Play the Modern Warfare reboot campaigns in release order to follow the story as it was introduced and avoid mixing in the separate original trilogy. You need access to the campaign portions of the relevant games; multiplayer or co-op modes are not required.
What You’ll Need
- Access to the campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023), on a supported platform.
- Enough storage and an internet connection for installation, updates, or content downloads if your platform requires them.
- A controller or keyboard and mouse, depending on your platform. A subscription is only needed if your platform requires one for access to the game; campaign play itself is single-player.
Step-by-Step
- Start with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019). This is the first campaign in the reboot continuity. Select Campaign from the game’s main menu and begin a new campaign, or resume a save if you have already started it. The story introduces Captain Price, Farah Karim, and other characters whose later appearances make more sense after this game.
- Finish the 2019 campaign before moving on. Complete its campaign missions in the order presented. Difficulty is your choice; it does not change the recommended game order. You do not need to complete Spec Ops, multiplayer, or optional challenges to follow the main story.
- Continue with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022). Launch the game and choose its Campaign mode. It follows the 2019 reboot and continues the story with familiar characters. If the game offers a choice between campaign and other modes, make sure you select Campaign rather than Multiplayer or Co-op.
- Complete the 2022 campaign. Play its missions in the sequence provided by the campaign. Some editions or installations may present campaign content as a separate download or tile within the game launcher. If it is unavailable, check the game’s installation or content-management screen and install the campaign component.
- Play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023) last. Select its Campaign mode after completing the 2022 story. This is the next main campaign in the reboot series. Do not confuse it with the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011), which belongs to a different continuity.
- Keep the order clear if the games share a launcher. Some platforms group multiple Call of Duty titles or content packs in one hub. Read the full game title and year on the campaign tile before launching it. The intended sequence is 2019, 2022, then 2023.
- Use a recap if you cannot access an earlier game. The best way to experience character arcs is to play all three campaigns, but if a title is unavailable, a spoiler-marked story recap can explain the gap. Avoid searching for plot summaries if you want to remain unspoiled for the game you have not played.
Common Mistakes
- Starting with the 2007 or 2011 games. Those are entries in the original Modern Warfare continuity, not the reboot campaign sequence. The reboot begins with the game released in 2019.
- Mixing up the titles and years. There are games with very similar names. For this order, check that the titles are Modern Warfare (2019), Modern Warfare II (2022), and Modern Warfare III (2023).
- Assuming every mode is part of the story. Multiplayer and co-op content are separate from the single-player campaign sequence. You can skip them if your goal is to follow the main campaign narrative.
- Launching a campaign before its files are installed. A game may be installed while its campaign component is not. Check the game’s content-management options rather than repeatedly selecting an unavailable campaign tile.
- Expecting every plot detail to be explained in the next game. The later campaigns build on earlier events, but a recap may still help if you have a long break between games.
Tips
- Use the release years as a quick check: 2019, 2022, 2023.
- Play each campaign from its beginning rather than relying on mission select. Mission select is useful for replaying, but it can make it easier to miss story context.
- Choose any difficulty that lets you enjoy the story. Difficulty settings affect challenge, not the order or basic campaign continuity.
- Allow time for updates and campaign downloads before you plan a session, especially when a game is accessed through a shared launcher.
- If you care about spoilers, avoid trailers, mission lists, and online discussion for later entries until you finish the current campaign.
Troubleshooting
The campaign option is missing: Check that you launched the correct game and that its campaign content is installed. In a shared hub, open the game’s management or installation options and look for campaign files. Menus vary by platform, so use the platform’s own instructions if the game does not show a clear content option.
The campaign says it is unavailable or needs a download: Connect to the internet, check for game updates, and allow any required content download to finish. Then close and reopen the game. If the content still does not appear, verify the installation through your platform’s game-management tools or reinstall the campaign component if that option is available.
You launched the wrong Modern Warfare: Return to the library or hub and check the full title and release year. The reboot sequence uses 2019, 2022, and 2023; the 2007 and 2011 games are the original series.
Your save is missing: Confirm you are using the same platform profile and game edition where the save was created. Check whether cloud saves are enabled and give the game time to synchronize. If you cannot recover the save, use campaign mission select if available, or restart the campaign.
The game crashes or will not start: Restart the platform, install pending system and game updates, and check the platform’s service status. If the issue continues, use the platform’s repair or file-verification option where available, then contact the platform or game support service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct Modern Warfare reboot campaign order?
Play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), then Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022), then Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023).
Is the 2019 game a remake of the 2007 game?
No. It is a reboot with a separate continuity. It reuses some familiar characters and ideas, but it is not simply the original campaign remade.
Do I need to play the original Modern Warfare trilogy first?
No. The reboot campaigns can be followed as their own series. The original games are a different continuity.
Do I have to play multiplayer or Spec Ops?
No. Those modes are not required to play the main single-player campaign stories in order.
Can I skip straight to Modern Warfare III?
You can, but the campaign follows events and characters from the earlier reboot games. Playing the 2019 and 2022 campaigns first gives you more context.
Is this the order the games were released?
Yes. The reboot campaign sequence follows the release years: 2019, 2022, and 2023.
Related
General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.
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