From Medal of Honor Copycat to Gaming Titan: The Evolution of Call of Duty into a 100 Million Player Franchise

Originally seen as a Medal of Honor copycat in 2003, Call of Duty is now one of the highest grossing franchises in gaming history with over 425 million copies sold.

The 2007 release of Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare revolutionized online multiplayer and influenced games like Fortnite.

An annual release schedule helped grow a massive player base of around 100 million monthly players.

The franchise has evolved its business model over time, including free-to-play Warzone in 2020.

Celebrity tie-ins and culture references aim to broaden the appeal beyond just a wartime simulator.