Call of Duty, by far, has been the most popular go-to military-based first-person shooter experience ever since 2003. Throughout that time, there has been a wide variety of campaigns that have taken the world of gaming by storm. Through each game’s campaign, the gaming community has been introduced to new and old characters. These characters have made lasting memories for gamers and have made the Call of Duty franchise successful for twenty years.
With the franchise still chugging along, it is time to look at the best campaign characters the series has witnessed. Below are some of the most memorable characters the entire franchise has ever produced.
Updated January 27, 2023 by Gregory Louis Gomez: The Call of Duty franchise is nearing its 20th anniversary, and over the course of its nearly two-decade run the series has seen a plethora of interesting characters, both player controlled or otherwise. Some characters are rightfully celebrated by the COD community while others have been unfairly forgotten despite how strongly written they are. With this in mind, we've seen fit to add a few more of the series' standout characters to the list. Some of them are more recent than others, but each one fulfills a pivotal role in the COD franchise that the series would be weaker without.
13 Sergeant Roebuck (World At War)
Though he has essentially been forgotten by the collective COD community, Roebuck serves as one of the series' best commanding officer characters due to how grounded he is. One of the central messages of World at War is that war is brutal and that it makes the men who wage it brutal in order to survive - men like Roebuck.
The caveat to this is that Roebuck, throughout the campaign, is often weary of the cost of doing his duty. He cares only about getting his fellow marines home safely even if it means sacrificing his own life. This places him in stark contrast to a character like Reznov, whose archetype is one of jingoistic enthusiasm. Roebuck represents the personal toll that war takes on servicemen.
12 Ghost (Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 2019)
Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley, is a prominent and founding member of Task Force 141. Ghost is known for his intimidating iconic skull-patterned balaclava, headset, and dark red sunglasses. Fans were fascinated to see a man with no personality and no face but understood who he was right away.
Guided by Shepard after going through torture and finding out his family was killed, Ghost ultimately met his fate through Shepard in one of the most shocking and heartbreaking deaths in the history of the franchise in "Loose Ends." In the end, Ghost went through so much and still was a badass people loved until his tragic death.
11 Raul Menendez (Black Ops 2)
As a memorable villain of the COD franchise, Menendez is a scary figure within Black Ops 2. His character is incredibly charismatic and well-developed, becoming a fan favorite right away. Menendez is known for his vigorous speeches, rage, and love for his sister, Josefina, who was killed by a grenade thrown by Frank Woods.
From there, Menendez took it upon himself to make the life of Woods and David Mason a living hell, starting the "Cordis Die" faction that would overall start a revolution after Menendez’s death. Overall, Raul Menendez is one of the top villains of the Call of Duty franchise and was beloved right away by fans.
10 Jason Hudson (Black Ops, Black Ops 2, Black Ops: Cold War)
Whether he's voiced by Ed Harris or Michael Keaton, Jason Hudson is one of the most Bond-style characters COD has ever had. The guy just exudes a coolness factor that few characters have been able to match even years after his introduction in 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops.
He is the perfect embodiment of a CIA operative; cool under pressure and tactically proficient. He's also not afraid to play dirty, even going so far as to torture Mason for information, although Hudson later admitted that he did not think him a traitor. He has a strong sense of loyalty and dedication towards his allies, even to the point of self-sacrifice.
9 Viktor Reznov (World at War, Black Ops, Black Ops 2)
Both a major character in World at War and the Black Ops series, Reznov was originally a Russian squad leader of the Red Army in World War II. He was well-known for allying himself with Alex Mason when escaping from Vorkuta but soon became an image in Mason’s mind. Reznov was a guardian angel-like hallucination, helping Mason combat the objectives the Russian experiment wanted him to do.
Instead, Reznov helped Mason pursue and kill those who had brainwashed him in the first place. Reznov became a big fan favorite during the Vorkuta uprising, mainly for his powerful speeches and knowledge of fighting for his freedom. At the same time, he was also another character that kept fighting for what he believed in.
8 General Shepard (Modern Warfare 2)
Lieutenant General Shepard, the commander of the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Army Rangers, Task Force 141, and his own elite army known as Shadow Company in Modern Warfare 2, was the mastermind behind the biggest betrayal in franchise history. Going behind the back of his trusted men, Shepard was decorated as a war hero after his death at the end of the game.
Not a fan-favorite among the community, however, Shepard was a man who wanted to get things done and did not stop at anything to get these things done as well. Using a .44 Magnum as his signature weapon, Shepard was a badass for wielding it around. However, players were shocked when Shepard turned hero to villain, killing two beloved characters at the same time.
7 Jonathan Irons (Advanced Warfare)
When fans were introduced to Jonathan Irons, CEO of the Atlas Corporation, they saw another supporting character in Advanced Warfare. However, when he was revealed as the main antagonist for the rest of the campaign, fans fell in love with or hated Irons. Played by Kevin Spacey, Irons was a powerful man that had the world in the palm of his hand.
Irons was a man that had control of everything and could not be stopped. However, it was one of the tragic deaths Irons faced at the end of the campaign. With Spacey's portrayal, Irons was a fan favorite for his poetic speeches and strong voice.
6 Alex Mason (Black Ops, Black Ops 2)
Having one of the more interesting storylines in COD, Alex Mason played a big role in both Black Ops. Mason is known for being a big badass alongside Frank Woods, taking on practically everyone in Vietnam. Obviously, fans were attached to Mason just from the opening of Black Ops with the interrogation.
Mason to many fans was a “Dempsey-like” figure who was just a boss in everything that he did. Even though he was a very puzzling character, he still found a way to gain fan love with his accomplishments.
5 Russel Adler (Black Ops: Cold War)
Russell Adler can best be described as a snake. He's the kind of guy who won't let anything stand between him and the completion of his mission, even if it means using top-secret CIA mind control techniques on a person in order to brainwash them into serving his ends. Indeed, Bell is more of a victim of Adler's methods than he is a brother in arms. Adler is, for all intents and purposes, the American equivalent of Dragovich.
Whereas Dragovich attempted to brainwash Mason into helping the Russians, Adler does the same to Bell for the Americans, and just like Dragovich, is the object of the player's revenge at the end of the story (one of the endings at least). This moral ambiguity (if not outright amoral attitude), in combination with his hardened and mysterious exterior, all contribute towards making him one of Call of Duty's standout campaign characters.
4 Vladimir Makarov (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3)
The true antagonist of the Modern Warfare series, Makarov was a mastermind that was always steps ahead of Captain Price. Although Makarov was hated, he turned out to be one of the best characters and villains in all of COD. Creating all this anarchy and chaos around the world to make his true purpose known, Makarov was a man that could get everything accomplished and still have more hands to play if it came to that.
He is best remembered for the controversial airport massacre mission in Modern Warfare 2. But, at the end of the series, fans appreciated that Makarov took the protagonists to the limit and made them go out of their comfort zone to take him down.
3 Frank Woods (Black Op, Black Ops 2, Black Ops 4)
Now, Frank Woods is the biggest badass in the whole Call of Duty franchise, a very fun supporting character besides Alex Mason. Throughout the Black Ops series, Woods developed his character in many different ways. He adjusted to his situation with Mason as well as helping his son, David, in Black Ops 2 against Raul Menendez. Woods knows how to get the job done in any way possible, appreciated by the gaming universe which made him a popular character within the Call of Duty universe.
Woods did not respect high-ranking officials yet still had a fond relationship with others during his time in Vietnam. Fans loved Woods from the beginning, making him a fan favorite within the Black Ops series.
2 Captain "Soap" MacTavish (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, Modern Warfare 2019)
Captain MacTavish, AKA "Soap," was one of the more beloved characters in the COD franchise. He was the original protagonist, alongside Captain Price, Mactavish was the first person fans met in MW2. From there, MacTavish became an icon, playing huge roles in some of the best missions in the Modern Warfare trilogy, including the ultimate knife throw kill on General Shepard at the end of the Modern Warfare 2 campaign.
Captain MacTavish is another bonafide boss, always confident and wasting no time taking out his enemies. It was sad to watch him die in MW3, as one of the best protagonists in the whole franchise.
1 Captain John Price (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, Modern Warfare 2019)
The other best protagonist in Call of Duty happens to be the man, the myth, the legend, Captain Price. The face of the Modern Warfare trilogy and now Modern Warfare 2019, Captain Price is the best in the whole franchise, submitting his “legendary” status right out of the game with his opening line, “What the hell kind of name is Soap, eh?”. His obsession with Makarov led him to do many things throughout the trilogy up until he got his man.
Some fans believe that Captain Price is the face of COD, and is the best campaign character that has ever been created. His popularity grew exponentially throughout the years and fans were happy to see him return in Modern Warfare. As the true hero of the Call of Duty franchise, he did everything to get the job done.