What order should you play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare?

As a passionate Call of Duty gamer who has followed Modern Warfare since day one, the number one question I get asked is: "What order should I play the Modern Warfare games in?"

My expert advice is to play them in release order, starting with the original that kicked off this legendary FPS sub-franchise in 2007.

Why Modern Warfare Defines Call of Duty

Let‘s first talk about why this series is so iconic. The Modern Warfare games have collectively sold over 175 million copies (Statista). They pioneered cinematic warfare with memorable characters like Captain Price and gripping storylines tackling modern global conflicts and terrorist threats.

The chart above shows the mind-blowing sales figures of just the first Modern Warfare trilogy developed by Infinity Ward. This proves how wildly popular and impactful they‘ve been for multiplayer gameplay and single-player campaigns.

The Optimal Modern Warfare Order

So in terms of maximizing story continuity and gameplay improvements, here‘s how I recommend tackling this legendary series as a newcomer:

1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

This is the true origin of MW. It introduced beloved characters like Captain Price and "Soap" MacTavish while revolutionizing multiplayer FPS combat. Playing the first entry lets you appreciate just how influential COD4 was.

2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)

Considered one of the best entries ever thanks to its globe-trotting missions and addictive Special Ops modes. MW2 also has perhaps gaming‘s most shocking moment ever – "No Russian".

3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)

An action-packed finale to the original trilogy with the dramatic confrontation with Makarov. Ties up key story threads while upping the blockbuster set pieces that ends Price‘s journey.

I‘ve included this visual timeline showing the connections between all major Modern Warfare games including the recent reboots. This illustrates the chronology based on in-game universe years.

4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019 Reboot)

This stunning reboot re-imagines Price‘s origin story with photorealistic graphics and hard-hitting plot lines tackling terrorism and civil war in fictional Urzikstan.

5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022 Sequel)

The direct sequel to 2019‘s MW was 2022‘s biggest entertainment launch pulling in $1 billion in just 10 days (Forbes). This continues the new MW arc featuring Task Force 141 stopping a global catastrophe.

As you can see, the release order allows you to enjoy both MW trilogies sequentially while seeing gameplay and graphics evolve.

Additional Advice from an MW Expert

Along with the game order above, here‘s my extra guidance for new Modern Warfare players:

• Focus first on single player campaigns to understand the rich lore and backstories before trying chaotic competitive multiplayer.
• Most titles are available on PlayStation, Xbox and PC giving flexibility. I prefer keyboard/mouse for precision shooting on PC.
• Average campaign lengths range from 5 hours for COD4 to 8 hours for Modern Warfare 2‘s globe-trotting adventure.
• The 2019+ MW reboot is technically separate from the Black Ops series in terms of continuity but shares gameplay DNA.

As someone whose played countless hours across every entry, I believe release order makes the most sense. You‘ll appreciate the generational leaps and storyline building on previous events.

Veterans feel free to debate me on this – I‘d love to hear other perspectives! Questions also welcomed as I live and breathe this acclaimed series.

Now lock and load soldier, and prepare for an epic modern warfare marathon!