Colonel William A. Phillips

Call of Duty, also referred to as (COD), is a video game series and media franchise published by Activision, starting in 2003. The games were first developed by Infinity Ward, then by Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games. Several spin-off and handheld games were made by other developers. The most recent title, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, was released on November 10, 2023.

The series originally focused on the World War II setting, with Infinity Ward developing Call of Duty (2003) and Call of Duty 2 (2005) and Treyarch developing Call of Duty 3 (2006). Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) introduced a modern setting, and proved to be the breakthrough title for the series, creating the Modern Warfare sub-series; a Modern Warfare remastered version released in 2016. Two other entries, Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and Modern Warfare 3 (2011), were made. The sub-series received a reboot with Modern Warfare in 2019, Modern Warfare II in 2022, and Modern Warfare III in 2023. Infinity Ward have also developed two games outside of the Modern Warfare sub-series, Ghosts (2013) and Infinite Warfare (2016).

Treyarch made one last World War II-based game, World at War (2008), before releasing Black Ops (2010) and subsequently creating the Black Ops sub-series. Four other entries, Black Ops II (2012), Black Ops III (2015), Black Ops 4 (2018), and Cold War (2020) were made, the latter in conjunction with Raven Software. Sledgehammer Games, who were co-developers for Modern Warfare 3, have also developed three titles, Advanced Warfare (2014), Call of Duty: WWII (2017), and Vanguard (2021). They are also the lead developer for Modern Warfare III (2023), the third entry in the Modern Warfare reboot sub-series.

As of April 2021, Call of Duty has sold over 400 million copies.[1] The series is verified by the Guinness World Records as the best-selling first-person shooter game series. It is also the most successful video game franchise created in the United States and the fourth best-selling video game franchise of all time. Other products in the franchise include a line of action figures designed by Plan B Toys, a card game created by Upper Deck Company, Mega Bloks sets by Mega Brands, and a comic book miniseries published by WildStorm Productions, and a feature film in development.

A variation of the original Call of Duty logo font used by the franchise until 2023

Main series

Titles in the Call of Duty series
Title Year Platform Lead developer
Call of Duty 2003 Windows, macOS, N-Gage, PS3, X360 Infinity Ward
Call of Duty 2 2005 Windows, macOS, X360, J2ME Infinity Ward
Call of Duty 3 2006 PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox, X360, J2ME Treyarch
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2007 Windows, macOS, NDS, PS3, PS4 (Remastered), Wii, X360, XONE (Remastered), J2ME Infinity Ward (Original), Raven Software (Remastered)
Call of Duty: World at War 2008 Windows, NDS, PS3, Wii, X360, Windows Mobile, J2ME Treyarch
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 2009 Windows, macOS, NDS, PS3, X360 Infinity Ward (Original), Beenox (Remastered)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2010 Windows, macOS, NDS, PS3, Wii, X360, J2ME Treyarch
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 2011 Windows, macOS, NDS, PS3, Wii, X360 Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games
Call of Duty: Black Ops II 2012 Windows, PS3, Wii U, X360 Treyarch
Call of Duty: Ghosts 2013 Windows, PS3, PS4, Wii U, X360, XONE Infinity Ward
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare 2014 Windows, PS3, PS4, X360, XONE Sledgehammer Games
Call of Duty: Black Ops III 2015 Windows, macOS, PS3, PS4, X360, XONE Treyarch
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare 2016 Windows, PS4, XONE Infinity Ward
Call of Duty: WWII 2017 Windows, PS4, XONE Sledgehammer Games
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 2018 Windows, PS4, XONE Treyarch
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 Windows, PS4, XONE Infinity Ward
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War 2020 Windows, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSXS Treyarch, Raven Software
Call of Duty: Vanguard 2021 Windows, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSXS Sledgehammer Games
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II 2022 Windows, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSXS Infinity Ward
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III 2023 Windows, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSXS Sledgehammer Games


World War II games

Call of Duty

Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game based on id Tech 3, and was released on October 29, 2003. The game was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II.[2] An expansion pack, Call of Duty: United Offensive, was developed by Gray Matter Studios with contributions from Pi Studios and produced by Activision. The game follows American and British paratroopers and the Red Army. The Mac OS X version of the game was ported by Aspyr Media. In late 2004, the N-Gage version was developed by Nokia and published by Activision. Other versions were released for PC, including Collector's Edition (with soundtrack and strategy guide), Game of the Year Edition (includes game updates), and the Deluxe Edition (which contains the United Offensive expansion and soundtrack; in Europe the soundtrack was not included). On September 22, 2006, Call of Duty, United Offensive, and Call of Duty 2 were released together as Call of Duty: War Chest for PC.[3] Since November 12, 2007, Call of Duty games have been available for purchase via Valve's content delivery platform Steam.[4]

Call of Duty 2

Call of Duty 2 is a first-person shooter video game and the sequel to Call of Duty. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game is set during World War II and is experienced through the perspectives of soldiers in the Red Army, British Army, and United States Army. It was released on October 25, 2005, for Windows, November 15, 2005, for the Xbox 360, and June 13, 2006, for Mac OS X. Other versions were made for mobile phones, Pocket PCs, and smartphones.

Call of Duty 3

Call of Duty 3 is a first-person shooter and the third installment in the Call of Duty video game series. Released on November 7, 2006, the game was developed by Treyarch, and was the first major installment in the Call of Duty series not to be developed by Infinity Ward. It was also the first not to be released on the PC platform. It was released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360.[5]

Call of Duty: WWII

Call of Duty: WWII is the fourteenth game in the series and was developed by Sledgehammer Games.[6] It was released worldwide on November 3, 2017, for Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.[7] The game is set in the European theatre, and is centered around a squad in the 1st Infantry Division, following their battles on the Western Front, and set mainly in the historical events of Operation Overlord.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Call of Duty: Vanguard is the eighteenth game in the series and is developed by Sledgehammer Games, with Treyarch developing the game's Zombies mode. It was released on November 5, 2021, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The story depicts the birth of special forces to face an emerging threat at the end of the war during various theaters of World War II.

Modern Warfare series

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the fourth installment of the main series and was the first game in the Modern Warfare timeline. Developed by Infinity Ward, it is the first game in the series not to be set during World War II. The game was released for Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 7, 2007. Download and retail versions for Mac OS X were released by Aspyr in September 2008. As of May 2009, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has sold over 13 million copies.[8]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a remastered version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that was released alongside the Legacy Edition, Legacy Pro Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare on November 4, 2016, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.[9] It was later released standalone on June 27, 2017, for PS4, and July 27, 2017, for Xbox One and PC.[10] The game was developed by Raven Software and executive produced by Infinity Ward.[11][12]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the sixth installment of the main series, and the second game in the Modern Warfare timeline. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision.[13][14] Activision Blizzard announced Modern Warfare 2 on February 11, 2009.[15][16] The game was released worldwide on November 10, 2009, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows.[13] A Nintendo DS iteration of the game, titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized, was released alongside the game and the Wii port of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.[17][18] Modern Warfare 2 is the direct sequel to Call of Duty 4 and continues the same storyline, taking place five years after the first game and featuring several returning characters including Captain Price and "Soap" MacTavish.[19]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered

A visually updated version of the original, it was released for PlayStation 4 on March 31, 2020, and for Xbox One and Windows on April 30, 2020. It only includes the campaign mode with no multiplayer and Spec Ops components. When purchased, players can unlock various cosmetic items in 2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and 2020's Call of Duty: Warzone.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a first-person shooter video game. It is the eighth installment of the Call of Duty series and the third installment of the Modern Warfare arc. Due to a legal dispute between the game's publisher Activision and the former co-executives of Infinity Ward – which caused several lay-offs and departures within the company[20] – Sledgehammer Games assisted in the development of the game, while Raven Software was brought in to make cosmetic changes to the menus of the game.[21] The game was said to have been in development since only two weeks after the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.[21] Sledgehammer was aiming for a "bug free" first outing in the Call of Duty franchise, and had also set a goal for Metacritic review scores above 95 percent.[22]

The game continues the story from the point at which it ended in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and continues the fictional battle story between the United States and Russia, which evolves into the Third World War between NATO allied nations and ultra-nationalist Russia.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the sixteenth entry in the Call of Duty series and is also a reboot of the Modern Warfare series. The story has been described to be darker and more realistic than previous Call of Duty games. It is set in the Black Ops timeline,[23] separate from the other Modern Warfare games (however, characters such as Captain Price and other fan favorites from the series make a return). The game was officially revealed on May 30, 2019, and released on October 25, 2019.

The second main battle royale installment in the Call of Duty franchise, titled Call of Duty: Warzone, was released in March 2020, as a part of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare video game but does not require purchase of it.[24] The title exceeded 50 million players in the first month after release.[25]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Activision confirmed a sequel to the 2019 Modern Warfare game on February 11, 2022, to be developed by Infinity Ward.[26] The game's logo and title was revealed on April 28, 2022.[27] During Activision's 'Call of Duty NEXT' broadcast on September 15, 2022, the game's multiplayer was fully revealed, along with details on the next version of Warzone and a mobile version of Warzone, both set to launch slightly after Modern Warfare II's launch.[28][29]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was released on October 28, with Campaign Early Access for pre-orders on October 20.[30]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III

Black Ops story arc

Call of Duty: World at War

Call of Duty: World at War, developed by Treyarch, is the fifth installment of the main series. Released after Modern Warfare, it returns to the World War II setting of earlier titles,[31] featuring the Pacific theater and Eastern front. The game uses the same proprietary game engine as Call of Duty 4 and was released for the PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 consoles and the Nintendo DS handheld in North America on November 11, 2008, and November 14, 2008, in Europe. As of June 2009, Call of Duty: World at War has sold over 11 million copies.[32] It acts as a prologue for Treyarch's next game, Black Ops, which is in the same universe, sharing characters and story references.[33][34]

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops is the seventh installment in the series,[35][36][37] the third developed by Treyarch and was published by Activision for release on November 9, 2010. It is the first game in the series to take place during the Cold War and also takes place partially in the Vietnam War. It was initially available for Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 and was later released for the Wii as well as the Nintendo DS.[38]

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Call of Duty: Black Ops II is the ninth main installment in the series, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was revealed on May 1, 2012.[39][40] It was the first game in the series to feature future warfare technology, and the campaign features multiple branching storylines driven by player choice and multiple endings. It was later released on November 12, 2012.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Call of Duty: Black Ops III is the twelfth main installment in the series, developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was released on November 6, 2015.[41]

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the fifteenth main installment in the series. It was developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game was released on October 12, 2018.[42] It was the first featured Call of Duty game to forgo a single-player campaign game mode, focusing only at the multiplayer aspect of the game. The game also introduced an entirely new battle royale game mode, called Blackout, in addition to multiplayer and zombies co-op mode.[43]

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the seventeenth main installment in the series. It was developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, and published by Activision. The game was released on November 13, 2020. Set during the 1980s and focusing on Soviet and American espionage during the Cold War, the game is chronologically set between Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II.[44]

Standalone games

Call of Duty: Ghosts

Call of Duty: Ghosts is the tenth main installment in the series and was developed by Infinity Ward. The game was released on November 5, 2013.[45][46] It was the first game to be developed for eighth-gen consoles such as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.[47]

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the eleventh main installment in the series, developed by Sledgehammer Games with assistance from Raven Software and High Moon Studios. It was released in November 2014.[48] The game was the first game in the series to feature advanced movements, such as double jump and boost slide.[49]

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is the thirteenth main installment in the series, developed by Infinity Ward, and was published by Activision. The game was released on November 4, 2016.[50]

Primary developer rotation

In 2006, Treyarch released Call of Duty 3, their first Call of Duty game of the main series. Treyarch and Infinity Ward signed a contract stating that the producer of each upcoming title in the series would alternate between the two companies. In 2010, Sledgehammer Games announced they were working on a main series title for the franchise. This game was postponed in order to help Infinity Ward produce Modern Warfare 3. In 2014, it was confirmed that Sledgehammer Games would produce the 2014 title, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, and the studios would begin a three-year rotation.[51][52] After Sledgehammer developed Call of Duty: WWII (2017), they began developing a new Call of Duty entry alongside Raven Software due for release in 2020. However, there were conflicts of interest between the two, which resulted in Treyarch taking over control of the project in order to speed up the development process.[53]

Other games

Console titles

Call of Duty: Finest Hour

Call of Duty: Finest Hour is the first console installment of Call of Duty and was released on the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game include an online multiplayer mode which supports up to 32 players. It also includes new game modes.

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is a spin-off of Call of Duty 2 developed by Treyarch and based on the American 1st Infantry Division's exploits during World War II. The game was released on GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox.

Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts

Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts is the PlayStation 2 adaptation of Call of Duty: World at War. Developed by Rebellion Developments, Final Fronts features three campaigns involving the U.S. fighting in the Pacific theater, the Battle of the Bulge, and the British advancing on the Rhine River into Germany.

Call of Duty: The War Collection

Call of Duty: The War Collection is a boxed set compilation of Call of Duty 2, Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War. It was released for the Xbox 360 on June 1, 2010.[54]

Handheld titles

Call of Duty: Roads to Victory

Call of Duty: Roads to Victory is a PSP game which is a portable spin-off of Call of Duty 3.[55]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized is the Nintendo DS companion game for Modern Warfare 2. Developed by n-Space, the game takes place in the same setting as the main console game but follows a different storyline and cast of characters. Playing as the S.A.S. and the Marines in campaign mode, both forces are trying to find a nuclear bomb.

Call of Duty: Black Ops DS

Call of Duty: Black Ops DS is the Nintendo DS companion game for Black Ops. Developed by n-Space, the game takes place in the same setting as the main console game, but follows a different storyline and cast of characters.[56][57]

Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified

Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified is a PlayStation Vita Call of Duty game.[58]

Free-to-play titles

Call of Duty Online

Call of Duty Online was announced by Activision when the company first stated their interest in a Massively multiplayer online game (MMO) in early 2011. By then, it had been in development for two years. Call of Duty Online is free-to-play for mainland China and is hosted by Tencent, since Activision had lost the publishing rights to Call of Duty and several other franchises in China due to a legal dispute on most of the gaming consoles (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii).

Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone is an online battle royale game developed by Infinity Ward and Raven Software and released by Activision. The game was released on March 10, 2020, as part of Modern Warfare (2019), but can be downloaded without ownership of the former title. The game shares progression with, and uses gameplay items from Modern Warfare, as well as Black Ops Cold War and Vanguard following several integration updates to incorporate content from these titles. Activision has announced that a mobile version of Warzone was in development, slated to be released sometime in the future.[59]

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 is the sequel to Warzone, also developed by Infinity Ward and Raven Software. The game was released on November 16, 2022, as part of a content update for Modern Warfare II. Like the previous iteration, Warzone 2.0 is available for separate download without requiring ownership of Modern Warfare II. In addition to sharing progression with the former title, the game is also linked to Warzone Mobile, a standalone mobile game that incorporates Modern Warfare II gameplay items while played on a separate map.

Mobile titles

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Force Recon

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Force Recon is the J2ME mobile version of Modern Warfare 2. Developed by Glu Mobile, the game takes place in Mexico five years after Modern Warfare.

Call of Duty: World at War – Zombies and Call of Duty: Black Ops – Zombies

Call of Duty: World at War – Zombies is a first-person shooter video game developed by Ideaworks Game Studio and published by Activision for iOS. It is a spin-off of the Call of Duty series and based on the "Nazi Zombies" mode of Call of Duty: World at War. A sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops – Zombies was released for Android and iOS.

Call of Duty: Strike Team

Call of Duty: Strike Team is a first and third-person shooter game developed by The Blast Furnace and published by Activision for iOS and Android. The game is set in 2020 with players tasked with leading a U.S. Joint Special Operations Team after the country "finds themselves in a war with an unknown enemy".

Call of Duty: Heroes

Call of Duty: Heroes was a real-time strategy game developed by Faceroll Games and published by Activision for Android and iOS.

Call of Duty: Mobile

Call of Duty: Mobile is the franchise's mobile title for iOS and Android developed by Tencent Games' TiMi Studios. It was released on October 1, 2019.[60] Previously, it was first announced on March 18, 2019, at the year's Game Developers Conference.[61] As of October 4, 2019, the game has surpassed over 35 million downloads worldwide.[62]

Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile

Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile is a mobile battle royale game developed by Digital Legends Entertainment in partnership with other Activision studios.[citation needed] The game shares progression with Modern Warfare II, the upcoming Modern Warfare III and Warzone 2.0 and uses their gameplay items but is played on separate maps. The game was released on November 30, 2022 in Australia and March 24, 2023 in Chile, Norway and Sweden, currently in the "Limited Release" phase, with the first map being a ported version of Verdansk, which first appeared in the original Warzone. It will be planned to release worldwide in early 2024.

Canceled titles

Call of Duty: Combined Forces

Call of Duty: Combined Forces was a proposed concept draft originally intended to be a sequel to Call of Duty: Finest Hour. However, due to multiple legal issues that arose between Spark Unlimited, Electronic Arts, and Activision as well as other production problems, the game's draft and scripts never came to be. The game was projected to cost $10.5 million to produce after Finest Hour was complete. Eventually, Activision deemed the pitch as more of an expansion than something entirely new, causing the company to reject the proposal and end their contract with Spark Unlimited shortly after.[63]

Call of Duty: Devil's Brigade

Call of Duty: Devil's Brigade was a canceled first-person shooter for the Xbox 360 developed by Underground Entertainment. The game was set in World War II, mainly focusing on the Italian Campaign.[64]

Call of Duty: Vietnam

Call of Duty: Vietnam was a third-person shooter set during the Vietnam War. It was in development for at least six to eight months at Sledgehammer Games. The development was stopped because Infinity Ward needed help finishing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 due to the employee firings and departures in 2010.[65][66]

Call of Duty: Roman Wars

Call of Duty: Roman Wars was a canceled third and first-person video game in the Call of Duty franchise. The game was set in ancient Rome, and allowed players to take control of famous historical figure Julius Caesar, along with "low grunts", and officers of the Tenth Legion. It was eventually canceled, as Activision had uncertainties about branding it as a Call of Duty title.[67]

Other media

Comic books

Modern Warfare 2: Ghost is a six-part comic book mini-series based on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The storyline focuses on the backstory of the character Simon "Ghost" Riley. The series is published by WildStorm and the first issue was released on November 10, 2009, alongside the game.[68]

Call of Duty: Zombies is a six-part comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics. The series ties in with the Zombies game mode of the Black Ops subseries developed by Treyarch. The series is co-written by Justin Jordan, Treyarch's Jason Blundell and Craig Houston. The series is illustrated by artist Jonathan Wayshak and colorist Dan Jackson. The cover arts are handled by artist Simon Bisley. The series was announced by Treyarch in July 2016, with the first issue slated for release in October. After a slight delay, the first issue was released on October 26, 2016. The five other issues were released in the months of 2017: issue #2 released on January 11, 2017; issue #3 released on March 1, 2017; issue #4 released on April 19, 2017; issue #5 released on June 21, 2017; and issue #6 released on August 23, 2017. A paperback edition containing all six issues was released on November 15, 2017.[69]

Merchandise

The Call of Duty Real-Time Card Game was announced by card manufacturer Upper Deck.[70]

In 2004, Activision, in cooperation with the companies Plan-B Toys and Radioactive Clown, released the "Call of Duty: Series 1" line of action figures, which included three American soldiers and three German soldiers from the World War II era.[71] While the American G.I. action figure was made in 2004,[72] Plan-B Toys later discontinued a controversial Nazi SS Guard action figure based on the Nazi Totenkopf officer seen in Call of Duty.[73]

In 2008, McFarlane Toys announced their partnership with Activision to produce action figures for the Call of Duty series. McFarlane Toys' first series of action figures were released in October 2008 and consists of four different figures: Marine with Flamethrower, Marine Infantry, British Special Ops, and Marine with Machine Gun.[74]

Short films

Find Makarov is a fan-made film that was well received by Call of Duty publishers, Activision, who contacted We Can Pretend and subsequently produced a second short film, Operation Kingfish.[75]

Find Makarov: Operation Kingfish is a fan-made prequel to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and was first shown at Call of Duty XP. The video was produced by We Can Pretend, with visual effects by The Junction, and was endorsed by Activision. The video tells the story of how Captain Price ended up in a Russian Gulag set before the events of Modern Warfare 2.

Films

On November 6, 2015, upon the release of Black Ops III, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Activision Blizzard launched a production studio called Activision Blizzard Studios and are planning a live action Call of Duty cinematic universe in 2019.[76] On February 16, 2018, it was announced that Stefano Sollima will direct the film. Days later, he told Metro UK that he is considering having both Tom Hardy and Chris Pine as the leads for the film.[77][78] In an interview with FilmSlash, Sollima stated that the film will be a real soldier movie, not a war movie.[79] On November 27, 2018, it was announced that Joe Robert Cole will be writing the sequel.[80] Filming on the first film was supposed to start filming in Spring 2019 for a 2020 or 2021 release.[81] In February 2020, Sollima revealed in an interview that the film is put on hold saying that it's not Activision's priority.[82]

Esports

The Call of Duty games were used in esports, starting in 2006, alongside the game released at the time, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.[83] Over the years, the series has extended with releases such as 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, and Call of Duty: Mobile. Games are played in leagues like Major League Gaming.

Players can compete in ladders or tournaments. The ladders are divided into several sub ladders such as the singles ladder, doubles ladder, team ladder (3v3 – 6v6) and hardcore team ladder (3v3 – 6v6). The difference between the regular team ladder and the hardcore team ladder is the in-game settings and thus a rule differentiation. Winning ladder matches on a competitive website rewards the user with experience points which add up to give them an overall rank.[84]

The tournaments offered on these websites provide players with the opportunity to win cash prizes and trophies. The trophies are registered and saved on the player's profile if/when they win a tournament, and the prize money is deposited into his or her bank account. Call of Duty: Ghosts was the most competitively played game in 2014, with an average of 15,000 teams participating every season.[85]

For the past 6 seasons in competitive Call of Duty, Full Sail University has hosted a prize giveaway, giving $2,500 to the top team each season.[86] The other ladders give out credits and medals registered on players' profiles. Tournaments hosted on the Call of Duty: Ghosts's Arena give cost from 15 to 30 credits, thus averaging at a cost of about $18.75 per tournament. If the player competes with a team, the prize money is divided, and an equal cut is given to each player. Other tournaments with substantial prizes are hosted in specific cities and countries for LAN teams.

The biggest Call of Duty tournament hosted was Call of Duty: Experience 2011, a tournament that began when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was released.[87]

Playing Call of Duty competitively is most popular in Europe and North America, with users who participate in tournaments and ladder matches daily.[88]

Activision launched a 12 team Call of Duty League, following a similar city-based franchise structure as the Overwatch League, in January 2020. The league's teams include those from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Florida, London, Minnesota, New York, Paris, Seattle and Toronto, and with two teams from Los Angeles, OpTic Gaming Los Angeles (now Los Angeles Thieves) and Los Angeles Guerrillas.[89]

Call of Duty Endowment

The Call of Duty Endowment (CODE) is a nonprofit foundation created by Activision Blizzard to help find employment for U.S. military veterans. The first donation, consisting of $125,000, was presented to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.[90]

Co-chairman General James L. Jones is a former U.S. National Security Advisor.[91] Founder Robert Kotick is the CEO of Activision Blizzard. Upon its founding in 2009, the organization announced a commitment to create thousands of career opportunities for veterans, including those returning from the Middle East.[92] Annual awards given by the endowment include the "Seal of Distinction", a $30,000 initial grant given to selected veteran's service organizations.[93] In November 2014, the endowment launched the "Race to 1,000 Jobs" campaign to encourage gamers to donate money to and get involved in organizations that provide veterans with services.[94] As of 2015, the Call of Duty Endowment had provided around $12 million in grants to veterans' organizations in the United States, which has helped find jobs for 14,700 veterans.[95]

On March 30, 2010, CODE presented 3,000 copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, approximately $180,000 in value, to the U.S. Navy. The copies were delivered to over 300 ships and submarines as well as Navy Morale, Welfare, and Recreation facilities worldwide.[96]

Controversies and legal matters

Modern Warfare 2 controversies

Modern Warfare 2 on release had a number of controversial matters. Most significantly, the level "No Russian" had the player experience a massacre of civilians at a Russian airport.

Fallout with Infinity Ward leadership

As Infinity Ward's founders Jason West and Vince Zampella started new contract negotiations to continue developing the Call of Duty Activision around 2007, a number of legal issues arose between Infinity Ward and Activision. Ultimately, West and Zampella were forced out of Infinity Ward, later forming Respawn Entertainment within Electronic Arts. West and Zampella, as well as several Infinity Ward staff that departed the studio alongside them to join Respawn, filed lawsuits against Activision related to unpaid royalties and bonuses.

Trademark infringement claims by AM General

AM General, the manufacturer of the Humvee, sued Activision in 2017 for using the Humvee in multiple Call of Duty games.[97] A federal district judge gave Activision a summary motion in its favor to dismiss the case in April 2020, stating that the purpose of the use of the Humvee in the games, to provide military realism, was quite different from the trademark purpose that AM General had established, for selling to the military.[98]

References

  1. ^ [1]. "TWO INCREDIBLE MILESTONES: CALL OF DUTY®: WARZONE™ REACHES 100 MILLION PLAYERS, PREMIUM CALL OF DUTY® GAME SALES ECLIPSES 400 MILLION." April 2021.
  2. ^ "Gamespot – Call of Duty". Archived from the original on October 1, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
  3. ^ "Call of Duty: Warchest — PC — GameSpy". Pc.gamespy.com. September 22, 2006. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  4. ^ "Activision Adds GUN, Call of Duty to Steam". 1up.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved October 18, 2007.
  5. ^ "New Call of Duty skipping PC – Xbox 360 News at GameSpot". Gamespot.com. November 7, 2006. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  6. ^ Campbell, Colin (April 21, 2017). "Call of Duty: WWII confirmed, full reveal next week". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 25, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  7. ^ Martindale, Jon (April 26, 2017). "Watch the just-unveiled 'Call of Duty WWII' trailer right here". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on April 26, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  8. ^ Breckon, Nick (May 7, 2009). "Call of Duty 4 Sales Pass 13 Million Mark". Shacknews. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  9. ^ Cryer, Hirun (June 26, 2017). "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered - Release Date, Price, Platforms, Maps - Everything We Know". USGamer. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  10. ^ "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered. Tráiler de lanzamiento 2017". IGN (in Spanish). Ziff Davis, LLC. June 23, 2017. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  11. ^ Sledge, Kyle (2016). "Former Call of Duty Dev Has Message for Modern Warfare Remastered Team". GameRant. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  12. ^ Keshav (March 21, 2018). "Sources: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered has no MP, not developed by Raven". Charlie INTEL. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Modern Warfare 2 Coming November 10, 2009". Activision Publishing, Inc. March 26, 2009. Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2009.
  14. ^ "Infinity Ward enlisted for Call of Duty 6". Uk.gamespot.com. November 10, 2009. Archived from the original on September 20, 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  15. ^ Ocampo, Jason (February 11, 2009). "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 This Holiday". IGN. Archived from the original on January 20, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2009.
  16. ^ "Activision Announces 'Guitar Hero 5,' New 'Tony Hawk,' 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3,' More At In-Game Ad Conference". Multiplayerblog.mtv.com. December 3, 2008. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  17. ^ "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare2: Mobilized in Development for Nintendo DS". IGN. August 3, 2009. Archived from the original on August 8, 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  18. ^ "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Coming to Nintendo Wii". IGN. August 5, 2009. Archived from the original on August 8, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  19. ^ Thorsen, Tor (May 12, 2009). "First Modern Warfare 3 details emerge". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
  20. ^ Pigna, Kris (April 10, 2010). "Modern Warfare 3 in Development, But Hampered by Legal Dispute". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on May 24, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  21. ^ a b Fritz, Ben (January 20, 2011). "Activision calls in reinforcements for next Call of Duty game". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 26, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  22. ^ Pakinkis, Tom (February 14, 2011). "Call of Duty 8 dev targets 'bug free' game". Computerandvideogames.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  23. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (February 6, 2021). "For the first time, the Call of Duty: Warzone, Black Ops, Zombies and Modern Warfare storylines are all connected". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  24. ^ "Call of Duty: Warzone confirmed as a standalone, free-to-play battle royale". PCGamesN. March 9, 2020. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  25. ^ McWhertor, Michael (April 10, 2020). "Call of Duty: Warzone hits 50M players in first month". Polygon. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  26. ^ "Call of Duty® Community Update: A Warzone™ Special Briefing for Our Players". Callofduty.com. February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  27. ^ Scullion, Chris (April 28, 2022). "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's title and logo have been officially confirmed - VGC". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  28. ^ "Announcing Call of Duty®: Next, the Franchise Showcase Event, and Open Beta date times for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II". www.callofduty.com. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  29. ^ Goslin, Austen (September 15, 2022). "Call of Duty Warzone 2.0 and the other big announcements from Call of Duty Next". Polygon. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  30. ^ "Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II Editions, Benefits Detailed". www.callofduty.com. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  31. ^ Robinson, Andy (June 9, 2008). "Call of Duty: World at War – first details in OXM". Computerandvideogames.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  32. ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 15, 2009). "Call of Duty: World At War Tops 11 Million". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 5, 2009. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
  33. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff (November 9, 2010). "Call of Duty: Black Ops Review". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on August 22, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  34. ^ Irvine, Nathan (November 9, 2010). "Call of Duty: Black Ops Super Review". Games Radar. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  35. ^ Luke Plunkett (April 30, 2010). "Next Call Of Duty Game Named, And It's Not Vietnam". Kotaku. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  36. ^ "Call of Duty: Black Ops Home". Activision. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  37. ^ Brian Crecente (April 30, 2010). "New Treyarch Developed Call of Duty Hits may 24 With Likely Modern Setting". Kotaku. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  38. ^ Oli Welsh (May 13, 2010). "COD: Black Ops for Wii confirmed". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
  39. ^ Kelly, Neon (May 1, 2012). "Black Ops 2 officially confirmed by Activision". Videogamer.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  40. ^ Ivan, Tom (May 1, 2012). "Black Ops 2 site goes live, confirms release date, '21st Century Cold War' setting". Computerandvideogames.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  41. ^ Kain, Erik (April 23, 2015). "Check Out The 'Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3' Ember Teaser". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 27, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  42. ^ Takahashi, Dean (March 8, 2018). "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is coming from Treyarch this year, Activision confirms". Venture Beat. Archived from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  43. ^ Hurley, Leon (May 17, 2018). "Yep, Call of Duty Black Ops 4 has no single player. Here's what you're getting instead". Games Radar. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  44. ^ Coombes, Lloyd; October 2020, Vic Hood 07. "Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War release date, trailers and news". TechRadar. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  45. ^ "Call of Duty Ghosts officially revealed". May 2013. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  46. ^ "Call of Duty: Ghosts announced". Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  47. ^ D'Orazio, Dante (May 1, 2013). "'Call of Duty: Ghosts' set for November release, will be available on next-generation consoles". The Verge. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  48. ^ Sliva, Marty (November 8, 2013). "Activision Confirms New Call of Duty and Skylander Games for 2014". IGN. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  49. ^ Humphries, Matthew (August 11, 2014). "CoD: Advanced Warfare multiplayer trailer demos exoskeletons as a gameplay mechanic". Geek. Archived from the original on October 2, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  50. ^ Phillips, Tom (April 28, 2016). "It looks like this year's COD is named Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on April 29, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  51. ^ Makuch, Eddie (March 20, 2014). "2014's Call of Duty described as the "best ever created"". Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  52. ^ "Activision confirms 3 year dev cycle for the Call of Duty franchise; SHGames game coming in 2014". February 6, 2014. Archived from the original on April 20, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  53. ^ Schreier, Jason (May 18, 2019). "Sources: Call of Duty 2020 In Upheaval As Treyarch Takes Over, Plans Black Ops 5". Kotaku. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  54. ^ Reilly, Jim (May 7, 2010). "Retailers List Call of Duty: The War Collection". IGN. Archived from the original on January 2, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
  55. ^ "Game Informer Magazine: For Video Game Enthusiasts". Game Informer Magazine. Vol. 17, no. 4–7. Sunrise Publications. 2007. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  56. ^ Crecente, Brian (August 26, 2010). "Hands Cramping On with Call of Duty: Black Ops DS". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  57. ^ Harris, Craig (July 27, 2010). "Bringing Black Ops to the Handheld". IGN. Archived from the original on July 30, 2010. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  58. ^ Dring, Christopher (November 14, 2012). "SONY: Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified comes to Vita this year | Games industry news | MCV". Mcvuk.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  59. ^ "'Call of Duty Warzone' is coming to mobile according to reports". NME. December 7, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  60. ^ Jordan Valinsky (October 2019). "'Call of Duty: Mobile' is released". CNN. Archived from the original on October 6, 2019. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  61. ^ Porter, Jon (March 19, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile is a free-to-play tour of the franchise's greatest hits". The Verge. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  62. ^ Lyles, Taylor (October 4, 2019). "Call of Duty: Mobile reaches 35 million downloads 3 days after its release". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  63. ^ "www.gamasutra.com [7]". Gamasutra.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  64. ^ "Call of Duty: Devil's Brigade Revealed". The Verge. February 12, 2012. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  65. ^ "Sledgehammer Games Call of Duty and CoD MMOG". Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  66. ^ Phillips, Tom (May 15, 2014). "There was a canned third-person Call of Duty game set in Vietnam". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  67. ^ "The incredible story of Roman Wars: The lost Call of Duty game". gamesradar+. July 5, 2016. Archived from the original on July 6, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  68. ^ McElroy, Griffin (August 17, 2009). "Wildstorm publishing Modern Warfare 2 comic mini-series (update)". Joystiq. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2009.
  69. ^ "Activision Games Blog - Home". Activision Games Blog. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  70. ^ "Call of Duty Card Game". Upper Deck. Archived from the original on March 28, 2009.
  71. ^ "Activision, Plan-B Toys, Radioactive Clown Enlist for 'Call of Duty'". GameZone. April 6, 2004. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  72. ^ Cunningham, James (September 24, 2004). "TNL Show and Tell: Call of Duty Action Figure". The Next Level. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  73. ^ "Call of Duty Nazi action figure discontinued". Kotaku. Archived from the original on July 4, 2007. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  74. ^ "MacFarlane Toys Call of Duty Action Figures at Spawn.com". Spawn.com. Archived from the original on December 24, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
  75. ^ "Joystiq: Find Makarov". May 25, 2012. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  76. ^ Kit, Borys (November 6, 2015). "Activision Blizzard Launches Studio, Plans 'Call of Duty' Cinematic Universe". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021.
  77. ^ Kroll, Justin (February 13, 2018). "'Sicario 2' Director Tapped to Helm 'Call of Duty' Film (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  78. ^ Nattrass, JJ (February 15, 2018). "Tom Hardy and Chris Pine could be the leading men in Call of Duty movie if Sicario 2 director gets his way". Metro UK. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  79. ^ Topel, Fred (June 14, 2018). "'Call of Duty' Will be a "Soldier Movie," Not a War Movie [Exclusive]". Film Slash. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  80. ^ Kroll, Justin (November 27, 2018). "'Black Panther' Scribe Joe Robert Cole to Write 'Call of Duty' Movie Sequel (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  81. ^ Sobczak, Bartek (October 29, 2018). "Stefano Sollima's CALL OF DUTY Adaptation Is Reportedly Eyeing 2020 Or 2021 Release Date". Variety. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  82. ^ Burwick, Kevin (February 14, 2020). "Call of Duty Movie Indefinitely Delayed by Activision". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  83. ^ Polira. "About Gamebattles". Gamebattles.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  84. ^ Goldberg, K. "How it all works". Gamebattles. Archived from the original on February 24, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  85. ^ Goldberg, K. "Ghosts Team Ladder". Gamebattles. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  86. ^ Goldberg, K. "Full Sail University: Call of Duty". Gamebattles. Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  87. ^ "Travel Overview". Call of Duty®. Activision. Archived from the original on January 2, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  88. ^ Goldberg, K. "StarCraft II Team Standings - Singles Ladder Spring Season 2014". Gamebattles. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  89. ^ Hume, Mike (September 25, 2019). "New Call of Duty esports league will begin play in home markets in 2020, start with 12 teams". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  90. ^ O'Keefe, Ed (November 9, 2009). "Game developer's newest 'Call of Duty' helps veterans find jobs". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 17, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  91. ^ "General James L. Jones". Archived from the original on October 28, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  92. ^ "Call of Duty Endowment Home Page". Archived from the original on December 20, 2009.
  93. ^ "Activision's Call of Duty™ Endowment Announces Seven Recipients of 2014 "Seal of Distinction" Awards". Activision (BusinessWire). November 6, 2014. Archived from the original on November 12, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  94. ^ "Call of Duty® Gamers Join "Race to 1,000 Jobs" Campaign (#1000Vets) to Place 1,000 Military Veterans in High-Quality Careers by Raising $1 Million". Activision (BusinessWire). October 29, 2014. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  95. ^ "Overview". callofdutyendowment.org. Archived from the original on August 23, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  96. ^ Marchese, Dean (March 30, 2010). "$180,000 Worth Of Modern Warfare 2 Units Presented To U.S. Navy – News –". Gameinformer.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  97. ^ Batchelor, James (November 7, 2017). "Humvee maker suing Activision over trademark infringement in Call of Duty". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  98. ^ Valentine, Rebecca (April 1, 2020). "US court dismisses Humvee trademark infringement suit against Activision". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on October 23, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2020.

External links