Every Call of Duty Game Ranked — And The Quiz To Prove You Know Them All

Call of Duty has been an annual tradition since 2003. Over two decades and more than 20 mainline entries later, the franchise has sold over 400 million copies worldwide and become one of the most recognizable names in all of entertainment. But not every entry is created equal, and fans have strong opinions about which games represent the series at its peak and which ones missed the mark.

This ranking covers the mainline entries that defined the franchise. Agree or disagree, every placement is based on campaign quality, multiplayer innovation, cultural impact, and how well each game holds up in retrospect.

The Bottom Tier

Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013) sits near the bottom for most fans. Despite introducing the extinction mode and featuring a campaign with an ambitious (if confusing) space warfare sequence, the multiplayer maps were widely criticized for being too large and promoting camping. The killstreak system felt like a step backward from Black Ops II.

Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021) suffered from a lack of identity. Set in World War II, it competed with the memory of the far more beloved World at War and felt rushed in both campaign and multiplayer. The Zombies mode at launch was particularly thin compared to Treyarch's usual offerings.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016) had one of the most disliked reveal trailers in YouTube history, which overshadowed what was actually a surprisingly strong single-player campaign. Kit Harington's villain performance and the crew permadeath mechanics were genuinely innovative. But the futuristic setting had worn out its welcome with fans.

The Middle of the Pack

Call of Duty: WWII (2017) deserves credit for bringing the franchise back to boots-on-the-ground gameplay after years of jetpacks and wall-running. The Normandy beach landing in the campaign was viscerally impressive, and the War mode was a welcome addition. However, the multiplayer map pool at launch was limited.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014) took a huge creative risk with exo-suit movement and largely succeeded. Kevin Spacey's performance as Jonathan Irons gave the campaign genuine Hollywood production value. The multiplayer was divisive but undeniably fast-paced and skill-rewarding.

Call of Duty: Cold War (2020) bridged the gap between Modern Warfare (2019) and the Black Ops storyline. Its campaign featured branching paths and multiple endings, which was a first for the series. The integration with Warzone, however, caused balance issues that frustrated the multiplayer community.

Top Tier Entries

Call of Duty: World at War (2008) brought genuine darkness to the franchise. The Pacific Theater and Eastern Front campaigns were brutal in a way the series had not attempted before. More importantly, it introduced Zombies mode, which would become one of the franchise's most beloved features. The Nacht der Untoten map launched an entire sub-franchise.

Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) delivered one of the best campaigns in FPS history. The unreliable narrator structure, the Mason and Reznov twist, and the Vietnam War setting were all executed brilliantly. Multiplayer introduced the currency system for unlocks, and Zombies expanded with the iconic Kino der Toten map.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012) is the highest-selling entry on a single platform and arguably the most complete package in franchise history. The campaign featured a branching storyline with multiple endings based on player choices. The multiplayer's Pick 10 system revolutionized class creation. League Play brought competitive matchmaking to consoles in a meaningful way.

The Best of the Best

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) changed everything. The shift from World War II to a modern setting was a gamble that paid off spectacularly. The campaign's "All Ghillied Up" mission is still considered one of the greatest levels in any FPS. The multiplayer introduced the create-a-class and prestige systems that would define online shooters for a generation.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) perfected the formula. "No Russian" became one of the most controversial levels in gaming history. The multiplayer, despite its balance issues (One Man Army noob tubes, anyone?), was addictively fun and dominated Xbox Live for years. The killstreak chains culminating in the tactical nuke became iconic.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) reinvented the franchise for a new generation. The gunsmith system, the photorealistic graphics, and the visceral campaign set a new standard. It also launched Warzone, which became one of the most popular battle royale games in the world and brought Call of Duty to an entirely new audience.

Prove You Know Your Call of Duty

Reading a ranking list is easy. Actually knowing the details — the specific maps, weapons, character names, and campaign moments — across every single entry is another challenge entirely.

Call of Duty Hard QuizPlay now

Our Call of Duty Hard Quiz does not ask you which game came out in which year. It asks you the name of the ship in the Modern Warfare campaign, the number of perks in the original prestige system, and which Zombies map introduced the Pack-a-Punch machine. These are the questions that separate fans who played every game from fans who only played the popular ones.

Think your ranking knowledge translates to quiz performance? There is only one way to find out.