To say Call of Duty is an important piece of video game history would be an understatement. It’s hard to think of first-person shooters (or action games in general) without mentioning this series, which has become one of the most successful franchises ever after revolutionizing single-player campaigns and online battles.

For decades, CoD has dominated the multiplayer scene. Apart from creating iconic characters like Captain Price and Alex Mason, the series has also introduced unexpected figures to their ranks, like Spawn, Snoop Dogg, and Lionel Messi.

With entries exploring conflicts from both our past and possible future, here’s every Call of Duty game in chronological order.

Jump to:

• How to play in chronological order
• How to play by release date

How Many Call of Duty Games Are There?

Due to quite a few subseries, a reboot, and the many studios that have worked or are working on the series, it can be a bit troublesome to determine how many Call of Duty games have been released.

If we consider only the main entries with single-player campaigns, including all the World War II titles, the Modern Warfare suubseries (plus its reboot), and the Black Ops subseries, there are 19 video games in the franchise.

However, things get complicated when you add all the expansions, online experiences, mobile games, and spin-offs. For example, Call of Duty: United Offensive is an expansion for the first game, while Call of Duty: Finest Hour and Call of Duty 2: Big Red One are side stories of the first two entries.

Spin-offs include strategy game Call of Duty: Siege, launched in 2016 based on Infinite Warfare’s universe; Call of Duty: Heroes, released in 2014; and the mobile version of Call of Duty: Black Ops. In fact, many main entries have significantly different editions for mobile/handheld when compared to the major console releases. Examples of this are PS Vita’s Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified and Nintendo DS’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Defiance.

Then there’s the Chinese free-to-play Call of Duty Online, released in 2015 and shut down in 2021. 2019’s Call of Duty Mobile took its place and is still running today.

The unique Zombies modes have become a staple of the series since their first inclusion in 2008’s World at War, and they have appeared in multiple entries since.

Finally, the franchise entered the battle royale and live service genres with Warzone, launched in 2020, which became a huge success. Two years later, it was replaced by Warzone 2.0, a complete overhaul of the game’s map and experience. Warzone Mobile brought the battle royale experience to iOS and Android devices in early 2024.

To avoid confusion, it’s worth mentioning that the reboot of the Modern Warfare series will be numbered with Roman numbers. Also, Black Ops 4 is not added to the list below for its lack of campaign (it’s a multiplayer-only experience).

Call of Duty Games in Chronological Order

Beware of minor spoilers for the stories, characters, and relevant events of each game in the list below.

1. Call of Duty (2003)

The franchise’s first game was developed by Infinity Ward and published in 2003. This is the first of many entries in the series focused on World War II, following the steps of other household names like Medal of Honor.

In the first Call of Duty, you play three different campaigns as different soldiers from three countries: the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union.

The North American soldier, Private Martin, starts his training in 1942 and participates in the invasion of Normandy in 1944, while the British Sergeant Evans fights in Operation Tonga that same year. Evans will later be helped by Captain Price, a recurrent name in the franchise. On the other hand, the Soviet Alexei Ivanovich Voronin’s campaign takes place in the Battle of Stalingrad.

2. Call of Duty 2 (2005)

The sequel of the original title repeats the settings and nations but with some different perspectives. Instead of three campaigns, you experience four: one from the perspective of a North American soldier, one from the Soviet Union, and two from Britain.

As Private Vasili Koslov, you have to defend Moscow from Nazi German soldiers, while North American Bill Taylor joins the army that assaults La Pointe du Hoc during the infamous D-Day. The British soldiers, Sergeant John Davis and David Welsh, participated in the conflict in North Africa. Davis is led by Captain Price.

3. Call of Duty: World at War (2008)

A few years after Call of Duty 3, the team at Treyarch came back and delivered their last entry based on the conflict the series has been breathing off since its beginnings. This time, however, the campaign was only divided into North American and Soviet forces.

You follow American Marine Private C. Miller during the Makin Island raid in 1942, and later in the Battle of Peleliu, in which American forces confronted the Japanese army. The Soviet section takes place in the Battle of Stalingrad, but this time on the Eastern Front as Private Dimitri Petrenko.

4. Call of Duty 3 (2005)

The first main game in the series not developed by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty 3 was Treyarch’s first attempt at recreating World War II events.

Taking place in 1944, armies from Britain, Poland, the United States, Canada, and France fight against Germany’s Nazi forces in the village of Chambois, France, during the Battle of Normandy.

This is the only main entry you cannot play on PC.

5. Call of Duty: WWII (2017)

Almost a decade and a half after the first game, studio Sledgehammer Games returned the franchise to World War II. This was the first time in the main series there was only one protagonist in the campaign: Ronald “Red” Daniels, accompanied by his loyal squad. As Red, you fight Nazi German forces across the European theater, from Normandy to Germany.

While WWII has some brief flashback sequences in 1940, which would set it as the first game in the series chronologically, the core of the title takes place in 1944.

6. Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

In the latest entry set in World War II, developer Sledgehammer Games tried once again to bring Call of Duty to its roots and explore this historical event from a different perspective.

Contrary to 2017’s WWII, you are presented with multiple characters on different fronts. The main objective is to learn more about Phoenix, a secret Nazi project that could change the tide of the war in favor of Nazi Germany.

Vanguard also has flashback sequences for different protagonists starting in 1941, but the majority of the campaign is set in 1945, near the end of the war.

7. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)

Developer Treyarch changed eras with Black Ops. Going from 1961 to 1968, you’ll experience the events of the Cold War and part of the Vietnam War for the first time in the series.

The main protagonist, Alex Mason, works with the CIA and is tasked to remember events that would help find Soviet sleeper agents. These agents are around the United States, and they plan to release a dangerous chemical weapon called Nova 6.

8. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)

Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War helps connect the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2. While the main protagonist this time is nicknamed “Bell,” you get to choose your name, gender, and other details like dialogue lines.

Set in 1981, you team up with characters from previous games, including Alex Mason, Frank Woods, and Jason Hudson. Under CIA’s Russell Adler, your elite team is supposed to catch a Soviet figure that goes by “Perseus” who is planning to attack the United States.

9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)

The sequel to the original Black Ops presents two timelines. On the first one, you follow Alex Mason’s footsteps several years after he and his team successfully stopped Nova 6. It’s 1986, and Jason Hudson asks Mason to aid with the search for Frank Woods, who disappeared in Cuando Cubango, Angola.

The second timeline is centered around David Mason, Alex’s son, who’s looking for Raul Menendez in 2025. Menendez is the leader of Cordis Die, a terrorist organization that provoked the Second Cold War.

10. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

The last entry to have a number after “Call of Duty,” Modern Warfare is the first time the series abandoned its classic Allies vs Axis conflict for something more recent.

In 2011, Yasir Al-Fulani, the president of a fictional Middle Eastern country, was executed by Khaled Al-Asad, the leader of a revolutionary party. Meanwhile, Russia is going through a civil war provoked by Imran Zakhaev, an arms dealer.

A squad commanded by Captain Price and formed by protagonist John “Soap” MacTavish have to stop an international crisis.

11. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)

Set five years after the events of the previous game, Modern Warfare 2 tells the story of Vladimir Makarov, an Ultranationalist who continues the work of Imran Zakhaev. It turns out this extremist party gained control of Russia, so Makarov gained the power to start committing terrorist acts against the United States.

Well-known faces like the Captain Soap and Captain Price join forces with Sergeant Gary “Roach” Sanderson, Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley, “Nikolai”, and other agents to stop Makarov’s secret plan.

12. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)

The end of the first Modern Warfare trilogy brings the pursuit of terrorist Vladimir Makarov to its climax. Captain Price’s team re-arranges itself with Yuri, an ex-Spetsnaz known by Nikolai. Captain John “Soap” MacTavish is also present for the final mission.

Makarov captures Boris Vorshevsky, the president of Russia, who was going to establish peace with the United States. After threatening the president’s daughter, Makarov acquired nuclear launch codes, becoming an international danger once again.

13. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

In 2019, Infinity Ward rebooted the successful Modern Warfare series by reusing some classic characters in a new timeline. Well-known faces like Captain Price are present in a new conflict with Russia.

Set in the same year it was released, a fictional republic called Urzikstan is invaded by a Russian army. While this attack is going on, a terrorist organization called Al-Qatala, also from Urzikstan, begins with operations against different countries in the world. Captain Price, alongside his Task Force 141 and the Urzikstan Liberation Force, try to de-escalate the conflict.

14. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)

Taking place in 2022, Modern Warfare II follows the story of the MW reboot, featuring returning characters from Task Force 141 and the Urzikstan Liberation Force leader Farah Karim.

Al-Qatala is still a threat, but all eyes are on Quds Force, an Iranian revolutionary group commanded by Hassan Zyani. Zyani is supported by Al-Qatala and a Mexican cartel from the fictional city of Las Almas, and he plans terrorist acts against the United States after the assassination of General Ghorbrani, an Iranian forces leader.

15. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)

Picking up after the events of 2022’s Modern Warfare II, MWIII once again stars Task Force 141, including recurring characters John Price, Simon “Ghost” Riley, Kyle “Gaz” Garrick, and John “Soap” MacTavish. Ultranationalist terrorist Vladimir Makarov, the villain from 2011’s Modern Warfare 3, once again serves as the antagonist.

16. Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)

A standalone entry with few connections to previous titles, Call of Duty Ghosts was developed by Infinity Ward in 2013. As its name indicates, it focused on the special operation group called Ghosts, a U.S. team tasked with secret missions.

It’s 2027, and after a decade of conflicts in the Middle East and an oil crisis, a South American force called the Federation of the Americas initiated a war against the United States. Working with your new team, you have to stop Gabriel T. Rorke, the former leader of Ghosts.

17. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)

Advanced Warfare was the first entry to take place several decades beyond its release date. It was also the first game developed primarily by Sledgehammer Games.

Set in 2054, you control Jack Mitchell, a member of the United States Marine Corps who later fights in the private military corporation known as Atlas after suffering an accident. On this occasion, the enemy forces are a Chechenian separatist group called KVA led by Joseph “Hades” Chkheidze.

It was one of the first entries to feature futuristic changes in gameplay due to its setting, like the fact that soldiers now wear exoskeletons, which bring them unique abilities.

18. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)

The end of the initial Black Ops trilogy was also set in the future. More specifically, in the year 2065, when a Third Cold War between the Common Defense Pact and the Winslow Accord is happening. Robotic drones, cyborg supersoldiers, unpiloted air forces, and other technological advancements take center stage.

A black ops team composed of you (simply referred to as “The Player”), Jacob Hendricks, and your cybernetics division will be tasked with preventing the conflict from reaching a more dangerous state. You investigate a strange event in Singapore and look out for the 54 Immortals, a crime organization.

19. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)

No Call of Duty game went further into the future than Infinite Warfare. Around the 2080s, the United Nations Space Alliance was created after humans had spent all the natural resources available on Earth. Beginning the colonization and exploitation of resources on other planets, this alliance is defended by the Solar Associated Treaty Organization, a military force that battles the totalitarian regime Settlement Defense Front from Mars.

How to Play the Call of Duty Games By Release Date

1. Call of Duty (2003)
2. Call of Duty 2 (2005)
3. Call of Duty 3 (2006)
4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
5. Call of Duty: World at War (2008)
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
7. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)
10. Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)
11. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)
12. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)
13. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
14. Call of Duty: WWII (2017)
15. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
16. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)
17. Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)
18. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
19. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)
20. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024)

What’s Next for Call of Duty?

The next Call of Duty game (and first mainline CoD title since Microsoft’s massive acquisition of Activision) is Black Ops 6, releasing on October 25 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC. Microsoft has confirmed that Black Ops 6 will be available Day 1 on Xbox Game Pass, and while the Early Access period has passed, Open Beta restarts this weekend, September 6-9.

In terms of this timeline, Black Ops 6 picks up from Black Ops 2 after the Cold War in the early 90’s. We learned more about the campaign, as well as what to expect from the new installment’s Zombie mode, in our hands-on preview of Black Ops 6 from earlier this summer. There were also plenty of details about the game revealed during this year’s Call of Duty: Next, including that we’ll be seeing the return of the classic Prestige leveling system.

Axel Bosso is a contributing freelancer for IGN, covering everything related to video games (he’s behind some of the Wikis you might have used over the years)!

Warning: Spoilers for Astro Bot follow.

There are well over 150 PlayStation characters, references, and Easter eggs in Sony’s brilliant new platformer Astro Bot. Some will be known to most – God of War’s Kratos, Uncharted’s Nathan Drake, and Horizon’s Aloy, for example – but some may just have you scratching your head a little.

Well, that’s where we can help you out. We’ve scoured the clues given and taken a look back through PlayStation history to find out what games and consoles these little guys are from. So, without further ado, here are 21 of the most obscure PlayStation characters from Astro Bot explained.

1. Captain Rock – Motor Toon Grand Prix

Before renaming to Polyphony Digital and becoming the creators of the beloved racing series Gran Turismo, Polys Entertainment developed Motor Toon Grand Prix in 1994. More of a kart racer than the sim racing experience Polyphony would become known for, a handful of cartoonish characters and their accompanying cars were available to drive with. Captain Rock (you don’t want to pronounce that name incorrectly) was the cover star of Motor Toon Grand Prix and its 1996 sequel.

2. Alundra – Alundra

Alundra is the titular protagonist of Alundra (known in Europe as The Adventures of Alundra), an action-adventure about a young man with the power to enter other people’s dreams. Not an ode to A Nightmare on Elm Street nor the inspiration for Inception, Alundra was developed by Matrix Software in 1997 and was noted for its tough puzzles and dark story themes. A sequel was released in 1999, and despite being called Alundra 2, didn’t feature the character of Alundra at all. Who knows why.

3. Ulala – Space Channel 5

Charged with investigating an alien invasion, news reporter Ulala is the protagonist of Space Channel 5, a music game first released in 1999 for the Dreamcast before making its way to the PlayStation 2 three years later. Taking a heavy influence from the aesthetics of 1960s sci-fi, both Space Channel 5 and Ulala are remembered for their distinct style as well as, of course, all that memorable music.

4. Conductor Takt – Mad Maestro!

Let’s not stop the music yet and head right over to PS2 rhythm game Mad Maestro! and its classical orchestra. That orchestra is led by Conductor Takt, and taking command of his conducting baton puts you in charge of keeping all the musicians in check by pressing increasingly more complex and frantic button combos.

5. Little Devil – Devil Dice

An intricate and entirely singular puzzle game, Devil Dice is all about moving around levels and causing chain reactions by flipping and rotating die as you walk across them. A big seller for the original PlayStation, you play as a little devil in the game, who is pictured right here.

6. Arc the Lad – Arc the Lad

Arc the Lad was the biggest-selling Japanese PlayStation game of 1995. Despite that, it never saw a release outside of its home nation (apart from in a compilation many years later). A tactical RPG, the story follows Arc, a lad on a journey to find his long-missing father. Two sequels would be released for the original PlayStation in the following five years.

7. Klonoa – Klonoa: Door to Phantomile

A cloaca is the part of a snake or chicken (and many other animals) where the eggs come out. Importantly, this is not cloaca, but Klonoa, a platform series with entries that spanned across the original PlayStation and PS2. First appearing in 1997’s Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, protagonist Klonoa is a nondescript mash-up of dog, cat, and rabbit – none of which are egg-producing animals. He does have the ability to travel to different dream realms, however, and remove the forces that threaten them. He also has creator Namco’s original mascot Pac-Man on his hat.

8. Boku – Boku no Natsuyasumi

The Japanese title ‘Boku no Natsuyasumi’ translates into English as My Summer Vacation. And that’s exactly what this game is, as you follow a young boy named Boku on his summer trip away from home. Set in 1975 in rural Japan, its an easygoing time as you decide what to do with the 31 days you have on the calendar. Fishing, catching bugs, or flying kites are all potential entries in your relaxed schedule. It would go on to get three sequels, although none are yet to have been released outside of Japan.

9. Chef – Ore no Ryouri

Another Japanese exclusive, Ore No Ryouri is a fast-paced cooking game in which you control a chef using solely the analog sticks. Battling against the clock (and cockroaches), players were tasked with managing different types of restaurants when it was released for the PlayStation in 1999.

10. Vibri – Vib-Ribbon

Perhaps the least obscure on this list of obscure characters is Vibri from Vib-Ribbon. An early example of Sony’s desire to experiment (and, frankly, just get weird) you controlled a wireframe character called Vibri as you navigated a black-and-white world. Produced by Masaya Matsuura, the man behind other rhythm games like PaRappa the Rapper and Um Jammer Lammy, has become somewhat of a cult hit in the years since its launched in 1999, eventually getting a North American release in 2014.

11. Cube Head – Intelligent Qube

The original PlayStation ushered in a new era for 3D graphics. And tell me, what’s more 3D than a cube? A qube perhaps? Intelligent Qube was a puzzle game about a tiny man pushing a giant box around levels in order to clear them. First arriving in 1997, it has received many different remasters and remixes, and was even added to PlayStation Plus as recently as 2022. Check out if you love cubes, and especially qubes.

12. Taneo – Incredible Crisis

Taneo has a day from hell in Incredible Crisis. In one of many minigames, he’s forced to dance with his coworkers (which would be as horrifying as it gets for most of us), but it gets a lot worse from there. An incoming boulder, high-speed traffic, a bomb, and a UFO are just some of the things he has to steer clear of in order to make it home to his family. Released on the original PlayStation, it won the “Best Other Game” IGN award in 2000. Whatever that means.

13. Mister Mosquito – Mister Mosquito

In Mister Mosquito you play as this annoying little bastard who enjoys nothing more than flying around a house looking for blood to suck from its occupants. Buzzing his way onto the PS2 in 2001, it’s definitely one of the weirder games to have made it onto the console, and it’s perhaps just as weird that he shows up in Astro Bot.

14. Pomeranian – Tokyo Jungle

Before The Last of Us on the PlayStation 3, there was Tokyo Jungle – a post-apocalyptic survival action game that put you into the shoes of many different animals (if animals wore shoes, that is.) One of those animals is the humble Pomeranian, who is cute to wander around a ruined Japan and chomp on unsuspecting pigs with. Until he’s mauled by a pack of wild dogs, that is. A genuinely funny curio, Tokyo Jungle has developed a cult following since its 2012 debut.

15. Shiba Inu – Humanity

Another canine pal and by far the most recent entry onto this list, the Shiba Inu from Humanity glows bright in order to direct crowds to safety. Released only last year and produced by Tetsuya Mizuguchi (creator of Rez, Lumines, and Tetris Effect), it was one of the most underplayed but critically aclaimed games of 2023. Check it out if you haven’t already.

16. AIBO ERS-110

Now, not all of these characters are actually from games. Some are actually from the real world. The ERS-110 was the first model of AIBO (Artificial Intelligence RoBOt) from Sony, a robotic dog that had the ability to learn and ‘grow up’ over time. It would react to its owners in different ways after extended communication and be able to express different emotions. It was released in 1999, but discontinued in 2006 after underwhelming sales.

17. AIBO ERS-1000

But the robot dog returned! Able to recognise up to 100 people’s faces and designed with a much “cuter” dog appearance than its more robotic older brother, the ERS-1000 has been available to buy since 2018 and will only cost you $2,899.99 to have in your home. Bargain.

18. Toro Inoue (Sony Cat) – Official PlayStation Mascot in Japan

It’s really raining both cats and dogs in Astro Bot. Here is Toro Inoue, a white cat who has been the official PlayStation mascot in Japan since he first appeared in virtual pet game Doko Demo Issyo. A cultural icon in Japan, Sony America was against the idea of having a single mascot represent the PlayStation platform, which explains his lack of presence in the West.

19. Kuro (Toro’s friend) – Official PlayStation Mascot in Japan

Often seen alongside Toro is Kuro. They’ve appeared in many games together such as Doko Demo Issyo on the PS2 and Mainichi Issho on the PS3. Not quite as pure as his cat counterpart, Kuro is known to be “a man of vices” who enjoys the company of women, gambling, and drinking. He hasn’t been cancelled… yet.

20. Polygon Man – Original PlayStation Marketing

Polygon Man was one of the first characters to be associated with the PlayStation brand. Essentially a purple, blocky piece of marketing, he was used to show off the 3D graphical power of the original console back in 1995. He never had his own game, but did appear as the final boss in 2012’s PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. Is it time for Sony to give that one another shot?

21. Robbit – Jumping Flash!

Staying with 1995 and the birth of PlayStation, in Jumping Flash! you play the role of Robbit, a giant robotic rabbit who bloody loves to jump. Armed with his sparkle beam gun and tasked with saving the galaxy from the evil and insane astrophysicist, Baron Aloha, it was initially revealed as a tech demo in 1994 before being turned into a full game a year later.

And that’s what we think are the most obscure characters featured in Astro Bot explained. How many of the above games have you played? Let us know in the comments below.