Call of Duty
The first Call of Duty game arrived on the 29th of October 2003. It was a World War II shooter built on id Tech 3 technology and developed by Infinity Ward. Activision published the title, which followed American and British paratroopers alongside Red Army soldiers. An expansion pack called United Offensive came later that year from Gray Matter Studios. The franchise shifted focus in November 2007 when Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare introduced a modern setting. This change proved to be the breakthrough moment for the series. A remastered version of that game appeared in November 2016 as part of Infinite Warfare bundles. Another remaster released standalone in June 2017. The original trilogy continued with titles like Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 and Modern Warfare 3 in 2011. Sledgehammer Games assisted on the third entry after legal disputes caused staff departures at Infinity Ward. A reboot of the sub-series began in 2019 with a new Modern Warfare game. Subsequent entries included Modern Warfare II in 2022 and Modern Warfare III in 2023. Treyarch took over the Black Ops timeline starting with their 2010 release. That game set the stage for Cold War narratives spanning decades. The latest installment, Black Ops 7, launched on the 14th of November 2025.
Treyarch released its first main series title, Call of Duty 3, on the 7th of November 2006. It was the first major installment not developed by Infinity Ward. A contract between the two studios established an alternating producer schedule for future titles. Sledgehammer Games joined the rotation in 2014 to develop Advanced Warfare. This three-year cycle allowed each studio to take turns leading development. Sledgehammer also co-developed Modern Warfare 3 before taking lead roles on WWII and Vanguard. Conflicts arose during the development of a 2020 project, causing Treyarch to retake control. Jason West and Vince Zampella left Infinity Ward around 2007 due to contract disputes. They formed Respawn Entertainment within Electronic Arts shortly after. Several staff members followed them out of the original studio. Lawsuits regarding unpaid royalties and bonuses were filed against Activision. Neversoft worked on a canceled sci-fi spinoff known as Future Warfare or NX1. Assets from that scrapped project later appeared in Ghosts and Infinite Warfare. Brian Bright confirmed the existence of the unfinished game in January 2024. He stated it contained complete missions and multiplayer work despite being abandoned.
Call of Duty has sold over 500 million copies across all platforms. Publisher Activision-Blizzard reported these figures to The Washington Post in October 2024. The franchise generated $30 billion in revenue by 2022. Guinness World Records verified it as the best-selling first-person shooter series. It stands among the best-selling game franchises in history alongside Tetris and Pokémon. Nintendo's Mario properties remain ahead of Call of Duty in total sales. The series holds the title of most successful video game franchise created in the United States. It ranks as the third best-selling video game franchise overall. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare sold over 13 million copies by May 2009. Black Ops Cold War reached significant player numbers after its the 13th of November 2020 release. Warzone exceeded 50 million players within its first month following a March 2020 launch. Mobile titles like Call of Duty: Mobile surpassed 35 million downloads by early October 2019. Competitive play saw an average of 15,000 teams participating every season during 2014.
Critics described the series as having a western-centric worldview with clumsy stereotyping. Keith Stuart wrote for The Guardian about these concerns regarding military power fetishization. Phil Hornshall noted the games often appeared pro-gun and jingoistic to observers. Sam Biddle argued the franchise pushed into right-wing fantasy territory while claiming apolitical status. Activision faced accusations of dehumanizing Middle Eastern groups through harmful stereotypes. Alyssa Mercante highlighted how fictional regions perpetuated ideas of singular countries. The Pentagon consulted on more than a thousand movies and dozens of video games according to reports. Dave Anthony joined a Washington-based think tank advising on future conflicts after being contacted by a former official. Michael Condrey revealed Sledgehammer Games consulted with a Pentagon advisor during Advanced Warfare development. AM General sued Activision in 2017 over Humvee usage in multiple titles. A federal judge dismissed the case in April 2020 stating the game purpose differed from trademark sales intent. No Russian level controversy arose when players participated in a civilian massacre at a Russian airport. This event sparked significant debate about the narrative choices within Modern Warfare 2.
Activision released action figures in 2004 through Plan-B Toys and Radioactive Clown. Three American soldiers and three German soldiers appeared in the Series 1 line. McFarlane Toys partnered with Activision starting in October 2008 for their own figure collection. WildStorm published a six-part comic mini-series focusing on Simon Ghost Riley in November 2010. Dark Horse Comics released a Zombies series beginning the 26th of October 2016. Justin Jordan co-wrote the comics alongside Treyarch staff members Jason Blundell and Craig Houston. The first issue featured cover art by Simon Bisley. Activision Blizzard Studios launched a production unit in 2015 to develop live-action films. Stefano Sollima was announced as director in February 2018 before the project faced delays. Peter Berg attached himself to direct a new film in October 2025 following a deal between Paramount Pictures and Microsoft. Call of Duty Online operated as a free-to-play title in mainland China hosted by Tencent. Mobile versions like Warzone Mobile reached limited release phases in Australia and Chile during late 2022. The franchise also produced short films including Operation Kingfish which received endorsement from publishers.
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Common questions
When was the first Call of Duty game released?
The first Call of Duty game arrived on the 29th of October 2003. It was a World War II shooter built on id Tech 3 technology and developed by Infinity Ward.
Who developed the original Call of Duty trilogy?
Infinity Ward developed the original trilogy which included Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 and Modern Warfare 3 in 2011. Sledgehammer Games assisted on the third entry after legal disputes caused staff departures at Infinity Ward.
How many copies has the Call of Duty franchise sold?
Call of Duty has sold over 500 million copies across all platforms. Publisher Activision-Blizzard reported these figures to The Washington Post in October 2024.
What controversies surrounded the No Russian level in Call of Duty 2?
No Russian level controversy arose when players participated in a civilian massacre at a Russian airport. This event sparked significant debate about the narrative choices within Modern Warfare 2.
Which studios have led development for the Call of Duty series since 2006?
Treyarch released its first main series title, Call of Duty 3, on the 7th of November 2006 as the first major installment not developed by Infinity Ward. Sledgehammer Games joined the rotation in 2014 to develop Advanced Warfare.