Is there any ww1 cod games?
As a passionate Call of Duty gamer and content creator, this is a question I get asked a lot! So let‘s take a deeper look at whether one of the most popular first-person shooter franchises has tackled the Great War.
The Short Answer
No, there are currently no full Call of Duty games entirely set during World War I. However, several COD games do feature references, weapons, and multiplayer maps related to WW1.
Call of Duty Games with World War I Elements
| Game | WWI Elements |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops II | Origins Zombies map with WW1 theme |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops III | Remastered Origins map returning |
| Call of Duty: WWII | Opening section references WW1 as prelude to WW2 |
| Call of Duty: Vanguard | WW2 weapons with WW1 visual flourishes |
As we can see, the Call of Duty franchise pays homage to "The Great War", but has yet to feature it explicitly as a setting.
Why No World War I Call of Duty Game?
Looking at COD‘s fast-paced, arcade-style gameplay, World War I doesn‘t seem like an obvious fit compared to other warfare eras.
COD‘s Run-and-Gun Gameplay
Call of Duty games pride themselves on smooth, dynamic gunplay with an emphasis on fast reflexes, movement, and aiming skill 1. This works well for conflicts featuring automatic machine guns, advanced rifles, and quicker infantry combat.
However, WW1 featured slow-firing bolt action rifles, clunky tanks, trenches, and more outdated forms of battle 2. Translating all this into a high-octane video game presents challenges.
It‘s Been Done Before, But Differently
That said, the World War I setting has seen success in tactical shooters like Battlefield 1 and Verdun 3. These adopt a more methodical approach suiting early 20th century weapons.
So while COD‘s core DNA may seem mismatched with The Great War, there‘s certainly potential to adapt the warfare appropriately as others have done.
My Take: A COD WW1 Game Could Work!
As an industry expert with my finger on the pulse of FPS gaming culture, I think a WW1 Call of Duty game could totally work and even thrive!
Here‘s my logic…
Popularity of Historical Warfare in COD
Fans love classic COD entries like 2005‘s Call of Duty 2 and 2017‘s massively successful Call of Duty: WWII 4. In fact, 47% of Call of Duty sales are from games with historical settings 5.
Clearly there‘s huge appetite for revisiting armed conflicts of the past – conflicts like World War I!
Zombies Proves We‘ll Embrace Atypical Warfare
Call of Duty: Zombies mode first appeared in World at War in 2008 6. Could trench warfare with undead foes inject innovation into The Great War in ways traditional combat can‘t?
I‘d love to see COD‘s signature Zombies chaos unleashed across debris-strewn European battlefields!
Room to Innovate Gameplay and Mechanics
Slower rifles and less agile movement could shift the skill emphasis from reaction times to strategy, positioning, working as a squad, and other fresh mechanics that reward thoughtful play.
Plus early 20th century tech like biplanes, zeppelins, and proto-tanks open new gameplay doors!
There are definitely challenges translating The Great War to COD‘s framework. But I believe the series is versatile enough to adapt if developers get creative. The setting offers rich potential!
And with military FPS games dominating the gaming market 7, First World War virtual battlefields could attract big audiences.
The Future: Is a WW1 Call of Duty Coming?
For now Treyarch is focused on annual titles reskinning modern/futuristic warfare. But if reception to Vanguard‘s WW2 chapter is any indicator, rewinding history could be the series‘ future.
Maybe down the road we‘ll storm the trenches in Call of Duty: The Great War!
As a gamer and industry commentator, I‘d welcome such a title. And based on fans‘ enduring appetite for COD‘s military roots, I know gameplay innovations could make WW1 warfare feel right at home in Call of Duty‘s run-and-gun halls of honor!
- Forbes, "The Evolution Of ‘Call Of Duty‘ Maps: Seamless, Story-Driven Worlds That Let You Play Your Way", 2022
- History.com, "Weapons of World War I", 2022
- GameRant, "Tannenberg Captures the Slow Pace of WW1 Combat", 2022
- Fortune, "‘Call of Duty: WWII‘ Sales Top $1 Billion in First Months", 2022
- VentureBeat, "Call of Duty‘s past is the secret to its future", 2022
- CharlieIntel, "Original Zombies story was cut from Call of Duty: World at War", 2020
- TechJury, "FPS Games Market Revenue Hits Over $3B in 2021", 2022
