Which Call of Duty Has Split-Screen Campaign? A Comprehensive Guide

The allure of shared gaming experiences is undeniable, and for many, split-screen co-op is a cherished feature that brings friends and family together for some intense, side-by-side action. The Call of Duty (COD) franchise, known for its high-octane action and engaging stories, has had a varied history with this feature. So, the big question: which Call of Duty games actually offer a split-screen campaign mode?

The short answer is that only a handful of Call of Duty titles feature a split-screen option for the campaign mode. This feature has become less common in recent years, so it’s important to know which games support it. Here’s the breakdown:

• Call of Duty: World at War (2008): This is one of the earliest COD games to include a co-op campaign, allowing two players to team up locally.
• Call of Duty: Black Ops III (2015): This title stands out as it allows players to experience the entire campaign in 2-player split-screen, both locally and online. This is the only COD game where you can experience the entire campaign online with a split-screen partner.

It is important to note that while many Call of Duty games have split-screen multiplayer, the inclusion of split-screen support for the campaign is rare.

Split-Screen History in Call of Duty

It’s worth understanding how the split-screen feature has evolved within the Call of Duty franchise.

Early Days

Initially, split-screen was a mainstay for the franchise. Many of the older Call of Duty titles, particularly those in the pre-Modern Warfare era, generally included split-screen functionality for their multiplayer modes. Games like Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 3, and others offered local co-op play, but this was mostly restricted to multiplayer matches. The introduction of World at War in 2008 was a significant moment, as it was the first time players could experience the campaign mode together in split-screen.

The Modern Era

The transition into the Modern Warfare sub-series, starting with 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, saw the emphasis shift towards online multiplayer. While split-screen was still present in many of the multiplayer modes, the campaign started to become increasingly single-player focused. Call of Duty: Black Ops III was an outlier, bringing back split-screen campaign in a significant way. Since Black Ops 3 the trend has moved away from this feature, and it has become increasingly rare for the Campaign mode to include split-screen capabilities.

Modern Call of Duty Games

Many modern Call of Duty games, including many of the Modern Warfare games and Black Ops games, offer split-screen only for their multiplayer and Zombies modes.

Why So Few Split-Screen Campaigns?

Several reasons contribute to the decline of split-screen campaigns in Call of Duty:

• Technological Constraints: Rendering two viewpoints simultaneously for split-screen requires significant processing power, which can impact game performance, especially when combined with high-fidelity graphics.
• Focus on Online Play: The increasing popularity of online multiplayer and the need for strong online infrastructure has led developers to prioritize resources and development time in that direction.
• Campaign Design: Modern COD campaigns are often cinematic, with intricate set pieces and tightly scripted events. These design choices are sometimes difficult to translate into a seamless split-screen experience without significant additional effort.
• Player Preferences: With growing trends towards online gaming, there is a perception that split-screen is less desired by the majority of players, although this is debatable, as many fans still seek the shared local gaming experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which Call of Duty games have split-screen multiplayer?

Many Call of Duty titles have split-screen multiplayer, including:

• Call of Duty 2
• Call of Duty 3
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
• Call of Duty: World at War
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Call of Duty: Black Ops
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II
• Call of Duty: Ghosts
• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
• Call of Duty: Black Ops III
• Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)

2. Can you play Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 campaign split-screen?

No, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009 and 2022) does not offer split-screen for the campaign mode. Split-screen is only available for its multiplayer modes.

3. Can you play Call of Duty 4 campaign split-screen?

No, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) does not support a split-screen campaign. Split-screen functionality is limited to its multiplayer modes.

4. Does Call of Duty: Ghosts have split-screen campaign?

No, Call of Duty: Ghosts does not have a co-op campaign. It is only playable in single player. Split-screen is available in other modes like Squads and Extinction.

5. Is Call of Duty Vanguard campaign split-screen?

No, Call of Duty: Vanguard does not have a split-screen campaign mode. However it has split-screen multiplayer.

6. Will Modern Warfare 3 have split-screen campaign?

No, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023) does not offer split-screen for its campaign mode. It only supports split-screen in local multiplayer.

7. Does Black Ops 3 have split-screen campaign?

Yes, Call of Duty: Black Ops III is one of the few games that allows you to play through the entire campaign in 2-player split-screen, both locally and online.

8. Can you play Call of Duty Black Ops 2 campaign split-screen?

No, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 does not feature a campaign co-op mode. Split-screen is available for Zombies and multiplayer.

9. How many players can play Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 locally?

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 allows up to four players to play split-screen in its Zombies mode. In multiplayer, it is limited to two players locally.

10. Can you play Call of Duty Cold War campaign split-screen?

No, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War does not have a split-screen option for its campaign. Split-screen is limited to multiplayer mode, which can be played by two players.

11. Does Battlefield 5 have a co-op campaign?

Battlefield 5 has a co-op mode called Combined Arms, where up to four players can take on bot-controlled enemies in computer-generated missions. While similar to a co-op campaign, it is not a narrative campaign like Call of Duty’s Campaign.

12. Is Cold War 4-player split-screen?

No, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s split-screen is limited to 2 players only. It doesn’t support 3 or 4-player split-screen.

13. What modes can you play split-screen in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (2022)?

In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022), you can play split-screen in the following multiplayer modes:

• Team Deathmatch
• Free-For-All
• Domination
• Search & Destroy
• Headquarters
• Kill Confirmed
• Hardpoint
• Knock Out

14. Does Black Ops have a co-op campaign?

No, the original Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) does not feature a co-op campaign. The only COD titles that feature campaign co-op are World at War and Black Ops 3.

15. Does Call of Duty 2 have multiplayer campaign?

No, Call of Duty 2 does not have a multiplayer campaign. It features a single-player story mode, and its multiplayer mode is separate from the campaign.

Conclusion

While the desire for split-screen co-op in Call of Duty campaigns remains strong, the trend has moved away from this feature. Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty: Black Ops III are the only two Call of Duty titles where players can experience the main campaign together using split-screen. If shared local play during the campaign is important to you, these are the games to seek out. For other titles, split-screen action is mostly available within the multiplayer and other modes, but not within the single player campaigns.