holds for Call of Duty.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)

The introduction of Exo Suits would bring in a new era of Call of Duty.

• • Release date: November 3, 2014

• • Developer: Sledgehammer Games

• • Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC

Finally, we arrive at the first ‘jetpack’ game in the Call of Duty series. As Sledgehammer took the reigns on their debut entry, the controversial feature aimed to place more emphasis on movement as the franchise moved in a more futuristic direction.

Advanced Warfare was an incredibly ambitious entry, kickstarting a trend that would be improved upon in later years. Though divisive, Sledgehammer Games’ first solo entry has become more popular over the years, with MW3 even bringing back some of its iconic weapons including the BAL-27 and MORS.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III (2015)

Black Ops 3 seemed to perfect the jetpack formula, offering a balance of classic COD gameplay and advanced movement.

• • Release date: November 6, 2015

• • Developer: Treyarch

• • Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC

Of all the more futuristic CODs to release so far, Black Ops 3 is the one that many would point to as the highlight. The ability to use thruster boosts gave multiplayer an extra degree of verticality that players seemed to really respond to, without going to the extremes that Advanced Warfare did.

It also saw the addition of customizable Specialists with unique cosmetics, offering more variety, which proved crucial in a franchise reliant on yearly releases. This would later become a staple of Call of Duty, as the games transitioned to a live service model dependent on seasonal updates.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)

Not even Jon Snow could save Infinite Warfare.

• • Release date: November 4, 2016

• • Developer: Infinity Ward

• • Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Infinite Warfare took quite the beating from the fans when it came along in 2016, and even the inclusion of Modern Warfare Remastered wasn’t enough to lift its sales. In fact, that package deal may have increased the backlash, with fans having to purchase the more expensive Legacy Edition to play MWR.

After the third final entry in the jetpack era of Call of Duty took us into the stars, players had grown tired of the more and more outlandish settings and gameplay, begging for the next game to return to basics. They would get their wish, with jetpacks yet to make a return almost a decade on.

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

• • Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

With WWII in 2017, developer Sledgehammer Games finally answered the calls for a ‘boots on the ground’ COD game, taking players back to where it all began – World War II.

This was certainly a breath of fresh air, but even the new War multiplayer mode couldn’t help CoD WWII challenge the likes of World at War, with fans divided on this particular entry. Though the launch left a lot to be desired, later improvements in seasonal updates made WWII a genuinely great Call of Duty game.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018)

Without the lessons learned from Blackout, it’s debatable whether Warzone have blown up the way.

• • Release date: October 12, 2018

• • Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software, Beenox

• • Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Black Ops 4 was an exciting step for Call of Duty, partly because it was the first time that a single-player campaign wasn’t included and because it saw Activision dip its toes into the battle royale genre.

Although Blackout didn’t become the rival to Fortnite or PUBG that the devs hoped for, it laid the foundation for future success and is still remembered fondly 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

• • Revenue: $1 billion+

By 2019, publishers were beginning to realize just how much profit there is in a quality free-to-play mobile title. Activision was no exception, and the AAA publisher was keen to get its flagship franchise on mobile devices as soon as possible.

With more than 15 years worth of guns, maps, and modes to draw from, Call of Duty Mobile remains an incredibly popular game on Android and iPhone and is still going strong years on, alongside Warzone Mobile which has proven equally successful.

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

• • Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

After a few years of lower sales, Infinity Ward looked to breathe new life into the series by rebooting the iconic Modern Warfare franchise.

The likes of Captain Price, Soap MacTavish, and Gaz all made their return in a darker campaign that concentrated on the harrowing side of war, while the multiplayer was seen as a return to form.

Call of Duty: Warzone (2020)

Warzone changed Call of Duty forever.

• • Release date: March 10, 2020

• • Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven Software

• • Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC

If 2018’s Blackout dipped a toe in, then Warzone swan-dived into the battle royale space, merging the very best elements of the genre with the CoD gunplay players have come to love.

Over 100 million downloads later, you could argue that no game has changed Call of Duty as drastically since Modern Warfare in 2007. Warzone’s legacy is so great, that Activision would later rebrand Warzone 2.0 to just Warzone and make various gameplay changes to match the original, effectively bringing back this fan-favorite version.

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

• • Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Treyarch took players back in time once again in 2020, opting for a 1980s setting in Black Ops Cold War. As a sequel to the OG Black Ops, fan-favorite characters like Alex Mason and Frank Woods made their comeback, while the multiplayer was a fun ride with little that players hadn’t seen before.

Ultimately, in a year where Warzone dominated, Cold War managed to rack up impressive sales and was fairly well-liked upon release, with fans praising its overall feel and aesthetic.

Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

The latest WWII CoD didn’t go down well with fans, receiving heavy criticism for its buggy launch.

• • Release date: November 5, 2021

• • Developer: Sledgehammer Games

• • Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Call of Duty Vanguard took the series back to WWII once again, but it sadly couldn’t live up to expectations. While the signature CoD gameplay was certainly ambitious, Vanguard fell flat thanks to a lack of innovation and a number of frustrating bugs at launch.

Activision admitted that the game didn’t sell as well as first hoped, with their attention then shifted to Modern Warfare 2 (2022) instead. Despite its shortcomings, Vanguard did introduce some popular features like its enhanced Gunsmith, Combat Pacing, and destructive environments.

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

• • Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Modern Warfare 2 was the sequel to the Modern Warfare reboot, and it proved equally successful becoming a big commercial hit. Sales reached a record high of more than $800 million worldwide following the first three days from its release, making it the most successful CoD launch of all time.

The game dominated the gaming charts, becoming one of the best-selling games of the decade. Despite this, MW2 came under criticism for bugs and removing popular maps, though later seasonal updates saw multiplayer improve greatly and go from strength to strength.

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 (2022)

Warzone 2 was later rebranded as just Warzone, bringing back the original’s faster-paced gameplay.

• • Release date: November 16, 2022

• • Developer: Infinity Ward, Raven Software

• • Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC

While keeping many core principles that made the original popular, Warzone 2 still differed from what players were used to in the original game. It slowed the gameplay and focused on delivering a core Battle Royale experience typical of other games in the genre.

In 2023, it was rebranded as just Call of Duty: Warzone, marking a return to the gameplay more comparable to the classic Verdansk days. Despite the name change, it retains the enhanced looting system, new weapons, and maps of Warzone 2.0. It has continued into Modern Warfare 3, where a large-scale integration with Sledgehammer’s new game was added in December 2023.

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 10, 2023

• • Developer: Sledgehammer Games

• • Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Modern Warfare 3 arrived in 2023 and was another reboot and a direct sequel to 2022’s MW2. This installment was developed by Sledgehammer, who previously made Advanced Warfare, WW2, and Vanguard.

It offers a return to the franchise’s roots with classic features like a traditional minimap, perk system, and map voting.

These were all reintroduced alongside the entire original Modern Warfare 2 launch map line-up, in addition to various gameplay changes including an increased health pool, reworked loadouts, and Aftermarket Parts.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024)

Black Ops 6 is Treyarch’s first entry in four years, boasting the longest development cycle in Call of Duty history.

• • Release Date: October 25, 2024

• • Developer: Treyarch

• • Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Black Ops 6 arrived on October 25, 2024, and is the game that’s had the longest development cycle in the franchise. The time was used to develop innovative gameplay features like Omnimovement, a system that gives players more tools to maneuver around.

It features 16 new multiplayer maps at launch, with 12 being traditional 6v6 maps. The classic Prestige system and Theatre Mode have returned. There are also some impressive Safe House secrets to discover in the campaign.

For a more in-depth overview of Black Ops 6, you can check out our review.

There you have it! That was all the Call of Duty games in order of release including the newest one. You can also take a look at all Need for Speed games in order or every Resident Evil game in order.