Key Takeaways
- The Call of Duty series began in 2003 and has released over 20 main titles up to Black Ops 6 in 2024.
- COD games evolved from WWII shooters to modern and futuristic warfare, covering nearly every style of combat.
- Esports has been a major driver of COD’s popularity, starting with MLG (2006) and growing into the Call of Duty League (CDL) in 2020.
- Prize pools for competitive COD have reached $6 million+, cementing its place in global esports.
- Top teams like OpTic Gaming, FaZe Clan, Atlanta FaZe, and LA Thieves dominate the CDL scene.
Introduction
All COD games are scrambled and even the experts are confused about their origin. So, we have finally gathered every info we could on its origin to tell you about Call Of Duty games in their release order.
All COD Games In Release Order In 2025
| Title | Original Release Date | Original Platforms |
| Call of Duty | October 29, 2003 | PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
| Call of Duty 2 | October 25, 2005 | PC, Xbox 360 |
| Call of Duty 3 | November 7, 2006 | Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii |
| Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | November 5, 2007 | PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
| Call of Duty: World at War | November 11, 2008 | PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | November 10, 2009 | PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | November 9, 2010 | PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | November 8, 2011 | PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops II | November 12, 2012 | PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii U |
| Call of Duty: Ghosts | November 5, 2013 | PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Wii U |
| Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | November 4, 2014 | PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops III | November 6, 2015 | PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 |
| Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | November 4, 2016 | PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 |
| Call of Duty: WWII | November 3, 2017 | PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | October 12, 2018 | PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 |
| Call of Duty: Mobile | October 1, 2019 | Android, iOS |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) | October 25, 2019 | PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | March 10, 2020 | PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | November 13, 2020 | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Call of Duty: Vanguard | November 5, 2021 | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II | October 28, 2022 (Campaign early access Oct 20) | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 | November 16, 2022 | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III | November 10, 2023 | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | October 25, 2024 | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
While exploring the evolution of gaming franchises like Call of Duty, it’s interesting to see how other major titles, such as Sonic Frontiers, have been received by critics and fans alike.
Call of Duty Esports & Major Tournaments
Rise of Competitive CoD
| Year | Event/League | Details |
| 2006 | MLG Pro Circuit | First official CoD competition (CoD 2) introduced in Major League Gaming. |
| 2010 | MLG Nationals | CoD: Modern Warfare 2 and Black Ops gain traction in esports. |
| 2013 | Call of Duty Championship | $1M prize pool — officially supported by Activision. |
| 2020 | Call of Duty League (CDL) | Official franchise-based global league launched with city-based teams. |
Notable CDL Teams
| Team | Founded/Joined CDL | Notable Achievements |
| OpTic Gaming | 2006 / CDL 2020 | Multiple CoD Champs wins, fan-favorite org. |
| FaZe Clan | 2010 / CDL 2020 | CDL 2021 Champions. |
| Atlanta FaZe | 2020 | One of the most dominant CDL teams. |
| LA Thieves (100 Thieves) | 2016 / CDL 2021 | CDL Champs 2022 winners. |
| Dallas Empire (now OpTic Texas) | 2019 | CDL Champs 2020 winners. |
CDL Prize Pools Over Time
| Year | Prize Pool | Notes |
| 2013 | $1,000,000 | First official CoD Championship. |
| 2016 | $2,000,000 | Biggest CoD esports prize pool at the time. |
| 2020 | $6,000,000 | CDL inaugural season prize pool. |
| 2022 | $5,000,000 | CDL Championship 2022. |
Call of Duty World League (CWL)
| Year Active | Details | Participants |
| 2016–2019 | Pre-CDL global competition structure | 100+ teams globally in open events. |
| 2017 | CWL Anaheim, CWL Champs | 16 pro teams, 160+ open bracket teams. |
| 2019 | Final CWL Championship | Transition year before CDL franchising. |
CDL Majors & Champs
| Year | Event | Champion | Prize Pool |
| 2020 | CDL Championship | Dallas Empire | $4.6M |
| 2021 | CDL Championship | Atlanta FaZe | $5M |
| 2022 | CDL Championship | LA Thieves | $5M |
| 2023 | CDL Championship | New York Subliners | $2.3M |
| 2024 | CDL Championship | TBD (Oct 2024) | Est. $2M+ |
Warzone Tournaments
| Year | Tournament | Winner/Team | Prize Pool |
| 2020 | Twitch Rivals Warzone Showdown | HusKerrs & Symfuhny | $250,000 |
| 2021 | World Series of Warzone (WSOW) | Multiple regional winners | $1.2M across events |
| 2022 | WSOW Global Final | Team Biffle | $300,000 |
| 2023 | WSOW 2023 | Team Hisoka | $500,000 |
| 2025 | WSOW 2025 (upcoming) | TBA | $1M+ expected |
While diving into the world of strategy and tactics in Call of Duty, fans of in-depth gameplay might also appreciate a detailed look at board game experiences, like our comprehensive Gloomhaven review.
FAQs
What is the Call of Duty League (CDL)?
The CDL is the official professional esports league for Call of Duty, which kicked off in 2020. It showcases franchise-based teams that represent different cities, much like the Overwatch League does.
How is the Call of Duty League different from the old Call of Duty World League (CWL)?
The CWL ran from 2016 to 2019, was an open competition where any team could enter and qualify. In contrast, the CDL operates as a franchised league with permanent, city-based teams such as Atlanta FaZe and OpTic Texas.
What are the biggest Call of Duty tournaments?
The major tournaments include the CDL Championship, CDL Majors, and the World Series of Warzone (WSOW). These events bring together top players and feature impressive prize pools.
Which teams have been the most successful in Call of Duty esports history?
Some of the standout organizations in Call of Duty esports include OpTic Gaming, FaZe Clan, Dallas Empire (now known as OpTic Texas), and Atlanta FaZe.
Conclusion
So, we have now listed all you need to know about COD release order, upcoming tournaments with their prize money etc. We hope this is enough information to immerse you into the world of COD in 2025.