When it comes to first-person shooters, they don’t get much better than the franchise of the iconic Call of Duty. Many of you have heard the Call of Duty bringing the desperate plea for you to take up a controller to the first-person shooter game. Players have been taken through several major military champions spanning the globe and history. In simulated war, soldiers have had the chance to fight in large groups against multiple opponents or enjoy single-player combat in an always compelling story mode. Gamers’ heart rates would climb, reviving fallen comrades while under fire or seeing themselves blown back and stunned by nearby explosions.
Call of Duty is famous around the world
Call of Duty, a gaming phenomenon that has united nearly a million players worldwide, was launched by Activision in 2003. From its humble beginnings in World War II settings, the franchise has evolved into a global success story, earning over eighty Game of the Year awards. Its popularity is a testament to its engaging gameplay and the immersive experiences it offers players, making us all part of a global gaming community.
Call of Duty games sold over 425 million copies as of last October and hold the record for the best-selling first-person shooter game series in the Guinness World Records. It is also the most successful video game franchise created in the United States and the fourth best-selling of all time.
In its series of massively multiple games, expansions, and side game experiences, we will strive to mention all of Call of Duty’s releases, focusing on its most prominent titles.
Activision brings you Call of Duty every year
It began in 2003 when the first Call of Duty game, Medal of Honor, was released on October 29th, selling 4.5 million. It opened a window into seeing World War II from an interactive perspective featured in its story campaign and multiplayer modes. For the first time, players saw the viewpoint of American, British, and Soviet soldiers in Europe.
The game also introduced a new style of AI-controlled allies who supported you during missions and interacted differently depending on the situation. Players were no longer alone, running and gunning, but depended on those AI squamates with them.
Call of Duty Medal of Honor, take flight
The campaign stories took us into the lives and bravery of Private Martin, Sergeant Jack Evans, and Corporal Alexei Ivanovich Voronin, spanning different times and locations, from training camps to raising the victory banner that ended the war.
Its profound success led to an inevitable sequel, which began a trend of having a Call of Duty game released yearly. The expansion pack United Offensive was released in 2004. Its biggest changes emphasized the multiplayer aspect of the game. It had new, larger maps, new weapons to handle, and vehicles to drive under fire.
We found ourselves in Bastogne, this time as Corporal Scott Riley during the American campaign. Then, we were up in the air as Sergeant James Doyle of Her Majesty’s British Royal Air Force, a B-17 Flying Fortress gunner. Lastly, we took part as Privet Yuri Petrenko in the Soviet trenches defending Russia from a German panzer attack in the Battle of Kursk.
Call of Duty Finest Hour Passing around Gifts
Finest Hour came next and was also released in 2004. Gamers couldn’t get enough of seeing what it was like on the front lines during some of the most world-turning engagements and were not disappointed.
Finest Hour offered new stories and player points of view, this time starting with Private Aleksandr Sokolov in The Battle of Stalingrad. There was Edward Carlyle in Northern Africa on a night raid for the British. American Sergeant Chuck Walker was on a mission to capture Aachen using an M4 Sherman tank on the Western Front.
Call of Duty II, Making a Stand
Perhaps the most famous World War II Call of Duty game was released in 2005. Call of Duty II offered new perspectives on warfare that had never been seen before. Gamers could be Lieutenant Dimitri Volsky or an officer commanding a player’s platoon in the Battle of Stalingrad. Next, we had Sergeant John Davis, also in North Africa, fighting for the British and striving to retake Caen.
Corporal Bill Taylor, from the 2nd Ranger Battalion, was fighting in the battle of Normandy. Death was all around him as he battled to destroy artillery.
We then had a new change from Activision in Big Red One, which differed from all its franchise predecessors in focusing on a single Allied formation in the Second World War. The U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division, which fought in North Africa in the invasion of Sicily and landed on Omaha Beach in Europe, sported a large red number one patch on their shoulders, earning them the nickname Big Red One.
Call of Duty Mobile play on the Go
In 2006, Call of Duty 2 Mobile was released, allowing players to play this first-person shooter on the go, fighting in Africa, Europe, and more wherever they were.
Also, in 2006, we had Call of Duty 3, where we now could play as either an American, British, Canadian, or Polish soldier over 14 missions set in the Western Front. These Allied battles were centered around the Battle of Normandy, striving to take checkpoints and eliminate enemies in specific locations using massive equipment and air strikes.
Its multiplayer modes were also expanded, and its maps and teams were enlarged.
Call of Duty III Taking the Hard Point
2007 was a massive year for Microsoft as we saw them push the gaming envelope even further. For Windows Mobile, Call of Duty 2, Roads to Victory, Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare (Nintendo DS), and Modern Warfare (Mobile) came out.
Keeping with the tradition, Roads to Victory told the story of 3 campaigns: American, Canadian, and British soldiers. The American story relived the operations of Market Garden, Avalanche, and Detroit, where, as the Canadians, the Battle of the Scheidt, Operations Infatuate, and Blockbuster were. The British missions were Operation Market Garden and Operation Varsity, totaling 14 levels during World War II.
In the fourth installment of the aforementioned Modern Warfare, Call of Duty introduces something new. This game takes place in 2011 and is not set in World War II.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare
After the assassination of the Middle Eastern president and civil war in Russia erupts, U.S. and British forces are sent into action. Players enjoy the assortment of locations from the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Ukraine.
Activation found something that year that they carried on in 2008 when they released World at War. They brought it out in Mobile, Nintendo DS, and World at War Final Fronts.
However, they did return to the roots of World War II combat but changed to the Pacific and Eastern Front theaters of war. U.S. Marine Raider Private C. Miller and Soviet Red Army Private Dimitri Petrenko fight to survive in the worst situations. Although its multiplayer kept its leveling perks, it introduced a new popular mode that has been continued even today: Zombies!
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
In 2009, we saw the release of Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 2: Force Recon, Mobilized, Reflex Edition, and Call of Duty: Classic. Modern Warfare is transfixed by Task Force 141, which is defending Washington, D.C., from Russian invasion. You play as Sergeant Gary Sanderson, affectionately called “Roach,” Private James Ramirez, and Captain MacTavish.
You are a part of the multinational special forces unit following Captain Soap MacTavish on a search and destroy mission of Vladimir Makarov, the leader of the Russian Ultranationalist Party.
Call of Duty Black Ops
Call of Duty changed gears again in 2010, bringing us the first Black Ops. We go again into our past set in 1960 during the Cold War, when we now take on the part of the CIA. We are now Alex Mason on the hunt for Soviet sleeper agents whose mission is to deploy chemical weapons over United States soil. Again, we are taken across many locations, such as Cuba, the United States, the Soviet Union, South Vietnam, China, Canada, and Laos.
Activation took a different path in 2011 with Black Ops Zombies, Modern Warfare 3, and Modern Warfare 3: Defiance. That year, Activation didn’t change things up just in those three options; they also changed the layout of the storyline of Modern Warfare 3 events to follow its predecessor, Modern Warfare 2.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare
We pick up with Task Force 141, with Captain Price, Soap and MacTavish, Delta Force, and Special Air Service still on the hunt for allusive Russian terrorist Vladimir Makarov. It’s starting to play like a Tom Clancy novel now. This time, Vladimir has his crosshairs set on Europe, and you have to stop him.
In 2012, Call of Duty released two installments: Black Ops II and Black Ops: Declassified. Taking a page from its forerunner, we begin where the other Black Ops left off. We switch between the years 1980 and 2025, with Alex Mason and Frank Wooks pursuing Raul Manendez, a Nicaraguan arms dealer who became a terrorist.
Call of Duty Black Ops II
2013 came with Strike Team, Online, and Ghosts. In Strike Team, we are part of the Black Ops story arc set in the year 202 with a U.S. Joint Special Force Operation Team in 3 locations and 16 missions against an unknown enemy. Sadly, this was one of the first in the series released without a multiplayer mode but compensated with Survival, Time Attack, and Domination modes.
Ghosts broke the mold in a number of ways, as we saw the story from Logan Walker’s perspective as well as several others. For the first time, we also got to play as a military German Shepherd named Riley, who is a member of the team. He is the first non-human playable character introduced into the series.
Call of Duty Ghosts
Ghosts multiplayer also added new features such as squads, maps, modes, and alterations, such as maps that could be modified or destroyed during combat. Still, it kept the tradition of new weapons and vehicles.
The following year, there were also two installments of the series: Advanced Warfare and Heroes. Call of Duty: Heroes abandoned the first-person shooter gameplay and assimilated Clash of Clans gameplay for Android and iOS devices in a free-to-play real-time strategy game.
Call of Duty Advanced Warfare
Advanced Warfare kept the first-person shooter gameplay and was loyal to the PC and gaming consoles. However, it abandoned the heads-up display that was formally used and adopted a holographic projection from the character’s weapon. Its storyline was also different, as it followed a single character, Jack Mitchell.
Activision returned to releasing a single game in its series with Black Ops III in 2015. The game’s timeline is set far into the future in 2065, 40 years after the events of Black Ops 2. Its gameplay is set to support four-player cooperative gameplay with expanded levels and gameplay.
Call of Duty Black Ops III
2016 was a blast from the past. It brought the first Call of Duty, a three-year project. Modern Warfare Remastered was a remastered version of the 2007 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, with its enhanced graphics, revised sound, and vast programming modifications resurrecting this classic to a better and more modern game style.
Infinite Warfare also came out that year and was the first title that was processed for three years before its release. Lieutenant Nick Reyes of the Special Combat Air Recon fights for the Solar System against the Settlement Defense Front.
Call of Duty Infinite Warfare
Then Activision felt the call of its ancestors, bringing WWII, which was released in 2017. It returned to the Second World War European theater of operation of the 1st Infantry Division centered around Operation Overlord. Ronald “Red” Daniels enjoyed newly interactive squamates to help smoother character movement graphics.
Black Ops 4 was more than a game-changer. It was the first to abandon the traditional single-player campaign mode. It centered the Specialist HQ story in a multiplayer setting known as the “Specialists.” The missions were similar to those in its forerunners, Black Ops 1 and 2, but it added its own. It also expanded its multiplayer settings and maps to include up to 100 players.
Call of Duty Black Ops IIII
2019 brought Call of Duty: Mobile and Modern Warfare, which was, well, “Modern.” You play as a CIA officer and British SAS who allied themselves with fictional Republic rebels of Urzikstan whom the Russian Army is invading. Russia isn’t alone this time, as Al-Qatala also aids them. You have more than your hands full searching for a stolen shipment of chlorine gas.
In 2020, we came back to having Activision release three installments of Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, Black Ops Cold War, and Warzone.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered is an opportunity to relive the heroic Campaign with higher definition with Soap, Price, Ghost, and the rest of Task Force 141.
Warzone is a battle royal free-to-play game with two main modes: Battle Royale and Plunder. When it launched, it only offered you the chance to play in a Trios squad. Then, soon after its release, the ability to play solo, or in duos or Quads was added.
Call of Duty Warzone
We were also able to cut our teeth in the Black Ops Cold War, and we were whisked back to the 1980s during the Cold War. The story takes place only 13 years after the storyline of the events of Black Ops. It’s all about a Soviet spy, Perseus, who only lives to undermine the United States.
Without delay, Call of Duty Vanguard was the next answer to the battle cry of the WWII European war from 1941 to 1944. You play in epic battles from Northern Africa, the Eastern Front, the Western Front, and the Pacific. You first have to uncover and destroy a secret Nazi project and more.
Call of Duty Vanguard
Just two years ago, Activision seemed to want to keep the two going with Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2. Modern Warfare 2, like its predecessor, takes place in our time. You are part of a multi-national special forces operation unit again, you guessed it, Task Force 141, again allied with the Mexican Special Forces, tasked with stopping the terrorist Hassan Zyani, who holds the key and finger on the button controlling ballistic missiles aimed at the U.S.
Warzone 2.0 is the next best free-to-play battle royale game where 100 of you parachute into the large expansive map, which slowly shines, leaving only a single winner. Its new features brought the collapsing circle, multiple circles to spawn in various locations on the map that also close. It also kept the winning attributes of the original, such as the Gulag, AI combatants, vehicles, and more.
Call of Duty Warzone 2.0
Last year brought us Modern Warfare 3, which takes place just following Modern Warfare 2’s final mission. Task Force 141’s work isn’t over yet, and Vladimir Makarov is still out there. Since you haven’t bested him yet, he has brought terror to Europe, triggering a war between the Ultranationalists and friendly forces.
We have had 23 main title franchise installments, the latest of which is Modern Warfare 3. Within its first 24-hour sales, the game sold over 6.5 million copies in the United States, and in the United Kingdom, it grossed 400 million, making it the largest entertainment game launch ever.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare III
As we look to the future, the anticipation for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is palpable. Activision has released a new game every year since 2005 and is set to continue this trend. However, this year’s release might hold a special place in the franchise’s history, as it will be the first one since Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This development has sparked speculation about potential changes and enhancements in the game.
After the Microsoft acquisition, there were some fears that all Call of Duty games would become Xbox exclusives. However, Microsoft and Sony are linked in a 10-year contract to keep Call of Duty playable primarily on Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and mobile. Still, there are rumors it will be playable soon on the Nintendo Switch.
Call of Duty Black Ops 6
Black Ops 6 will continue the trend of its predecessors, being released later in the year, around October or November. Its storyline will most likely take place in the last months of the Gulf War. Keeping to tradition, it has to be set in a globe-threatening affair that will take its player across the globe and over several periods.
Unlike most of its forerunners, Black Ops 6 has been in the works being developed over the last four years. This makes it one of the most highly anticipated games yet and probably the most lucrative.
Those who have answered the call before might have the chance to play the previous character. It is rumored that Adler will be returning, but we haven’t heard of any others yet.
As for new features and rumors of gameplay, we don’t have much to go on yet. We might have the opportunity to have an open-world gameplay mission system like that of Modern Warfare III. You most likely will keep the squad, vehicles, and zipline with the weapons we love and undoubtedly have more than we had before.
We do have the first trailer, which doesn’t show much or any gameplay, but it does feature several real-world leaders, including Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, Saddam Hussein, and Margaret Thatcher, talking.
No matter what, I know this will keep up the tradition of great gameplay and interactive multiplayer with exciting challenges that any first-person gamer dreams of.
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