Since its initial release in 2003, the Call of Duty franchise has captured the hearts of gamers all over the world with its high-octane gameplay, immersive storylines, and cutting-edge graphics. From the gritty trenches of World War II to the futuristic battlefields of outer space, the series has continuously reinvented itself, keeping fans engaged and coming back for more. With each new installment, the hype and anticipation only continue to grow, and the numbers don’t lie: Call of Duty is one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. Let’s take a look at the top 10 best-selling Call of Duty games. Get ready to dive into the action and relive some of the most iconic moments in gaming history.
10 Call Of Duty: WWII (2017) — 19 Million Copies
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This game had the traditional game types that fans appreciate, such as a campaign and online multiplayer. It also featured a version of Nazi zombies with a plot that went beyond simply surviving as many rounds as possible. Vanguard, the most recent World War II-themed Call of Duty game, undersold its forecasts, and Activision attributes this to the game’s environment, although the 2017 version was able to make the franchise’s top 10 best-selling games.
9 Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014) — 21 Million Copies
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Advanced Warfare debuted on November 4, 2014. This is the eleventh main installment in the famous video game series. This game’s campaign featured only one playable character, as opposed to earlier games that centered their narratives on many playable characters. This was appealing to players who want a more linear narrative. Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey also had a significant part in the campaign. Advanced Warfare was not as terrible as Vanguard, but this game may represent the beginning of the series’ dark era.
8 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) — 25 Million Copies
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Modern Warfare 2 provided fans with some of the franchise’s most iconic moments. The campaign was well-liked, as Ghost’s death remains one of gaming’s most heartbreaking moments. Fans enjoyed the attention and work that went into the campaign’s narrative, as seen by the sales figures. Modern Warfare 2 also provided fans with legendary maps such as Terminal and Rust. Whether the 2022 remake is as wonderful as the original is still up for dispute, although both are universally adored by fans.
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7 Call Of Duty: Black Ops III (2015) — 26 Million Copies
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This game’s cooperative campaign was one of its most alluring features. As a result, friends can complete campaign missions together, which contributed to its increased sales. Players can unlock a mode that replaces all foes in the campaign with zombies, marking the first time this has ever been done. Fans of prior Black Ops versions were happy with this game overall, despite the difficulty of unlocking specific achievements.
6 Call Of Duty: Ghosts (2013) — 28 Million Copies
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Ghosts followed the extremely popular Black Ops II, thus fans were eager to purchase any Call of Duty game at this point. Fans were slightly dissatisfied by the game’s reuse of the campaign’s framework and structure, as well as its introduction of novel elements, such as the ability to play as a German Shepherd in the campaign. Ghosts did advertise a new game mode called Extinction, in which the player battled alien creatures, and this undoubtedly contributed to increased sales.
5 Call Of Duty: Black Ops II (2012) — 29 Million Copies
Black Ops II was nearly as successful as the first Black Ops game, which was a major success. Fans were able to control the two protagonists from the original Black Ops as well as the son of one of the playable characters. It was also the first Call of Duty game for the Wii U, which contributed to some sales, however, the game was played predominantly on PlayStation and Xbox.
4 Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020) — 30 Million Copies
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Black Ops is the most popular Call of Duty series, thus anything with that name will sell well. The game occurred between Black Ops and Black Ops II, so fans were likely eager to learn what transpired between two of the franchise’s most popular games. It is also intriguing that the epidemic and the fact that individuals spent more time at home may have contributed to increasing sales. The most significant factor in this game’s sales, however, was the addition of Warzone, which allows players to initiate the battle royale from the Cold War.
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3 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) — 30 Million Copies
The franchise opted to remaster one of the popular COD series as Modern Warfare 2019 was launched on October 25, 2019. It is the sixteenth installment overall. The best-selling Call of Duty game was remastered in 2016, however, a new version was officially launched in 2019. Fans were pleased to discover that the game featured the same beloved characters from the first game, such as Captain John Price. Fans were also ecstatic with the end-of-campaign teaser that showed the characters Soap and Ghost, indicating that there will be a sequel, which helped boost purchases.
2 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) — 30 Million Copies
The release of Modern Warfare 3 on November 8, 2011, concluded the Modern Warfare trilogy. The primary selling point for this game was that everyone desired to know how the story concluded. Makarov was one of the most notorious villains in the franchise, so fans were eager to see how his narrative progressed. The Special Operations game mode, which was introduced in Modern Warfare 2, is also included. Fans were attracted to the fact that they may perform tasks alone or with a pal.
1 Call Of Duty: Black Ops (2010) — 31 Million Copies
Technically, the game is a sequel to World at War, which helps to explain why it did so well. Moreover, it included the zombie game mode for the first time since its inception. Black Ops is also the first time that fans were introduced to the map Nuketown, which has had multiple iterations since its creation and is one of the most popular maps in the game. After the popularity of this game, Activision acquired the unshakable devotion of its fanbase. This game launched one of the most cherished game series in the franchise.
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Sources: Statista, The Global Gaming, Call of Duty
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