Call of Duty has become one of the world’s most beloved first-person shooter video game franchises, garnering millions of fans around the globe. Since 2003, Call of Duty has become a cultural phenomenon, with numerous sequels, spin-offs, and remakes released over two decades. In this article we’ll take an in-depth look at just how many Call of Duty games there are and provide you with some background on its franchise and some popular titles.
History of Call of Duty
Call of Duty was developed and published by Activision in 2003 for Microsoft Windows by Infinity Ward, with later ports to other platforms like PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Mac OS X. Set during World War II, the original game featured both single-player campaign modes as well as multiplayer modes that allowed players to compete against one another over a network connection.
Call of Duty 1
The original Call of Duty game took place during World War II and followed the perspectives of American, British, and Soviet soldiers. It received critical acclaim for its realistic depictions of combat as well as its intense single-player campaign divided into three separate episodes that followed each nation. Furthermore, Call of Duty was one of the first games to offer multiplayer mode allowing gamers to compete against each other online.
Play Call of Duty: United Offensive today!
Call of Duty: United Offensive was an expansion pack released for the original game in 2004. This expansion added new multiplayer maps and single-player missions that followed after the Battle of the Bulge.
Call of Duty 2
Released in 2005, Call of Duty 2 follows three different perspectives during World War II. Players can participate in its single-player campaign that’s divided into three distinct episodes; additionally, Call of Duty 2 features an improved multiplayer mode that enables gamers to compete against one another over the internet.
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is a 2005 spin-off game set during World War II that follows soldiers in the US Army’s 1st Infantry Division – commonly referred to as “The Big Red One.” It received critical acclaim for its realistic depiction of combat and gripping single-player campaign.
Call of Duty 3
Released in 2006, Call of Duty 3 took place during World War II and featured the perspectives of American, British, Canadian and Polish soldiers. The single-player campaign was divided into two distinct campaigns for added excitement. Plus, Call of Duty 3 boasted an improved multiplayer mode featuring new game modes such as Capture the Flag and Headquarters.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare marked a departure from World War II and was released in 2007. Set in contemporary times, the game followed American and British soldiers as well as an Arab rebel. Call of Duty 4 was praised for its innovative single-player campaign and groundbreaking multiplayer mode which introduced features like perks and killstreaks.
Call of Duty: World at War
In 2008, Call of Duty: World at War was released and brought the World War II setting back into focus. The game followed the perspectives of American and Soviet soldiers throughout a single-player campaign divided into two separate campaigns. Furthermore, Call of Duty: World at War introduced a multiplayer mode featuring new game modes such as Nazi Zombies.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
In 2009, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 released as a direct sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and followed in its footsteps with American and British soldiers as well as a Russian soldier’s perspective. Critics praised both games for their intense single-player campaign and expanded multiplayer mode that featured customizable killstreaks.
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Released in 2010, Call of Duty: Black Ops was set during the Cold War era and featured two distinct single-player campaigns. Plus, Call of Duty: Black Ops introduced new multiplayer elements such as wager matches.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
In 2011, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was released and it followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. This sequel followed three distinct perspectives – American, British and Russian – throughout a single-player campaign divided into three distinct campaigns. Furthermore, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 featured an all-new multiplayer mode with enhanced capabilities like weapon proficiency.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II
In 2012, Call of Duty: Black Ops II was released as a direct sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops. Set in the near future and featuring American and Chinese soldiers’ perspectives, Call of Duty: Black Ops II featured an epic single-player campaign with multiple endings depending on player choices and a new multiplayer mode featuring hardpoint and other challenging game modes.
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Released in 2013, Call of Duty: Ghosts occurs in an alternate timeline where a catastrophic event decimated America. The game follows a group of soldiers known as “Ghosts” fighting against a South American faction for control of America. Call of Duty: Ghosts boasted an emotional single-player campaign and a new multiplayer mode with dynamic maps.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare was released in 2014 and depicted a future where private military companies have become the dominant military force. The game follows one soldier’s perspective within one of these firms as they battle against an evil rogue group. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare featured an innovative single-player campaign and an all-new multiplayer mode featuring exoskeletons for added gameplay variety.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
In 2015, Call of Duty: Black Ops III was released as a direct sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops II and took place in 2065. It featured an engaging single-player campaign that followed the perspectives of soldiers enhanced with cybernetic enhancements. Furthermore, Call of Duty: Black Ops III introduced new multiplayer features like specialist classes for added variety.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was released in 2016 and takes place in a distant future where humanity had colonized the solar system. The game follows the perspective of a soldier fighting against an oppressive faction known as SDF (Settlement Defense Front). Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare featured an engaging single-player campaign and new multiplayer features like weapon crafting.
Call of Duty: WWII
Released in 2017, Call of Duty: WWII marked a return to World War II settings. The game followed the perspectives of American and British soldiers during battle, boasting an intense single-player campaign praised for its realistic depictions of combat. Furthermore, Call of Duty: WWII introduced new multiplayer features like War mode.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
In 2018, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 became the first game in the franchise not to feature a single-player campaign. Instead, it focused on multiplayer modes, including Zombies mode’s return. Furthermore, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 added a brand-new battle royale mode called Blackout.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was released in 2019 and marked a reboot of the Modern Warfare subseries. It followed American and British soldiers and a rebel fighter in an imaginary Middle Eastern country. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare featured an intense single-player campaign praised for its gritty realism and a new multiplayer mode featuring features like Gunfight mode.
Conclusion
The Call of Duty franchise has a rich and storied history spanning two decades. With 18 mainline games plus numerous spin-offs and remakes, it has become one of the most successful franchises ever. From its World War II setting to futuristic settings in later games, Call of Duty has continuously evolved with the changing times and tastes of gamers worldwide.
