Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game franchise published by Activision, launched in 2003 with the original game released on October 29, 2003. Created by Infinity Ward in the United States, the series began with World War II combat and later expanded into modern and futuristic warfare, becoming one of the most recognizable names in shooter games. The franchise started as a major turning point in military shooters, with the first game set in World War II rather than the modern era fans now often associate with the brand.
The series later split into major sub-series, especially Modern Warfare and Black Ops, with entries fans most expect including the original Call of Duty (2003), Call of Duty 2 (2005), Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), the original Modern Warfare trilogy, the World at War and Black Ops lines, Modern Warfare (2019), Black Ops Cold War, Modern Warfare II (2022), Modern Warfare III (2023), and Black Ops 6 (2024). Activision marked the franchise's 20th anniversary in 2023, and the franchise's annual release model has made each new installment a major event for fans and poster collectors, with 2024 bringing Black Ops 6 and continued live-service support for Warzone.
