Are older Call of Duty titles better than the newer games?

Call of Duty is one of the most innovative FPS franchises ever, due in part to its customisation systems and focus on round-based zombie modes. Many in the fanbase consider older CODs, like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty Black Ops 2, to be better than their modern-day counterparts.

There are multiple core reasons that the first dozen games felt so different from the Call of Duty titles released in the 2020s, but we need to head back to the 2000s to make sense of the differences.

For long-time fans of the popular COD franchise, the first 10 games or so may be nostalgic, but there are quite a few logical reasons why the older titles are better, too. Modern Call of Duty is filled with colourful outfits, seasonal events, and even cartoon crossovers.

Fans of Call of Duty are seeing that the franchise is moving more and more towards a less realistic shooter, as the presence of Beavis and Butt-Head outfits doesn’t make you feel immersed on the battlefield. Additionally, microtransactions lock players out of many exciting cosmetics unless they’re willing to pay expensive prices.

Overall, the Call of Duty community has time and time again expressed a desire for classic, boots-on-the-ground gameplay. The negative reaction to Infinite Warfare’s trailer proves one thing that’s timelessly true for Call of Duty: the fans love gritty realism.

There are quite a few areas where modern Call of Duty excels, such as in its advanced visuals and upgraded customisation systems. However, multiplayer has grown less entertaining because innovation is rare, and it’s even more rarely accepted by the competitive community.

Futuristic Call of Duty games like Infinite Warfare received strong opposition following initial reveals. Though COD returned to the historic battlefield after Infinite Warfare with WW2, it looks like the upcoming Black Ops 7 will bring advanced movement back to the series.

We’ve found a few common reasons why fans feel the older Call of Duty games are better than those released in the 2020s.

The lack of realism and successful innovation in modern Call of Duty are the primary reasons that the fanbase often considers the older games to be better. The loadout customisation introduced in Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare was revolutionary, while the zombie maps in Call of Duty World at War breathed new life into the franchise.

Recent COD titles have innovated in cosmetic customisation and limited-time events, but the live service features come at the cost of realism and new gameplay features. There are plenty of fun things only present in Call of Duty games released in the 2020s, like Call of Duty Black Ops 6’s omni-movement, but generally, the franchise has been playing it safe for years at the cost of meaningful progression.

There are a ton of ways that Activision could move the Call of Duty franchise forward in a positive way, including by simply creating more game modes. New modes could combine old and new mechanics by offering gritty gameplay with newer features, such as omni-movement.

Innovation is also key, so Activision should consider adding new types of meaningful customisation, which could include protection or weapon types. Call of Duty will always thrive as a boots-on-the-ground shooter, as that’s how it built its fanbase, but there’s always room for more modes or loadout options.

The key to returning COD to its original popularity is showing the gaming community that it can innovate while still staying true to its original ideas.

There’s a clear divide in the Call of Duty community, as many fans prefer the original games to modern takes on the franchise. The first couple of Modern Warfare and Black Ops titles revolutionised the competitive FPS genre like nothing else could in the 2000s, but it’s currently missing its original spark.

Hidden behind the cartoon collabs and paid reward passes is a franchise that thrives on realistic gunplay and cinematic stories, and we’d love to experience another Black Ops 2 in 2025. Call of Duty is only a few innovative ideas away from a new peak, but many fans believe it needs to stick to its grounded, gritty gameplay to reach its full potential.