What Order Should I Play the Call of Duty Campaign?
The Call of Duty franchise is a titan of gaming, boasting a long and storied history filled with memorable characters, explosive set pieces, and compelling storylines. But with so many titles spanning different eras and narrative threads, knowing where to begin (or how to continue) can be confusing. The best way to approach the Call of Duty campaign experience is generally to play the games in the order they were released, allowing you to experience the evolution of both gameplay and narrative chronologically. However, some specific series, like the Modern Warfare and Black Ops storylines, benefit from playing their respective entries in order. Here’s a breakdown to guide you:
The Release Order Approach
This method is ideal for those who want to witness how the Call of Duty franchise grew and evolved over time. It’s also the most straightforward if you have access to the games across multiple generations. Here’s a list to help you get started.
- Call of Duty (2003): The game that started it all. This WWII epic puts you in the shoes of soldiers from multiple nations.
- Call of Duty: United Offensive (2004): An expansion pack to the original Call of Duty, continuing the WWII narrative.
- Call of Duty: Finest Hour (2004): A console-specific entry that focuses on different perspectives within the war.
- Call of Duty 2 (2005): Another leap into WWII action, enhancing the graphics and scale.
- Call of Duty 2: Big Red One (2005): Focused specifically on the U.S. Army’s “Big Red One” division.
- Call of Duty 2 (Mobile) (2006): A mobile version of COD 2.
- Call of Duty 3 (2006): Continues the WWII setting with a focus on the Normandy Breakout.
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007): A game-changer, shifting the series to modern-day conflict.
- Call of Duty: World at War (2008): Returns to WWII, focusing on the Pacific and Eastern Fronts.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009): A direct sequel to the original Modern Warfare, enhancing the scope and action.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010): Introduces a new storyline set during the Cold War, with a focus on covert operations.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011): Concludes the original Modern Warfare trilogy.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012): A two-era game, with Cold War and a near-future setting.
- Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013): Introduces a new setting and characters in a near-future scenario.
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014): A leap into a near future where private military companies have become dominant forces.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III (2015): Further pushes the franchise into a more futuristic, cybernetic-enhanced soldier setting.
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016): Leaps into the far future with a focus on space combat.
- Call of Duty: WWII (2017): Returns to its roots, focusing on WWII with a more personal narrative.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018): Notably doesn’t have a traditional single-player campaign.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019): A soft reboot of the Modern Warfare series, with new characters and a fresh narrative.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020): Set in the 1980s during the height of the Cold War.
- Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021): A return to WWII, focusing on the origins of Special Forces.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022): A sequel to the 2019 Modern Warfare, continuing the rebooted storyline.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023): A direct sequel to 2022’s Modern Warfare II.
Focused Storyline Order
If you’re primarily interested in diving deep into a particular narrative, the Modern Warfare and Black Ops series are where you should focus.
Modern Warfare Series
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007): Introduces Captain Price, Soap MacTavish, and the original characters.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009): Continues the story of Task Force 141, set after the events of COD4.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011): Concludes the trilogy with a global war against Makarov.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019): A reboot of the storyline, introducing new characters in a modern setting, but re-using some legacy characters.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022): Sequel to the 2019 reboot with the Task Force 141.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023): Direct sequel to the 2022 Modern Warfare II.
Black Ops Series
- Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010): Focuses on the Cold War and covert ops, introducing Alex Mason.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012): Continues the Black Ops narrative, set partly during the Cold War and in the near future, following David Mason.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020): A prequel/reboot to the original Black Ops timeline and story, featuring the characters of Alex, Woods and Mason, taking them through a different version of history.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Where Do I Start the Campaign in Modern Warfare III?
From the COD HQ, navigate to the Modern Warfare III section and choose the Campaign tile. Follow the on-screen instructions to start the game and select your desired difficulty.
2. Do I Need to Play Modern Warfare 1 Before Modern Warfare 2 (2022)?
While not strictly necessary, playing Modern Warfare (2019) provides vital background knowledge to understand the characters and story of the 2022 title.
3. What is the Shortest Campaign in Call of Duty?
Modern Warfare III (2023) is among the shortest, averaging about 3-5 hours, while some players finish it much quicker.
4. Is Modern Warfare 2 (2009) Before Modern Warfare 3 (2011)?
Yes, Modern Warfare 2 (2009) is a direct sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) and precedes Modern Warfare 3 (2011). They form the original Modern Warfare trilogy.
5. Is the Modern Warfare 2 (2022) Campaign a Sequel or Prequel?
The Modern Warfare 2 (2022) Campaign is a sequel to the Modern Warfare (2019) reboot and is a separate timeline from the original Modern Warfare series.
6. Is the Modern Warfare 3 (2023) Campaign a Sequel to Modern Warfare 2 (2022)?
Yes, Modern Warfare III (2023) is a direct sequel to the 2022 Modern Warfare II.
7. What is the Hardest Call of Duty Campaign?
Call of Duty: World at War is widely regarded as the most challenging due to its intense enemy encounters and constant barrage of fire.
8. Which Call of Duty Game Has the Longest Campaign?
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has the longest experience, with multiple single-player missions that can take up to 15 hours to complete.
9. What Game Should I Play Before Modern Warfare 2 (2022)?
The original Modern Warfare trilogy (2007-2011) and the 2019 reboot are essential for understanding the newer storyline and characters.
10. Is Modern Warfare 2 (2009) or Modern Warfare (2019) Better?
Many find the Modern Warfare 2 (2009) campaign to be superior but Modern Warfare (2019) is important for the newer story and characters. Both are well worth experiencing.
11. Which Call of Duty Has No Campaign?
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the first in the series not to have a traditional single-player campaign.
12. Are All Call of Duty Games Connected?
While many games share the same characters, most are set in different universes. The original WWII titles, the Modern Warfare series, and the Black Ops series are connected but not part of one unified timeline.
13. Which Call of Duty is the Oldest?
Call of Duty (2003) is the oldest game in the franchise.
14. Is the Modern Warfare 2 (2022) Campaign a Remaster?
No, the Modern Warfare 2 (2022) campaign is a new game and story. There is, however, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, which is a remaster of the campaign from the 2009 Modern Warfare 2.
15. Are the Modern Warfare 2 (2022) and Modern Warfare 3 (2023) Connected?
Yes, all the weapons, blueprints and other content from Modern Warfare II (2022) are carried forward into Modern Warfare III (2023). Additionally, MW3 is a direct sequel to MW2.
By following this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle the expansive Call of Duty campaign universe. Enjoy the ride!