Most mainline Call of Duty games have a story campaign. Of the 22 mainline titles released through Black Ops 7, only Black Ops 4 does not include a traditional campaign.
Warzone and Call of Duty: Mobile also lack standard single-player campaigns, but they are separate free-to-play experiences rather than annual mainline releases.
Call of Duty Games That Come With a Campaign
The table below covers the main console and PC releases in launch order.
| Year | Call of Duty Game | Story Campaign? | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Call of Duty | Yes | WWII campaign across American, British, and Soviet forces |
| 2005 | Call of Duty 2 | Yes | Multiple Allied perspectives during WWII |
| 2006 | Call of Duty 3 | Yes | Normandy campaign told through several Allied units |
| 2007 | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Yes | Begins the original Modern Warfare trilogy |
| 2008 | World at War | Yes | Dark WWII campaign with solo and co-op support |
| 2009 | Modern Warfare 2 | Yes | Continues the original Task Force 141 story |
| 2010 | Black Ops | Yes | Cold War conspiracy centred on Alex Mason |
| 2011 | Modern Warfare 3 | Yes | Concludes the original Modern Warfare trilogy |
| 2012 | Black Ops II | Yes | Branching choices and multiple endings |
| 2013 | Ghosts | Yes | Standalone story ending on a cliffhanger |
| 2014 | Advanced Warfare | Yes | Futuristic private-military campaign |
| 2015 | Black Ops III | Yes* | Solo or co-op on PS4, Xbox One, and PC |
| 2016 | Infinite Warfare | Yes | Space-combat campaign with optional missions |
| 2017 | WWII | Yes | European theatre story following Red Daniels |
| 2018 | Black Ops 4 | No | Specialist tutorials, Zombies, Multiplayer, and Blackout |
| 2019 | Modern Warfare | Yes | Starts the rebooted Modern Warfare timeline |
| 2020 | Black Ops Cold War | Yes | Choices, side missions, and multiple endings |
| 2021 | Vanguard | Yes | WWII story told through Task Force Vanguard |
| 2022 | Modern Warfare II | Yes | Continues the rebooted Task Force 141 story |
| 2023 | Modern Warfare III | Yes | Shorter campaign with Open Combat Missions |
| 2024 | Black Ops 6 | Yes | Early-1990s spy thriller |
| 2025 | Black Ops 7 | Yes | 11 missions playable solo or in four-player co-op |
*The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Black Ops III contain Multiplayer and Zombies but no Campaign. Buy the PS4, Xbox One, or PC version if you want its story mode.
The wider Call of Duty release history also includes handheld games, mobile releases, remasters, and other spinoffs outside this mainline list.
The main Call of Duty game section groups current services and products from different COD titles in one place.
Modern Warfare Series
The original Modern Warfare trilogy follows one connected war involving Captain Price, Soap MacTavish, and Vladimir Makarov:
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Modern Warfare 2
- Modern Warfare 3
Modern Warfare from 2019 begins a separate reboot timeline. Continue that story with Modern Warfare II from 2022 and Modern Warfare III from 2023.
Do not place the 2007–2011 games and the 2019–2023 releases into one continuous storyline. They reuse several characters but belong to separate versions of the Modern Warfare universe.
Black Ops Series
The released Black Ops games with traditional campaigns are:
- World at War
- Black Ops
- Black Ops II
- Black Ops III
- Black Ops Cold War
- Black Ops 6
- Black Ops 7
Black Ops 4 is the exception. It contains Specialist HQ tutorials and character background scenes but no full campaign connecting them into one traditional story.
Black Ops 7 follows David Mason and Specter One in 2035. Its 11-mission story supports solo play and online co-op for up to four players. The official Black Ops 7 Campaign overview also explains its Avalon setting and Endgame continuation.
Historical and Standalone Games
Several COD campaigns work without knowledge of the Modern Warfare or Black Ops timelines.
Original WWII Games
Call of Duty, Call of Duty 2, and Call of Duty 3 cover different Allied experiences during World War II. They use multiple soldiers and military operations rather than one long-running central hero.
Call of Duty: WWII
WWII follows Red Daniels and the 1st Infantry Division through the European campaign. It is separate from the original 2003–2006 games.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
Vanguard introduces a fictional special-forces team through several character flashbacks. It includes a full campaign, although its story does not require another COD title first.
Ghosts
Ghosts takes place in an alternate future where the United States fights the Federation. Its campaign is self-contained but ends on an unresolved cliffhanger.
Advanced Warfare
Advanced Warfare focuses on exoskeleton combat and the Atlas Corporation. It is a standalone futuristic story.
Infinite Warfare
Infinite Warfare moves the campaign into space and includes starship combat, optional assignments, and a complete standalone storyline.
Call of Duty Games Without Traditional Campaigns
Black Ops 4
Black Ops 4 is the only released annual mainline COD without a full campaign. Specialist HQ includes short solo training missions and character lore, but it does not replace a connected cinematic story mode.
Warzone
Warzone tells an evolving narrative through seasons, map events, cinematics, and live missions. It does not offer a traditional linear campaign.
Call of Duty: Mobile
Call of Duty: Mobile includes Multiplayer, Battle Royale, seasonal content, and narrative comics. It does not contain a standard campaign comparable to the console and PC releases.
Do Zombies Missions Count as Story Modes?
Zombies has extensive lore, cinematic quests, Easter Eggs, and objective-based story missions. However, it remains separate from a traditional Campaign menu.
Modern Warfare Zombies, for example, continued its narrative through Acts and Dark Aether missions. The Zombies Mode New Story Mission Dark Aether Rift article covers one of those story-focused experiences.
Therefore, a COD game may contain substantial narrative content even when the mode is not labelled Campaign.
Which Call of Duty Campaigns Support Co-Op?
The main campaign releases with notable co-op support are:
- World at War: Campaign co-op, although a small number of missions are excluded.
- Black Ops III: Up to four players online on supported versions.
- Black Ops 7: Solo or online co-op for up to four players.
Special Ops, Zombies, Extinction, Endgame, and other cooperative modes may contain stories, but they are not always the same as playing the main campaign with another person.
Remastered Call of Duty Campaigns
Modern Warfare Remastered contains the full 2007 campaign with updated presentation.
Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered includes the 2009 story but does not include that game’s original Multiplayer mode.
These remasters do not add new mainline stories, so they are not counted separately in the 22-game table.
What About Modern Warfare 4?
Modern Warfare 4 has a confirmed story campaign, but it has not launched yet. Its release date is October 23, 2026, with Campaign Early Access beginning October 16 for eligible digital preorders.
The confirmed Modern Warfare 4 Campaign continues the rebooted Modern Warfare storyline and returns Captain Price and Task Force 141.
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Are Call of Duty Campaigns Worth Playing?
COD campaigns usually offer focused missions, set pieces, voice acting, and story context without requiring the time commitment of competitive Multiplayer.
They also help new players learn basic aiming, weapons, equipment, and movement. However, campaign balancing can differ from Multiplayer, so success against AI does not automatically translate into stronger competitive results.
Players returning to Black Ops 6 after its campaign can compare the existing Black Ops 6 Prestige option separately from story completion.
The existing BO6 multiplayer practice option also belongs to Multiplayer progression rather than the Campaign itself.
Cosmetics and store purchases do not unlock extra mainline story missions. Players comparing them can review the separate COD Points options without confusing currency with campaign access.
Pro Tips Before You Start
- Play connected trilogies in release order.
- Treat the original and rebooted Modern Warfare stories separately.
- Start the Black Ops timeline with World at War or Black Ops.
- Check the platform version before purchasing Black Ops III.
- Download the required Campaign content packs before playing newer COD titles.
- Use subtitles if the fast mission dialogue makes the story difficult to follow.
- Try Veteran only after learning the checkpoints and enemy positions.
Final Thoughts
Most Call of Duty games have a story mode. Every released mainline title through Black Ops 7 includes a traditional campaign except Black Ops 4.
For a classic starting point, choose Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare or Black Ops. For a modern standalone entry, Modern Warfare from 2019 and Black Ops 6 are easier places to begin. Black Ops 7 is the current option for players who specifically want an online co-op campaign.
Call of Duty Story Mode FAQs
Which Call of Duty games do not have a campaign?
Black Ops 4 is the only released mainline Call of Duty without a traditional campaign. Warzone and Call of Duty: Mobile also lack standard campaigns, but they are free-to-play spinoffs.
Does Black Ops 7 have a story mode?
Yes. Black Ops 7 has 11 Campaign missions that can be played solo or online with up to four players. Completing the main story also leads into its Endgame experience.
Which Call of Duty games have co-op campaigns?
World at War, Black Ops III, and Black Ops 7 support campaign co-op. Platform limitations apply to Black Ops III because its PS3 and Xbox 360 releases do not contain the campaign.
Can Call of Duty campaigns be played offline?
It depends on the game and platform. Many older campaigns support offline play, while newer releases may require an internet connection, account login, updates, or downloaded Campaign content packs. Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 require online connectivity.
What order should you play the Modern Warfare campaigns?
Play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, and Modern Warfare 3 for the original trilogy. Then play Modern Warfare (2019), Modern Warfare II (2022), Modern Warfare III (2023), and Modern Warfare 4 for the separate reboot timeline.
What order should you play the Black Ops campaigns?
A practical release-based order is World at War, Black Ops, Black Ops II, Black Ops III, Black Ops Cold War, Black Ops 6, and Black Ops 7. Black Ops 4 can be skipped if you only want traditional campaigns.
Does Black Ops 4 have any single-player story content?
It has Specialist HQ tutorial missions and character background scenes. However, those segments do not form a full connected campaign.
Which Call of Duty campaign is best for a new player?
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Black Ops, Modern Warfare (2019), and Black Ops 6 are accessible starting points. Choose one based on whether you prefer a classic military story, Cold War conspiracy, or modern tactical setting.
