Short answer: 23 games from 2003 to 2026
Call of Duty has 23 mainline games. Infinity Ward started the series with 
Call of Duty (2003) on 29 October 2003. A new game has arrived every year since 2005. 
Black Ops 7 is the newest game out today, released on 14 November 2025. 
Modern Warfare 4 launches on Friday 23 October 2026.
Release order and story order differ. Release order shows how the series grew. Story order follows the Black Ops cast or Captain Price. Both orders are below, with the Black Ops and Modern Warfare lines split out.
Warzone sits outside the count of 23. It is the free-to-play battle royale, live since 10 March 2020.
Every Call of Duty game by release date
Every mainline game with its North American release date and lead studio. Warzone is listed in its 2020 slot for reference.
| Year | Game | US release date | Studio | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Call of Duty (2003) | 29 October 2003 | Infinity Ward | World War II |
| 2005 |  Call of Duty 2 | 25 October 2005 (PC) | Infinity Ward | World War II |
| 2006 |  Call of Duty 3 | 7 November 2006 | Treyarch | World War II |
| 2007 |  Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | 5 November 2007 | Infinity Ward | Modern Warfare |
| 2008 |  World at War | 11 November 2008 | Treyarch | World War II |
| 2009 |  Modern Warfare 2 | 10 November 2009 | Infinity Ward | Modern Warfare |
| 2010 |  Black Ops (2010) | 9 November 2010 | Treyarch | Black Ops |
| 2011 |  Modern Warfare 3 | 8 November 2011 | Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games | Modern Warfare |
| 2012 |  Black Ops II | 13 November 2012 | Treyarch | Black Ops |
| 2013 |  Ghosts | 5 November 2013 | Infinity Ward | Standalone |
| 2014 |  Advanced Warfare | 4 November 2014 | Sledgehammer Games | Standalone |
| 2015 |  Black Ops III | 6 November 2015 | Treyarch | Black Ops |
| 2016 |  Infinite Warfare | 4 November 2016 | Infinity Ward | Standalone |
| 2017 |  WWII | 3 November 2017 | Sledgehammer Games | World War II |
| 2018 |  Black Ops 4 | 12 October 2018 | Treyarch | Black Ops |
| 2019 |  Modern Warfare (2019) | 25 October 2019 | Infinity Ward | Modern Warfare |
| 2020 | Warzone | 10 March 2020 | Infinity Ward, Raven Software | Free-to-play battle royale |
| 2020 |  Black Ops Cold War | 13 November 2020 | Treyarch, Raven Software | Black Ops |
| 2021 |  Vanguard | 5 November 2021 | Sledgehammer Games | World War II |
| 2022 |  Modern Warfare II | 28 October 2022 | Infinity Ward | Modern Warfare |
| 2023 |  Modern Warfare III | 10 November 2023 | Sledgehammer Games | Modern Warfare |
| 2024 |  Black Ops 6 | 25 October 2024 | Treyarch, Raven Software | Black Ops |
| 2025 | Black Ops 7 | 14 November 2025 | Treyarch, Raven Software | Black Ops |
| 2026 | Modern Warfare 4 | 23 October 2026 | Infinity Ward | Modern Warfare |
Call of Duty 2 reached PC on 25 October 2005 and Xbox 360 on 22 November 2005. Call of Duty 3 came out on consoles only. No mainline game came out in 2004.
Watch the numbering. Modern Warfare 2 is the 2009 game and Modern Warfare II is the 2022 reboot. Modern Warfare 3 is the 2011 game and Modern Warfare III is the 2023 game. The digit marks the original trilogy. The Roman numeral marks the reboot.
Next in the order: Modern Warfare 4
Digital pre-orders open the Campaign on 16 October. Launch is 23 October. A pro plays on your login.
CampaignMW4 Campaign Completion: Early Access from October 16, Pre-order
A pro completes the MW4 Campaign on your login from 16 October. Regular, Veteran, or Realism. From $79.
Launch weekMW4 Launch Week Package: Campaign, Rank 55, Orion on 5 Guns, Nuke, Pre-order
Campaign plus rank, Orion on 5 guns, and a nuke in launch week. Basic, $299.
RankMW4 Rank & Prestige Leveling: 1→55 or Max Prestige, Pre-order
Soldier Rank to 55 or max prestige after 23 October. From $49.
Black Ops games in order
Treyarch leads the Black Ops line. There are 7 Black Ops games, from Black Ops (2010) to Black Ops 7 in 2025. World at War is the prequel: Viktor Reznov starts there and returns in Black Ops (2010).
| Game | Released | Story set in |
|---|---|---|
| World at War | 11 November 2008 | 1942 to 1945 |
| Black Ops (2010) | 9 November 2010 | 1961 to 1968 |
| Black Ops II | 13 November 2012 | 1986 to 1989, then 2025 |
| Black Ops III | 6 November 2015 | 2065 |
| Black Ops 4 | 12 October 2018 | No traditional campaign |
| Black Ops Cold War | 13 November 2020 | 1981 |
| Black Ops 6 | 25 October 2024 | 1991 |
| Black Ops 7 | 14 November 2025 | 2035 |
Black Ops in story order
- World at War, 1942 to 1945
- Black Ops (2010), 1961 to 1968
- Black Ops Cold War, 1981
- Black Ops II flashback missions, 1986 to 1989
- Black Ops 6, 1991
- Black Ops II present-day missions, 2025
- Black Ops 7, 2035, with David Mason back in the lead
- Black Ops III, 2065
Black Ops II splits across the timeline. Its 1980s flashbacks sit between Black Ops Cold War and Black Ops 6. Its 2025 missions come after Black Ops 6 and lead into Black Ops 7. Play Black Ops II in full after Black Ops 6 to keep the story in 1 piece.
Black Ops 4 has no traditional campaign, so story order skips it. It added the Blackout battle royale.
Modern Warfare games in order
Modern Warfare has 7 games across 2 continuities. Infinity Ward started both. Inside each continuity, story order matches release order.
The original trilogy
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 5 November 2007
- Modern Warfare 2, 10 November 2009
- Modern Warfare 3, 8 November 2011, with Sledgehammer Games
The reboot
- Modern Warfare (2019), 25 October 2019
- Modern Warfare II, 28 October 2022
- Modern Warfare III, 10 November 2023, by Sledgehammer Games
- Modern Warfare 4, 23 October 2026
The 2019 game restarted the story with a new take on Captain Price and Task Force 141. You can start there without the trilogy.
Modern Warfare 4 moves the fight to the Korean Peninsula. North Korea invades South Korea. You play Private Park, and Captain Price returns. The full Campaign walkthrough is on the MW4 Campaign guide.
See MW4 services →Digital pre-orders open the full Campaign a week before launch. A pro plays it on your login from that Friday, on Regular, Veteran or Realism.
World War II games, standalone stories and Warzone
World War II games
- Call of Duty (2003), 29 October 2003
- Call of Duty 2, 25 October 2005
- Call of Duty 3, 7 November 2006
- World at War, 11 November 2008
- WWII, 3 November 2017
- Vanguard, 5 November 2021
Standalone stories
- Ghosts, 5 November 2013, by Infinity Ward
- Advanced Warfare, 4 November 2014, by Sledgehammer Games
- Infinite Warfare, 4 November 2016, by Infinity Ward
These 3 games each tell a closed story. Skip them for story order and keep them for their multiplayer eras.
Warzone
Warzone launched on 10 March 2020 as a free-to-play battle royale. Warzone 2.0 followed on 16 November 2022. How Modern Warfare 4 plugs into it is on the MW4 Warzone guide.
Where to start before Modern Warfare 4
Black Ops 7 is the newest game out today. It runs multiplayer, Zombies and a co-op campaign. Camo grinds start on the Black Ops 7 camo guide.
Modern Warfare 4 launches on Friday 23 October 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. PC covers Battle.net, Xbox on PC and Steam. PlayStation 4 and last-gen Xbox get no version. Digital pre-orders open the full Campaign on 16 October. Editions and the calendar are on the MW4 release date guide.
Catch-up paths before 23 October
- Story path: Modern Warfare (2019), Modern Warfare II, Modern Warfare III, then Modern Warfare 4.
- Black Ops fan: Black Ops Cold War, Black Ops 6, Black Ops II, then Black Ops 7.
- Classic arc: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 back to back.
COD Points bundles and prices are on the COD Points guide.
From the source
Official“Modern Warfare 4 announced by Infinity Ward for 23 October 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Switch 2.”
Official“Editions and pre-order benefits. Digital pre-orders include Campaign Early Access.”
Official“Campaign Early Access from 16 October for digital pre-orders of Modern Warfare 4.”
Official“Modern Warfare 4 launch date, platforms and Campaign Early Access timing.”
Official“Modern Warfare 4 store page with the publisher screenshots used on this page.”
Report“Series history with release dates and lead studios for every mainline game.”
Report“Modern Warfare II release on 28 October 2022 and Warzone 2.0 on 16 November 2022.”
Report“Release-order list with exact dates for every mainline game.”
FAQ
Browse Call of Duty services →Camos, Ranked, Zombies and Warzone wins with a pro on your account. Name the game and the goal.
- Page published. 23 mainline games with US release dates and studios, Black Ops and Modern Warfare story order, Modern Warfare 4 on 23 October 2026.