TheCall of Dutyseries has been around for decades and is one of the biggest and most well-known in the games industry. Over the course of the franchise’s run, it has managed to redefine what a first-person shooter could be as well as set the standard for what campaigns and multiplayer modes in the genre can offer. As such,Call of Dutytitles enjoy a spot amongst the top-selling games every year.
With how long the series has been around for, it is no surprise that it has also changed and adapted a lot over those years. While the series began with multiple entries exploring the famous battles and events of World War 2, it exploded in popularity with the release ofCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Call of Duty then found success in more modern titles like the rest of theModern Warfareseries as well asthe Cold War-eraBlack Opstitles. However, for a streak that spanned over half a decade, the series seemed dedicated to releasing titles that were more futuristic.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)
The trend was kicked off in earnest by the release ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 2in 2012. While this introduced a lot of new weapons, equipment, and scenery for the title, it also brought innovations to the series like a branching storyline in its single-player campaign. It also gave players the option to customize their loadouts before campaign missions. The game was largely well received, and was praised for its explosive campaign, the scope of its multiplayer mode, and the new ideas presented in its Zombies mode. WithCall of Duty 2023rumored to be futuristic again, and it assumedly being developed by Treyarch, many fans are hoping that it will take notes fromBlack Ops 2.
Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)
While 2013’sCall of Duty: Ghostsis not as futuristic as other titles in the series, it does take place in 2027 after the Middle East has been decimated by nuclear warfare. The game featured plenty of futuristic technology, a new gamemode called Extinctionthat saw players fending off hoards of aliens, and a mission that saw players shooting in space.
Call of Duty: Ghostswas also the first title developed by Infinity Ward after the studio’s acclaimedModern Warfaretrilogy was concluded, although it received a mixed reception. Critics and players largely appreciated the game’s willingness to innovate on the series' multiplayer mode, though the game’s answer to Zombies was less favorably regarded.Ghosts' campaign also received a mixed response, with many players finding it to be very lacking when compared toModern Warfare. Still, some have called forCall of Duty: Ghoststo receive a proper sequel.
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Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)
The firstCall of Dutytitle helmed by Sledgehammer Games was 2014’sCall of Duty: Advanced Warfare. The game took the series even further into the future and even introduced exo-suits to the franchise. At release, the game was widely regarded as an improvement overCall of Duty: Ghostsand it found commercial success. However, some players did find the story to be too linear and predictable. Further, the Exo-Zombies mode was lacking a lot of what made Treyarch’s Zombies mode so beloved. The game also led to the popular “Press F to pay respects” meme as well as introducing aunique custom scorestreak feature to Call of Dutythat has yet to return.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)
The next year broughtTreyarch’sCall of Duty: Black Ops 3, which continued the series' push to the future and took place in 2065. The game allowed players to tackle its campaign in four-player co-op, which allowed it to feature more open level design and gave players special abilities thanks to cybernetic enhancements. However, one ofBlack Ops 3’s biggest legacies in theCall of Dutyfranchise is its strong Zombies mode.
Black Ops 3brought many innovations to Zombiesand largely defined how fans think of the mode to this day. The game’s Zombies maps and easter eggs set a new standard for the series and developed the mode’s overarching storyline in a more considerable way than any titles had prior.Black Ops 3even received the massiveChroniclesDLC that added many Zombies maps from previous Treyarch titles to the game, making it the definitive Zombies title to many.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
2016’sCall of Duty: Infinite Warfarewas Infinite Ward’s first title under a new three-year development cycle, and was largely the beginning ofCall of Duty’s move away from futuristic settings. The game’s trailer received a largely negative reaction, and quickly became the second-most disliked video on all of YouTube since fans series derided the game’s movement mechanics, sci-fi campaign, and futuristic weaponry. The CEO of ActivisionEric Hirshberg has since said thatInfinite Warfarefaileddue to not feeling enough likeCall of Duty. However, some players and critics had praise for its campaign and Zombies modes, though others found those same modes to be lacking and too predictable.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018)
The firstCall of Dutygame to not include a single-player campaign wasCall of Duty: Black Ops 4, which was released in 2018. This led to fans voicing their disappointment leading up to the game’s release, although it was received much more positively when it was fully available. The game also introducedSpecialists for players to choosefrom in multiplayer, which determined what special equipment they could use throughout the match.
Call of Duty Black Ops 4’sBlackout modealso served as the series' first foray into the battle royale genre. For many,Black Ops 4was the end of an era forCall of Duty, with 2019’sCall of Duty: Modern Warfareushering in the series' new approach with free seasonal updates and integration withCall of Duty: Warzone. With the rumors that have started circulating about the series' future, however, it will be very interesting to see howCall of Duty’s next futuristic setting turns out.
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