The phenomenon of modern pop culture: the formation of Call of Duty

The Call of Duty series has been a monumental force in the world of gaming, captivating millions of players worldwide since its inception. Let’s journey through the evolution of this legendary franchise, exploring each game in the order they were released.

Call of Duty

Image: youtube.com

Release date: October 29, 2003
Developer: Infinity Ward

The first Call of Duty was released in 2003 and set the stage for the series. It focused on World War II, offering four single-player campaigns: American, British, Soviet, and Allied. Each campaign presented a series of missions rooted in historical events, allowing players to experience the war through different perspectives. The multiplayer mode involved tactical objectives like capturing and holding points. This game laid the groundwork for the series' success, combining engaging narratives with compelling gameplay.

Call of Duty 2

Image: youtube.com

Release date: October 25, 2005
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty 2 continued the World War II theme, maintaining the essence of the first game while introducing automatic health regeneration and removing the health bar. It retained multiple campaigns with diverse missions inspired by real events, and the multiplayer mode remained similar to its predecessor. A notable feature was the inclusion of a documentary video at the end, highlighting the realities of World War II.

Call of Duty 3

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Release date: November 7, 2006
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Xbox

Call of Duty 3 was released exclusively for Xbox and shifted to a single, unified storyline, introducing new actions like rowing a boat. It also improved technically with better animations and lighting, and introduced split-screen multiplayer. Notably, this installment included civilians in the game environment and excluded handguns from the campaign.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Image: blog.activision.com

Release date: November 5, 2007
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare marked a significant shift to a modern setting, set in an alternate 2011. It featured two campaigns: American and English, and introduced Arcade Mode and cheat codes. The multiplayer mode introduced classes, a feature that became a staple in subsequent games. This game was highly praised and set a new standard for the series.

Call of Duty: World at War

Image: polygon.com

Release date: November 11, 2008
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: World at War returned to World War II, featuring American and Soviet campaigns. It introduced a zombie mode and minor innovations like body dismemberment and flamethrowers. While the campaigns remained similar to previous games, the multiplayer mode and zombie mode added fresh elements that became popular within the community.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

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Release date: February 11, 2009
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 continued the story from its predecessor, set in 2016. It introduced new gameplay elements like climbing and underwater movement, and enhanced the multiplayer mode with dual wielding, new modes, and a deeper perk system. This game was a massive success and significantly influenced the series' future direction.

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Image: youtube.com

Release date: November 9, 2010
Developer: Treyarch
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Black Ops shifted to a post-World War II setting, focusing on CIA operations. It introduced in-game currency, character and weapon skins, contracts, and a wagering mode. The multiplayer mode retained familiar elements like classes and zombies mode, enhancing the overall experience.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Image: moddb.com

Release date: November 8, 2011
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 continued the Modern Warfare storyline, focusing on minor improvements rather than radical changes. It enhanced graphics and sound, leading to a highly successful launch that set a record in entertainment history.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Image: youtube.com

Release date: May 2, 2012
Developer: Treyarch
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Black Ops II introduced a dual-timeframe narrative, set in 2025-2026 and 1986-1989. It featured branching storylines and multiple endings, along with improved AI and new mission types. Though not as explosively successful as its predecessor, it was well-received.

Call of Duty: Ghosts

Image: youtube.com

Release date: May 1, 2013
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Ghosts brought a new story set in space, introducing battles against aliens and orbital stations. It allowed for character customization, including the option to play as a female character, and introduced destructible environments and changes to the perk system.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

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Release date: November 4, 2014
Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare took players to a futuristic setting with advanced technology and corporate governance. It introduced exoskeletons, drones, and vertical gameplay, though it was met with a lukewarm reception due to the new storyline and characters.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Image: youtube.com

Release date: November 6, 2015
Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Black Ops III continued the futuristic theme, set forty years after Black Ops II. It featured cybernetic enhancements, jetpacks, and wall-running, along with new specialists that added depth to the class system.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

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Release date: November 4, 2016
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was a standalone title set on Mars. It introduced new exoskeletons for multiplayer and focused on a fresh storyline without significant changes to the single-player mechanics.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered

Image: store.steampowered.com

Release date: November 4, 2016
Developer: Raven Software
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered brought back the classic game with updated audio, visuals, and animations, while maintaining the core gameplay and adding new achievements and cheat codes.

Call of Duty: WWII

Image: store.steampowered.com

Release date: November 3, 2017
Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: WWII returned to the World War II setting, introducing heroic actions, medkits, and NPC assistance. The multiplayer mode expanded with new game modes and increased lobby size, receiving a warm welcome from players.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Image: youtube.com

Release date: October 12, 2018
Developer: Treyarch
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 shifted to a futuristic setting without a traditional campaign, focusing on standalone missions and Specialists. It introduced a 150 HP system, stimulants, and a new battle royale mode, though the futuristic timeline was met with criticism.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Image: store.steampowered.com

Release date: May 30, 2019
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare rebooted the subseries, focusing on modern issues like terrorism. It introduced heavier content and gameplay changes like increased recoil, bipods, and the return of the Killstreaks system.

Call of Duty: Warzone

Image: youtube.com

Release date: March 10, 2020
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Warzone introduced a new battle royale experience with three distinct modes: classic battle royale, Rebirth, and Plunder. It lacked traditional single-player and multiplayer modes but introduced new mechanics like the Gulag and vehicle usage.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered

Image: youtube.com

Release date: March 31, 2020
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: callofduty.com

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered focused on enhancing the audio, visuals, and animations of the beloved classic, allowing players to relive its campaign.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Image: store.steampowered.com

Release date: November 13, 2020
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War set in early 1981, offered a diverse single-player campaign across multiple locations. It introduced changes to the zombies mode, including loadouts and weapon upgrades, while maintaining familiar mechanics in the main campaign and multiplayer.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Image: news.blizzard.com

Release date: November 5, 2021
Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Vanguard returned to World War II, focusing on a short main storyline and backstories for each character. It set a new record with 20 multiplayer maps but did not introduce major new mechanics.

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

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Release date: November 16, 2022
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 integrated with Modern Warfare II, introducing features like ammo sharing, an updated Gulag, and a new DMZ mode for completing faction tasks.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Image: callofduty.fandom.com

Release date: October 28, 2022
Developer: Infinity Ward
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II continued the fight against terrorism, introducing minor changes like breaching walls and revised swimming and vehicle mechanics. It focused on enhancing the existing gameplay rather than introducing radical changes.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III

Image: store.steampowered.com

Release date: November 2, 2023
Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III combined the best elements from its predecessors, featuring more combat-focused missions and 24 multiplayer maps. It introduced a new "Slaughter" mode, maintaining the series' core gameplay.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Image: moddb.com

Release date: October 25, 2024
Developer: Treyarch and Raven Software
Download: Steam

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 continues the Cold War storyline, set in the 1990s during the Persian conflict. It introduces new mechanics like obstacle climbing, slide tackles, and different hit reactions, along with changes to the zombies mode.

The Call of Duty franchise, spanning 25 games, has continually evolved, balancing difficulty, realism, and player interaction. Each installment builds on the successes of its predecessors, adding new elements to keep the series fresh and engaging for its global fanbase.