Over the past 20 years, “Call of Duty” has gone from a “Medal of Honor” clone to a yearly success for Activision. After remaking the “Modern Warfare” trilogy, the tactical first-person shooter series is poised to enter uncharted territory with “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.” Set for release in October 2026, the game comes after the largely negative response to “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7” last year. While bringing back fan-favorite recurring character Captain John Price, the upcoming FPS is set to focus on a renewed conflict on the Korean peninsula.
As Activision looks to restore the reputation of its flagship franchise, fans wait to see if “Call of Duty” can recapture its former glory. In the interim, there are plenty of tactical shooters to help tide over the wait until “Modern Warfare 4.” We’ve rounded up the tactical shooters that should help prepare gamers the most as “Call of Duty” is poised to unleash its next chapter. These are the five best video games to play while waiting for “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.”
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
In shifting to contemporary conflicts and weaponry, “Call of Duty” reached new levels of success with 2007’s “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.” In looking to recover from a stretch of middling titles, the franchise went back to the basics by rebooting the “Modern Warfare” trilogy with 2019’s “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.” This resulted in one of the best “Call of Duty” games of all time, with the game following American and British soldiers taking on Russian ultranationalists and a terrorist syndicate. The series’ multiplayer modes were revamped significantly as well, including the eventual release of the standalone battle royale title “Call of Duty: Warzone.”
What makes the 2019 “Modern Warfare” feel like more of a bold reboot than a “Call of Duty 4” retread is how much it diverges from the 2007 game’s campaign. The spirit of the previous game informs this reboot, without being beholden by it, something present in its overall gameplay too. The game also rebalances the multiplayer experience that fuels the appeal beyond the surprisingly refreshing campaign mode. Easily the best title in the “Modern Warfare” reboot trilogy, hopefully “Modern Warfare 4” takes more cues from the 2019 game than its sequels.
Hell Let Loose
Like “Medal of Honor” and “Battlefield” before it, “Call of Duty” started out as a first-person World War II shooter before shifting to more contemporary eras. Filling the void in the period piece FPS space, at least in regard to WWII, is the 2021 online game “Hell Let Loose.” The game pits Allied and Axis forces against each other in various maps inspired by actual battles during WWII. To add to the gameplay depth and importance on coordinated teamwork, there are over a dozen character classes to choose from, each with their own important role on the battlefield.
“Hell Let Loose” is the heir apparent to “Battlefield 1942” and the early “Call of Duty” titles, while adding its own personality to the mix. This includes a heightened emphasis on the online multiplayer experience, with several distinct modes for players to enjoy. For fans looking for a chance in time period and setting, the game received a follow-up in 2026 with “Hell Let Loose: Vietnam.” Bringing back team-based online FPS action, “Hell Let Loose” brings fresh energy to WWII in multiplayer games.
Counter-Strike 2
Another tactical shooter built entirely around its online multiplayer experience, “Counter-Strike 2” is the latest title in Valve Corporation’s long-running franchise. Released in 2023 as a free-to-play game, the title retains the series’ traditions of squad-based 5v5 competitive gameplay. Playing as either a team of terrorists or counter-terrorists, players engage in a variety of different modes, including bomb defusal and hostage rescue. The action unfolds fast and furiously, with players only afforded a moment to update their weapon loadout before the battle erupts
After undergoing a wave of patches and other post-release support, “Counter-Strike 2” stands as one of the best “Counter-Strike” games ever made. The game intuitively understands the franchise’s core appeal and leans into those elements providing a much more feature-rich experience. This comes as the game enhances its layout with quality of life improvements and an all-around upgraded technical presentation. Breathing new life into Valve’s tactical shooter classic, “Counter-Strike 2” brings the series into the future while doubling down on its fast-paced multiplayer action.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
After wrapping its “Modern Warfare” reboot trilogy, “Call of Duty” returned to the shadowy world of clandestine spec ops with “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.” Set in and around the Gulf War in 1990, the 2024 game’s story campaign has CIA operatives battling a paramilitary force known as the Pantheon. This results in the characters uncovering a global conspiracy targeting the highest levels of the federal government. In addition to the campaign, the game retools its multiplayer component, including the return of the fan-favorite “Call of Duty” zombies mode.
“Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” washes away most of the aftertaste left by the middling later entries in the “Modern Warfare” reboot trilogy. The campaign is one of the most engaging in the entire franchise, with “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” featuring the scariest mission in series history. The multiplayer modes are also incredibly fun and varied to play, keeping fans coming back for more. Though the legacy of “Black Ops” may be tarnished by its seventh installment, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” was definitely a step in the right direction.
Battlefield 6
The big tactical shooter of 2025 wasn’t “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7” but the return of Electronic Arts to the contemporary FPS space with “Battlefield 6.” The game has NATO go to war with a private military company in hot spots around the globe. The 2025 title also revamps the multiplayer modes, doubling down on the team-based combat with differing objectives and styles. Echoing “Call of Duty: Warzone,” the game also features a battle royale mode and reconfigures its map editor mode.
The biggest competitor to “Call of Duty” is “Battlefield 6” and how it’s taken better advantage of the tactical shooter space recently. This comes from a back to the basics approach for the series, after its detour into science fiction with “Battlefield 2042.” This course-correction has visibly been applied to its multiplayer experience too, recognizing and emphasizing what got fans interested in the franchise in the first place. Signaling a rebirth for EA’s tactical shooter series, “Battlefield 6” brings the explosive action in full.
