Best Call of Duty games of the decade Call of Duty has gone from strength to strength over the past ten years. Activision\u2019s first-person shooter franchise has stayed at the forefront of action gaming for the entirety of the decade, selling hundreds of millions of copies worldwide. Activision has hired the talents of three separate video game developers throughout the course of the past decade. While Call of Duty has dabbled in a variety of time points over the years, consistent gameplay and gripping storylines have ensured that fans return year after year. Call of Duty\u2019s fast-paced action is complimented by its fluid in-game mechanics, which has seen the series\u2019 competitive multiplayer experience mature into a fully fledged esport, as we look forward to the inaugural season of the Call of Duty League. From a realistic game based in the heart of the Battle of Normandy, to futuristic conflict rooted in outer space; Call of Duty has certainly pushed the boundaries over the past ten years. But what were the best Call of Duty games of the decade? We count down the decade\u2019s best titles in descending order. 10. Infinite Warfare Infinite Warfare allowed us to peer into the future, as we moved into outer space conflict. While the franchise\u2019s first-person ethos remained, just about everything else from the franchise felt foreign. From zero-gravity environments to a boost-pack fueled movement system, this iteration was a far cry from what we\u2019ve all come to love about Call of Duty. Come to think of it, we were two lightsabers and a Skywalker short of a Star Wars game. Thankfully, Infinity Ward decided to pursue this avenue further and returned back to their Modern Warfare series in their next release. While on the surface the gameplay mechanics were closer to Halo, it wasn\u2019t all doom and gloom. Infinite Warfare bolstered Call of Duty\u2019s competitive circuit, with a dog-eat-dog season which saw OpTic Gaming break their curse as they claimed their first world championship. Albeit a risky move on Infinity Ward\u2019s part, the series still maintained its loyal fanbase and shattered sales records. 9. WWII If Infinite Warfare is the chalk, then WWII would be the cheese. Sledgehammer Games ushered in a new era of Call of Duty with Advanced Warfare\u2019s \u2018jetpack\u2019 style, and after a three-year wait, boots-on-the-ground made its highly anticipated return. Based around the historic events of \u2018Operation Overlord,\u2019 WWII\u2019s single player campaign received a ton of criticism for its lack of health regeneration \u2014 leaving players scouting for health packs. However, the title\u2019s multiplayer experience introduced the \u2018Headquarters\u2019 social space (akin to \u2018The Tower\u2019 from Bungie\u2019s Destiny). Playing host to a Quartermaster, 1-versus-1 arena and a firing range, the social space allowed up to 48 players to connect at any given moment. Alongside a well-rounded multiplayer, WWII welcomed back Nazi Zombies, where players would fend off hordes of the Third Reich\u2019s undead. While on paper these features seemed novel, a convoluted progression system which was complimented by difficult contracts were off-putting enough. Add to the mix the extensive list of server issues and plenty of players were counting down the days to Treyarch\u2019s Black Ops 4, mere months after its release. 8. Black Ops 4 After boots-on-the-ground didn\u2019t quite go to plan, Treyarch\u2019s fourth entry into their Black Ops series was met with open arms. After scrapping the traditional single-player campaign to focus more on the multiplayer experience, Black Ops 4 was hyped up by the masses. By carrying over the \u2018Specialists\u2019 system from Black Ops 3, Treyarch delivered a meta-driven online experience which remoulded Call of Duty\u2019s player-versus-player combat. While Specialists brought another tactical aspect to the table, automatic health regeneration was removed for the first time in the franchise\u2019s history. Treyarch dedicated plenty of resources into Zombies, by bringing in a plethora of content for their flagship mode. Oh, and did we mention a dedicated battle royale game mode (which quite frankly could have been a game in itself)? Blackout combined the mechanics of Black Ops gameplay with the methodical style which the likes of H1Z1 and PUBG both boasted. An enthralling competitive season stamped Black Ops 4 firmly into the history books. Yet, there always felt like something was missing from a run-of-the-mill Call of Duty \u2014 and no, we\u2019re not referring to the aforementioned lack of campaign. Specialists, manual healing, sliding and game-changing abilities all combined into one heap were perhaps a bit too much too soon? 7. Modern Warfare While Black Ops 4 attempted to reinvigorate the Call of Duty multiplayer experience, Modern Warfare brought the franchise back to its roots with Infinity Ward\u2019s reboot of their staple series. A widely successful beta and insightful campaign ensured that Modern Warfare shattered the previous sales record in its opening weekend, set by Black Ops 4. Although, it is the multiplayer which is Modern Warfare\u2019s crown jewels and keeps fans coming back for more. Built on the foundation of its predecessors, Modern Warfare completely overhauled the progression system to a season-based framework, which is designed to value continuous play. An abundance of gun customization options compliment the refined \u2018create-a-class\u2019 system, which gives players a sense of ownership over their rig of choice. However, after being inundated with issues from the get-go, Modern Warfare has left fans underwhelmed from a gameplay standpoint. Although, with Infinity Ward at the helm, there is still time to turn their title into a success. With Activision\u2019s Call of Duty League set to kick-off in January 2020, there is no doubt that the developers will be looking to polish their game ready for the world to see. 6. Ghosts Before returning to their roots, Infinity Ward\u2019s last boots-on-the-ground game came in the form of Ghosts. Bridging the gap between console generations, Ghosts was a very consistent game \u2014 but that\u2019s about as far it goes. Aside from adding dynamic map elements (similar to what was previously a big feature in Battlefield), there wasn\u2019t really anything worth shouting about. Ghosts\u2019 single-player campaign lacked the \u2018wow moment\u2019 that we\u2019ve all come to expect from a Call of Duty storyline, while the multiplayer seemingly played it safe. Perhaps unintentional, Ghosts fortuitously kickstarted a trend which would go on to make Activision billions \u2014 character customization through microtransactions. After replacing the create-a-class system with \u2018create-a-soldier,\u2019 players could customize everything \u2013 from their loadout right the way through to the reticle on their weapon \u2013 in one neat bundle. On the whole, Ghosts was a well-rounded game which boasted well-designed multiplayer with solid in-game mechanics \u2014 setting up for some remarkable esports moments. The compLexity and OpTic Gaming rivalry is one that still echoes in conversations years on. After coL\u2019s dominant showing at Champs, the GreenWall edged out the compLexity dynasty squad in a close semi-final before going on to take gold at the MLG X Games Invitational. Rivalries such as this effectively planted the seeds for Call of Duty esports to grow into what we know it to be today. 5. Advanced Warfare After Riley\u2019s introduction to the franchise was the pinnacle to an otherwise blas\u00e9 season, Sledgehammer Games entered the arena in style. Advanced Warfare completely changed the meta with the exo-suit, which quite literally took Call of Duty to new heights. The game\u2019s thrilling futuristic campaign delved into the politics behind military contractors while integrating Call of Duty\u2019s trademark plot twists along the way. Combine the gripping narrative with a newfound way to traverse the battlefield, and long-time fans were hooked back into the Call of Duty franchise and veered away from Respawn\u2019s Titanfall and Bungie\u2019s Destiny. Advanced Warfare injected a new level of excitement into its content-rich multiplayer. Black Ops 2\u2019s \u2018Pick 10\u2019 system was renovated into \u2018Pick 13,\u2019 which neatly tied gun customization, exo-suit abilities and scorestreaks into a user-friendly system. Weapon variations could be unlocked through supply drops, which issued fans an incentive to grind the multiplayer (in the hopes that they\u2019d unlock a fresh cosmetic to rock in the server). Alongside all of the above, Sledgehammer Games commemorated a successful esports season by releasing a \u2018Call of Duty World Championship Personalization Pack\u2019 for fans to flaunt in-game. All in all, Advanced Warfare was a trendsetter and was widely considered a success. 4. Modern Warfare 3 Prior to leading their own title, Sledgehammer Games collaborated with Infinity Ward to develop the third installment to the Modern Warfare series. With big boots to fill from Modern Warfare\u2019s previous installments, the game did not disappoint. Modern Warfare 3 wrapped up the trilogy which singlehandedly redefined the first-person shooter genre. Its single-player campaign followed on from Modern Warfare 2\u2019s final mission, and left fans with a sense of closure while simultaneously providing an action-packed story along the way. However, it was Modern Warfare 3\u2019s multiplayer which captivated a generation. Building on from its precursor, Infinity Ward delivered a well-balanced online experience that possessed all of the key elements which became standard Call of Duty fare. Strike packages were tailored to each playstyle, meaning that there was something for everyone. Assault packages had the most impact, while Support packages worked on total points accrued (rewarding players for a more objective-based playstyle). Incredibly designed maps meant that competitive Call of Duty flourished. The season got underway with Call of Duty XP, where the GreenWall bagged the lion\u2019s share of the first ever $1 million prize pool in the franchise\u2019s history. OpTic Gaming would go on to dominate the remainder of the season, with various trips across the pond to EGL tournaments \u2014 which was the first real hint that Call of Duty was going international. 3. Black Ops 3 After fans were left giddy from Advanced Warfare\u2019s innovative movement system, Treyarch were tasked with taking Black Ops into the new era while building on the success of Black Ops 2. Black Ops 3 built on its second installment\u2019s storyline, in a world plagued by the ramifications of climate change and new technologies. Set 40 years in the future, your character was cybernetically enhanced for combat, which opened up the avenue for Specialists \u2014 a novel character system which played into futuristic warfare while adding an additional strategic layer to gameplay. By employing momentum-based movement system, players could utilize their thruster packs to perform a variety of movements both on the ground and in the air \u2014 a natural evolution from Advanced Warfare\u2019s system. The Gunsmith also allowed for a seemingly endless list of possibilities when it came to customizing your weapon\u2019s aesthetic. Players were more nimble than ever before, which lended itself into thrilling and adrenaline-fueled gameplay rendering fans on the edge of their seats. Perhaps it was fitting, then, that this was the first year that Activision supported the game\u2019s competitive circuit with the Call of Duty World League. A host of international tournaments later and who\u2019d have thought that four seasons on we\u2019d be staring franchised Call of Duty in the face? 2. Black Ops The OG. Where it all began. Treyarch\u2019s first installment into the Black Ops series helped them to break free from Infinity Ward\u2019s shackles and allowed them fully spread their wings. Black Ops\u2019 storyline revolved around exploring conspiracy theories alongside dabbling in politics and espionage, while holding apt references to their previous \u2018World at War\u2019 title. Players were taken on a journey as Alex Mason, a CIA agent who\u2019d constantly refer back to \u2018the numbers\u2019 throughout the course of the story. Although Treyarch delivered a blockbuster campaign, the multiplayer experience was an essential ingredient which transcended Call of Duty into a new era. Weapon customization. Co-op zombies. Wager matches. Theatre mode. Nuketown\u2026 oh Nuketown. Treyarch pulled off the seemingly impossible with Black Ops, by giving fans a thoroughly designed, well-balanced online experience while maintaining the fun and competitive nature at the root of Call of Duty. A campaign which left fans desperate for more, alongside a revolutionary multiplayer\u2026 It\u2019s safe to say that Treyarch firmly placed their name on the map with Black Ops. 1. Black Ops 2 What could top the original Black Ops you might ask? Well, somehow, Treyarch managed to outdo themselves with the second iteration in their Black Ops series. Continuing on from its compelling Cold War story, the subsequent installment offered players diverging narratives based around two plots \u2014 one from the 1980s and another from the not-too-distant future of 2025. While both plots revolved around a mutual protagonist, each player would experience a different ending to the next due to its branching storylines. Black Ops 2\u2019s campaign gave players a feeling of \u2018being at the wheel\u2019 as opposed to simply being along for the ride. Yet again, though, it\u2019s the outstanding multiplayer experience which took centre stage. The introduction of the \u2018Pick 10\u2019 system put players in the driver\u2019s seat of their class choices, meaning that when orchestrating your point allocation, you could opt for a perk-heavy loadout or a rig that would emphasize on gun optimization. Well-balanced maps, iconic weapons (who could forget the M8A1 or the MSMC?) and the introduction of Hardpoint into the competitive map pool ramped up interest in competitive Call of Duty. Alongside all of this, Treyarch implemented a \u2018League Play\u2019 playlist which pitted players against one another of similar abilities. Heck, teams could even qualify for the World Championships at the end of the season if they accrued enough points. On the topic of Champs, Fariko Impact cemented their legacy as one of the best teams to touch the game in an enthralling weekend of action which showcased the true value of Call of Duty esports. The Grand Final between Impact and Team EnVyUs was arguably one of the most tense and entertaining matches in Call of Duty history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Best Call of Duty games of the decade Call of Duty has gone from strength to strength over the past ten years. Activision\u2019s first-person shooter franchise has stayed at the forefront of action gaming for the entirety of the decade, selling hundreds of millions of copies worldwide. Activision has hired the talents of three separate […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22802"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22802\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}