How to Play Call of Duty Black Ops Games In Order

Here’s how to play Treyarch’s popular Black Ops franchise in both chronological order and by order of release!

Call of Duty has become a staple of the gaming industry, with annual releases often topping the best-seller charts. But with a new COD coming out each year, it’s easy for casual fans to fall behind.

Now that Treyarch is releasing Black Ops 6, it feels like a good time to remind fans how exactly they can get into the franchise.

Which Order to Play Black Ops In

There are two main ways to experience the Call of Duty: Black Ops franchise.

Fans could choose to play the games in chronological order, which would be the quickest way to get ready for Black Ops 6.

Alternatively, you may prefer to play the Black Ops series in release order, starting from the original Black Ops and working your way through almost a decade and a half of releases.

There’s no wrong way to experience Treyarch’s acclaimed Call of Duty series, so feel free to pick from either of the two orders, which we’ll break down for you below:

How to Play Black Ops in Chronological Order

1. Call of Duty: World at War (Optional): 1941-1945

Starting with World at War is completely optional, as it’s not technically a Black Ops title, but Treyarch’s popular franchise does take place in the same universe as the studio’s prior WW2 game.

One important character from Black Ops 1, Viktor Reznov, features in World at War’s Campaign, but you’re not missing out on much by recognizing him.

Still, if you want to experience everything Black Ops has to offer, this is a fun prequel to play through.

2. Call of Duty: Black Ops: 1961-1968

The original Black Ops is the best place for most fans to jump into the series. Although the game is now fourteen years old, it’s still extremely relevant to the plot of modern titles.

Here, fans are introduced to the likes of Alex Mason and Frank Woods, as well as long-running themes such as soviet brainwashing.

3. Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified: 1975-1979

Black Ops: Declassified is a PS Vita exclusive release that bridges the gap between Black Ops 1 and 2, much like the more recent Black Ops Cold War.

While not necessary to understand future games, the game’s story missions set up the villain of Black Ops 2: Raul Menendez, and gave us another chance to play as some of our favorite characters from the original cast.

However, unlike the crowd-pleasing home console releases, Declassified received negative reviews at launch due to poor enemy AI, glitches, and multiplayer issues.

4. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War: 1981

Black Ops Cold War is the most recent series entry prior to Black Ops 6, yet it’s actually a direct sequel to the original Black Ops.

Heading back to the 1980s, Cold War takes place between Black Ops 1 and 2, introducing new faces such as Russell Adler, who is an important character to know ahead of his return in Black Ops 6.

5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Early Timeline: 1986-1989

Here, things get a little complicated, as Black Ops 2 actually takes place across two different timelines.

Its early timeline is set in the late 1980s, after the events of Cold War but immediately before Black Ops 6.

If you’d prefer a recap of the events of Black Ops 2, instead of playing half a game, here’s our breakdown of all the story you’ve missed ahead of Black Ops 6.

6. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6: 1990

If you were simply hoping to play everything necessary before the release of Black Ops 6, your journey is now complete!

Black Ops 6 takes place in the early 1990s, where a series of world leaders have been lying to the public by hiding a war that continues to rage on in the shadows.

With the tagline ‘The Truth Lies,’ the story is bound to take some unexpected twists and turns.

7. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Later Timeline: 2025

Here’s where the second Black Ops 2 timeline comes into play. Set in 2025, the latter half of the Campaign deals with the fallout of the catastrophic events that took place in the late 80s.

It’s currently unclear whether these later events are considered canon for the current Black Ops story.

Presumably, they still remain canon; however, now that Modern Warfare’s Imran Zakhaev has appeared in both game universes, Activision may prefer Infinity Ward’s take on 2025.

8. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Optional): 2040s

This is technically another optional game, as Black Ops 4 controversially neglected to include a story mode.

Instead, the game, which canonically is set in the 2040s, launched with only Multiplayer, Zombies, and Blackout – Activision’s first attempt at a Call of Duty Battle Royale.

For those who care about the story, Black Ops 4 can be safely skipped.

9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3: 2065-2070

Finally, the most futuristic of all the Black Ops games is the series’ third installment.

Set 40 years after the events of Black Ops 2, the game takes place during a third Cold War in a world that has seen tremendous technological advancement.

Where Black Ops 3 truly shines is in its incredible Zombies mode, with many players still playing the undead survival mode to this day.

We’ve seen players hoping that Black Ops 6 could follow in its footsteps with Zombies Chronicles 2 – and we couldn’t agree more!

How to Play Black Ops in Release Order

When it comes to playing the games in release order, things are much simpler.

After all, this is the order in which longtime Call of Duty players experienced the series in the first place:

Regardless of which way you choose to experience Treyarch’s excellent lineup of games, you’ll soon be ready to take on Black Ops 6.

The upcoming game is set to launch on October 25, 2024, but you can get access to the Black Ops 6 Beta here to play earlier!