Every Call of Duty Game, Ranked

The developer: Sledgehammer Games

The setting: The present day, as special forces attempt to thwart a Russian terrorist plot

In a rarity, 2022 and 2023 brought back-to-back Modern Warfare entries to the franchise, though this one is the first MW game made without Infinity Ward's direct involvement. Is that the reason Modern Warfare III is considerably worse than any prior Call of Duty title? It may be a contributing factor (developer Sledgehammer's previous Call of Duty game was also poorly received), but the chief reason it was pilloried by critics and fans alike is that its origins as a piece of DLC were clear. Despite now being labeled—and priced—as a full game, MW3 came across as rushed, incomplete, and derivative.

"Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is a game made from other games, a hybrid that seeks to convince the most veteran fans with a fantastic multiplayer. However, neither the homages, nor the 'innovations' of the campaign and the zombies manage to disguise the obvious. This game is nothing more than a wild recycling of ideas made in haste." —Hobby Consolas

The developers: Treyarch, Raven Software

The setting: 2035, across locations from the Mediterranean to Japan

While the previous year's Black Ops 6 was hailed as a return to form for the franchise, this quick follow-up was a clear step in the wrong direction despite coming from the same developers. Serving in part as a sequel to Black Ops 2 set a decade later, and featuring co-op gameplay in the campaign, the new game suffered a bit in comparison to EA's Battlefield 6, which was released the previous month. But it's also dwarfed by most of the other titles in its own franchise, as critics felt that the campaign here might be the worst for any Call of Duty release.

"An awful campaign and a lack of innovation drag down the most content-stuffed Call Of Duty game to date, with an eye largely locked to past glories." —Metro GameCentral

The developer: Sledgehammer Games

The setting: WWII (multiple theaters)

The first game in the main series to get a yellow Metascore is this 2021 standalone entry that traces the birth of the special forces during World War II in action spanning four theaters and five years. Reviewers warned of glitches and an overall lack of content, which is especially notable given that most CoD games are nothing if not overstuffed with ways to play. (Not to make excuses, but the game was developed during a global pandemic.) And the requisite Zombies mode was especially weak this time around. Unofficial reports peg sales at around 30 million units, which would classify almost any game as an enormous hit but somehow still left Vanguard as an underperforming disappointment in the eyes of Activision.

"The thing about Call of Duty games is that, with each yearly iteration, you pretty much know what you're getting--and that's largely the case here. It's both a blessing and a curse for Vanguard, however. Elements of Vanguard feel like good additions to the franchise, but its ideas also don't always mix well with the series' framework. That framework is still strong, and the solid gunplay, exciting multiplayer, and inventive moments of the campaign are worth seeking out. But forcing those two parts together exposes the seams in Call of Duty: Vanguard at times, weakening both parts of the game rather than pushing either one to the forefront." —GameSpot

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: The present day, in various locations around the globe as a Iran-backed terrorist threatens the U.S.

The first sequel to the 2019 Modern Warfare reboot finds a terrorist in possession of stolen American missiles in the story campaign, while multiplayer adds a few new modes including the 6v6 "Knockout" and a hostage extraction game. As is the case with most recent CoD releases, critics were underwhelmed (or maybe whelmed), finding too little innovation. Still, it was a clear improvement over the prior year's Vanguard, and the visuals drew praise.

"The campaign might be forgettable, but it's bailed out by the excellent multiplayer experience. Infinity Ward confirms that it's simply the best caretaker studio of the Call of Duty franchise. But they must not rest on their laurels because the game needs long-term support." —Games.cz

The developers: Treyarch, Raven Software

The setting: 1981, with a combination of historic and fictional events related to the Cold War in locations ranging from Vietnam to East Berlin

One of the better-selling Call of Duty games (with 30 million copies sold) despite boasting one of the lower Metascores, Black Ops Cold War marked the franchise's debut on current-gen hardware. (In fact, the sales figures were probably helped by the game's arrival as a launch title on both the PS5 and Xbox Series X—either that, or gamers were really clamoring for a game featuring Ronald Reagan.) Critics generally liked the campaign (but found it too short), while the multiplayer was unbalanced at launch and offered more quantity (in terms of ways to play it) than innovation.

"As solid as the package is, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has to be one of the safest series instalments for quite some time. Multiplayer is seriously starting to show its age with tired ideas and even duller gameplay, leaving the campaign to rescue things." —Push Square

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: The very distant future, in a war for control of the solar system

The sixth straight CoD game with a future setting, Infinite Warfare fully embraces sci-fi, leaving Earth behind for the first time for battles in space and throughout our solar system. Pre-release fan buzz was negative, and that didn't really change after launch, as Infinite Warfare sold fewer copies than any CoD game in a decade. Reviews were barely positive overall, and reversed the usual pattern: Critics actually liked the campaign (to an extent) but found the multiplayer unbalanced and stale.

"An awkward mishmash of the innovative and the overly familiar, that in the end represents no clear step forward for the franchise." —Metro GameCentral

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: 2016, as a future war pits the U.S. against a new nation

The first CoD release on eighth-generation consoles, the near-future-set Ghosts follows an attack on the United States by a new dictatorship that has swallowed up most of Central and South America. New features include an "Extinction" 4-player co-op mode, squad-based gameplay, and, yes, the ability (for a short portion of the game) to play as a dog. Not a favorite among CoD fans, Ghosts also took some hits from critics for its campaign, though the multiplayer once again impressed—especially the new Extinction mode.

"It seems that Infinity Ward lost a unique opportunity to introduce the CoD franchise to a whole new generation of hardware. Ghosts is by no means a flawed game, on the contrary, the multiplayer and extinction modes are great, but the feeling that we're doing the same thing all over again is quite strong." —GameOver.gr

The developer: Sledgehammer Games

The setting: WWII (D-Day and other operations in Europe)

After the relative failure of the prior year's dip into outer space in Infinite Warfare, Activision opted to return not just to Earth, but to history—namely Call of Duty's original setting, World War II, for the first time in nearly a decade. WWII also returned to the health-pack system of the first Call of Duty game while ditching the recent changes to player movement. Despite the changes, critics liked the result only slightly better than Infinite Warfare, calling the new game solid but uninspired.

"Call of Duty: WWII is a satisfying experience. It is also easily one of the best-looking and feature-packed iterations of the franchise to date. But the cracks are definitely showing, with years of repetition getting ever-harder to disguise. The game will please a huge contingent of its dedicated fanbase, but its reliance on the status quo might be wearying for others." —Destructoid

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: A present-day conflict between Russia and the fictional country of Urzikstan

Don't let that relatively low Metascore fool you: This is one of only two Call of Duty games to sell more than 40 million copies, making it one of the biggest hits in gaming history. A reboot of the Modern Warfare sub-series, the 2019 game aims for gritty realism as you engage in covert operations in Europe and the Middle East. An all-new game engine aims to increase the realism in the visuals as well. And while the previous Call of Duty game omitted a single-player campaign for the first time, the campaign returns here—and critics think it's one of the franchise's best. But some reviewers cautioned that the game's newfound embrace of morality didn't ring true when the game doesn't really shed the franchise's embrace (if not outright glorification) of shocking violence.

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is another fantastic shooter from Infinity Ward, but it's still just a Call of Duty game. If you're a fan of the heights of the franchise, you're sure to have a great time. However, for those hoping for a more daring and innovative leap, there's not much new to see here." —Gamers Heroes

The developer: Treyarch

The setting: 2065, as a third Cold War plays out

Set four decades following the events of Black Ops 2, Treyarch's third Black Ops game jumps into the distant future for a 4-player co-op campaign following a group of black ops soldiers navigating a series of global conflicts, aided by high-tech equipment and cybernetic enhancements. There's also a new, more fluid chained-movement system and a cast led by Ben Browder, Katee Sackhoff, and Christopher Meloni. While the PC version was judged more harshly, the console releases received more positive reviews despite some very familiar complaints about the silliness of the campaign's story (which is not helped by the game's sci-fi trappings) and the overall lack of innovation. As always, it's the multiplayer that makes the purchase worthwhile. And purchase, you did: With 43 million copies sold, Black Ops 3 is the best-selling CoD game to date.

"This was meant to be the Call of Duty that revolutionized the way in which we approach the campaign, but what we received instead was some sort of experiment that did not fulfill its goal. The zombie and multiplayer modes are, without a doubt, the strongest elements Call of Duty: Black Ops III has to offer." —LevelUp

The developer: Sledgehammer Games

The setting: The middle of the 21st century, as a terrorist organization stages attacks around the globe

The first game in the main series not developed by Infinity Ward or Treyarch—instead, it came from fellow Activision-owned studio Sledgehammer, founded by the team behind Dead Space—Advanced Warfare features a new game engine and a cast led by Kevin Spacey. It also goes further into the future than any CoD title before it, beginning the action in the year 2054. That means you have some futuristic technology (like exoskeletons and lasers) to play with, though some critics felt that wasn't quite enough novelty to make Advanced Warfare feel truly new instead of yet another formulaic (but solid) CoD entry—and one with a fairly ridiculous storyline to boot. (At least it's short.) But other reviewers were a bit more impressed, especially when comparing this to its immediate predecessors.

"If Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's storytelling ambitions disappoint, the same can't be said of the upgrades to gameplay. In both campaign and single-player, the exoskeleton and other futuristic gadgetry breathe new life into a franchise that seemed increasingly trapped in the shadow of the original Modern Warfare." —EGM

The developer: Treyarch

The setting: WWII (Battle of Normandy)

The first main series entry not developed by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty 3 follows multiple campaigns in the Allies' attempt to liberate France from German control, including stories centering on Canadian and Polish soldiers (a switch from the previous two games that focused on the three main Allied powers). It's the only console-exclusive title in the main series, and it served as a launch title on two different consoles (Wii and PS3, the former receiving extremely lackluster reviews). On the Xbox 360, CoD3 proved to be less impressive than the two previous games, with critics citing a disappointing single-player campaign and a lack of innovation.

"Neither revolutionary nor even remarkable when viewed as part of its franchise, but for fans of WW2 action or first-person shooters, there's a lot to love here, particularly in multiplayer." —Xbox World Australia

The developers: Treyarch, Raven Software

The setting: Operation Desert Storm in 1990

The best-reviewed CoD release since Black Ops 4 six years prior, this sequel to the unnumbered Black Ops Cold War centers on a group of rogue CIA operatives during the Gulf War. The bump in quality was no doubt a result (at least in part) of the longer-than-normal four-year development cycle, and many critics called it a return to form and perhaps a promising sign for the future of the franchise, even if it didn't quite attain greatness. Gamers responded to the more positive reviews, making Black Ops 6 the best-selling PS5 game in that console's history (at least until GTA 6 comes along).

"Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 avoids the pitfalls of Modern Warfare 3, offering a compelling spy campaign with smooth undercover missions and satisfying gunplay. Despite solid multiplayer and Zombies modes, it still feels - much like its predecessors - like a rehash of 2019's Modern Warfare reboot." —GIGA

The developer: Treyarch

The settings: The original Cold War in 1980, and a Second Cold War in 2025

The first sequel to 2010's Black Ops jumps further into the future than any CoD title before it, with a nonlinear storyline set in the then-distant world of 2025 as a second Cold War develops between NATO and China. A second, prequel storyline in the campaign takes place in the 1980s. Like the previous CoD game, it became the then-biggest entertainment launch in history by grossing half a billion dollars on day one. But while reviews were still generally positive overall, more critics than ever were starting to get bored of a franchise that was no longer really innovating.

"Backed by Activision's fantastic investment and support, Treyarch has succeeded, and made a sort of ultimate current-gen Call Of Duty. Not a reinvention – that, hopefully, comes next year, on box-fresh hardware and a new engine – but a refinement of the most successful series of its generation. Black Ops II is an excellent Call Of Duty game, then, but it's only a Call Of Duty game, with all that implies." —Edge Magazine

The developer: Treyarch

The setting: Various, depending on the mode

For most Call of Duty games, the multiplayer outshines the single-player campaign. So it was perhaps inevitable that one day we'd get a CoD release without any campaign. That day came in 2018 when Black Ops 4 launched with a few minor single-player missions but no overarching story campaign. Instead, the game included an expanded multiplayer Zombies mode and a new battle royale mode called "Blackout." The latter was perhaps the best part of the game for reviewers, who also compared it favorably to all other battle royale games on the market. But the missing campaign meant that Black Ops 4 fell far short of greatness overall.

"Blackout is easily the biggest highlight here, and if Treyarch had to cut the single-player story in order to make this happen, I'd say it was a worthy trade." —Twinfinite

The developer: Treyarch

The setting: WWII (Pacific Theater/Eastern Front)

Treyarch's second Call of Duty game returned the franchise to WWII (with storylines centering on American and Russian forces) following the highly successful detour into the present day with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. That previous game set a high bar that World at War could not quite match in terms of review scores, though it also sold over 15 million copies. Critics did generally like it, with praise going to the franchise-first co-op gameplay and the multiplayer as a whole, though reviewers found the campaign less exciting than CoD4's modern story. World at War is perhaps most notable as the first appearance of the franchise's trademark "Zombies" mode, which would return in many of the games that followed.

"When it all boils down to it, much of World at War is COD4 with a World War 2 overlay." —XboxAddict

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: The present day, as war breaks out on the Korean peninsula

Infinity Ward's first Call of Duty game in four years, MW4 is billed as the concluding chapter in the Modern Warfare reboot series that began in 2019. Game modes include "DMZ," an extraction shooter that previously appeared in MW2. The new game also marks the franchise's return to Nintendo hardware (here, on the Switch 2) for the first time since 2013. The longer development cycle seems to have paid off for Infinity Ward, which has delivered perhaps the best CoD game in at least a decade, according to critics. Unsurprisingly, the bulk of the praise has been going to the multiplayer modes rather than the stylish but short campaign—though the latter definitely does have some fans among the critic community.

"Modern Warfare 4 delivers a strong and engaging multiplayer experience to complement an epic campaign conclusion and captivating DMZ mode." —GameSpot

The developer: Treyarch

The setting: 1960s, in various Cold War-inspired locations around the globe

Featuring the franchise's first historical setting outside of WWII, Black Ops finds you playing as a globetrotting CIA agent tasked with preventing a Soviet chemical attack on the United States. That campaign storyline divided critics—some felt it one of the franchise's best, while others were not impressed—but everyone seemed to enjoy the multiplayer modes, now more robust than ever. Sales were close to 30 million, meaning that the first smattering of "it's just more of the same" complaints (which would certainly grow with later installments) weren't impacting sales.

"As if you ever doubted it, Call of Duty is still the best military shooter out there and by quite some margin. It seems its competitors can only watch from a distance and take notes as this juggernaut of FPS gaming ploughs a wide path towards the genre's future." —Total Video Games

The developers: Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward

The setting: 2016-17, as the conflict between the United States and Russia expands into Europe

Released on schedule despite a legal dispute within Activision that saw the departure of Infinity Ward's founders and multiple staff members at the start of development, this concluding title in the original Modern Warfare trilogy adds some new multiplayer modes as well as a few bigger names (Idris Elba, Timothy Olyphant) to the cast. Though reviewers liked it slightly less than the prior two games—many felt that developers played it too safe—MW3 became the most successful entertainment launch in history to that point, grossing over $400 million in its first 24 hours alone.

"Modern Warfare 3 meets expectations. The core elements of multiplayer and the campaign remain fundamentally unchanged, but the game serves as a great example of how many subtle tweaks can add up to an improved overall product." —Game Informer

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: WWII (multiple fronts)

Duplicating the three-story (one for each of the major Allied powers) formula of the original CoD released two years prior—it's the only time fans would have to endure a multi-year gap between releases—this well-regarded sequel marked the console debut for the franchise. Critics appreciated the improved enemy AI, but many preferred the single-player campaigns to the multiplayer. And they had differing opinions on the new regenerating health system, which replaced the prior game's reliance on health kits.

"One of the finest FPSs ever created. Thanks to a combination of sharp visuals, teeth-rattling sound effects, and tricky enemy AI, you'll be on the edge of your seat from the moment you're dropped into combat until your dying breath." —GameSpy

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: WWII (multiple fronts)

Winner of several Game of the Year awards, the debut game from Infinity Ward launched the Call of Duty franchise with a compilation of three storylines from the viewpoints of American, British, and Soviet forces. Critics found the campaigns a bit too linear and the multiplayer more of an afterthought (a failure corrected with a later expansion pack) but otherwise felt the game offered an exceptionally intense, realistic, and well-executed FPS experience on PC. A much later console port was dinged for its (understandably) dated look and feel.

"It's the 24-mission single-player experience that you'll remember for years. Call of Duty is a first-rate achievement. The sensory overload is amazing, and the interaction with intricately scripted action set-pieces is a big step forward in the art form." —PC Gamer

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: A continuation of the near-future civil war in Russia, leading to an invasion of the United States

This direct sequel to 2007 hit CoD4: Modern Warfare heads seven years into the then-future as the ongoing Russian civil war seems to reach a conclusion, only for events to spiral into outright war between Russia's new government and the United States (and an invasion of Washington D.C.). Featuring two different campaigns—one for a single player, the other ("Special Ops") allowing co-op gameplay—as well as multiplayer, Modern Warfare 2 was another massive critical and commercial hit, selling between 20 and 30 million units and matching the elite Metascore of its predecessor. The game also introduced Simon "Ghost" Riley, who proved so popular that he would return for multiple later games (and even his own comic book series).

"Modern Warfare 2 was super-hyped, but Infinity Ward didn't disappoint: this is undoubtedly the most spectacular FPS around, made with extraordinary care and attention to details. If you're looking for an astonishing single player experience or a deep and enduring multiplayer, this is the game to buy." —MondoXbox

The developer: Infinity Ward

The setting: A fictional 2011 civil war in Russia and related battles in the Middle East

The earliest game in the franchise to sell more than 10 million copies (in fact, more than 15 million), Modern Warfare is also the first main entry to ditch the franchise's usual WWII setting. Instead, it traces a fictional conflict set in the then-near future that begins with a Russian civil war and spills over into a fictional Middle East state and an attack on the United States. Activision was reportedly reluctant to approve the contemporary setting, but the gamble paid off in a big way as the game became 2007's biggest hit. It's also widely considered to be the high point in the Call of Duty franchise. Critics lauded Modern Warfare's overall polish, gripping storyline, and deep multiplayer.

"I seriously cannot think of a single flaw in CoD4, and trust me, I looked for them. From the amazing graphics to the intense and compelling single-player campaign to the feature loaded and addictive multiplayer, this game has it all." —GamePro