Published 06:00 6 Jun 2026 GMT+1

The Best Call of Duty Games Worth Playing Before Modern Warfare 4

Here’s what to play before Call of Duty: MW4

Richard Breslin

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 arrives later this year, and whether you’re new to the series or in need of a refresh, we’ve got some recommendations for you.

Pretty much since the series' inception in 2003 on PC, a Call of Duty title has been released almost every year, except the following year in 2004. For the most part, no matter what the naysayers declare and claim of the series being dead, it’s more often than not, the top-selling game of its respective year.

Sure, the series hasn't always hit it out of the park every year, as we’ve recently discovered with the likes of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, but for the most part, the Activision series has been a blast, and that includes the single-player and multiplayer offerings.

Last week, the latest entry in the series was announced with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and unlike the reimagined MW entries of 2019, 2022 and 2023, this will be an all-new, but a continuation of its sub-series story.

So, with that in mind, to help us prepare for the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, we’ll list some of the best games (for better or worse) that you can play right now.

For the benefit of being most up to date with the reimagined Call of Duty stories, let’s begin with the best options since 2019, and I’ll keep everything spoiler-free.

The Best Call of Duty Games to Prepare for MW4

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Activision

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

This is a retelling of one of the best games in the series, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, originally released in 2007. This, in my opinion, is the best of the reimagined series, with tight first-person action, lush visuals and a story that will have particular moments that will stay with you for years to come. It doesn't matter if you’re a returning veteran of the series or new, this is the best place to start.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022), Activision

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)

This reimagined sequel upped the ante when it came to its blockbuster storytelling, visuals, satisfying first-person action and some fantastic standout missions, including ‘Dark Water’ and ‘Alone’. Granted, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was more of the same from 2019, but I don’t see that as a bad thing. Sadly, this would be the last of the quality reimagined MW titles, at least for now.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023), Activision

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)

Ok, now this can be seen as a strange recommendation, especially as we never viewed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III very favourably. “Call of Duty deserved much better than this churned-out disappointment,” I said in my review. However, for the benefit of keeping up-to-date with the story, it might be worth sticking with its five to six-hour story.

Now, Check out the OG Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Titles!

In truth, when it comes to the core first-person action, the Call of Duty series hasn't changed a lot since the late 2000s. I know that can be seen as a negative, but as they say, “If it ain't broke, don’t fix it.” Sure, the gameplay has been tweaked and refined over the years, but if you’re familiar with the modern entries, getting used to the games of yesteryear should be no issue.

Many might say that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (2007), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011), to this day, are some of the best that this series has to offer, and we’d agree.

Best of all, every single classic Call of Duty game above (and more) is backwards compatible on modern Xbox consoles, both digitally and with a physical disc. From time to time, they’re also discounted in the Xbox Marketplace sales.

As somewhat of an honourable mention, while they have little to do with any of the Modern Warfare games, if you’re after something quite recent, I’d recommend checking out Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020) and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024), because the single-player campaigns are a blast. And yes, all the OG Black Ops games are backwards compatible on modern Xbox consoles too, so be sure to check those out.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, Activision

**What’s the Story of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4?**

“War erupts on the Korean Peninsula as North Korea launches a full-scale invasion that threatens to destabilise the world in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4,” reads the synopsis of the game.

“A young squad of South Korean soldiers fight to survive on the collapsing front lines, while half a world away, a vengeful Captain Price wages a personal war from the shadows as he stays one step ahead of those hunting him. As Price’s off-book mission collides with the forces behind the invasion, the war spreads beyond anyone’s control.”