There may not be a Call of Duty open-world game just yet, but these titles come close to what fans would want to see from one.
Call of Duty has been a staple in video games since the first game launched in 2003 on the PC. Medal of Honor was still the biggest military franchise on consoles at the time, until a version of Call of Duty 2 launched alongside the Xbox 360 in 2005, which changed everything. It is now the premier shooter that both gamers and non-gamers like to play on a yearly basis.
The Call of Duty series is now over two decades old, and yet it has never had an open-world entry. There are certainly titles with more open areas or open-ended gameplay, like Call of Duty: Warzone, but no true open-world game exists in the franchise. While not exact matches, these games either feature stellar first-person shooting or military experiences that blur the line between fact and fiction, and they’re about as close as players can get to a true open-world CoD game.
Halo Infinite
Before Call of Duty, the Halo series was the premier first-person shooter franchise on consoles. Halo Infinite is one step ahead again, as it is an open-world game featuring the same gripping gameplay as the series’ other titles. Master Chief can switch between dozens of alien and human weapons, blasting away foes with ease. There are vehicles to commandeer too, from Ghosts to Warthogs, making traversal simple.
Another big gimmick is Master Chief’s grappling hook, which helps players scale big cliffs more easily. It may not be a traditional open-world game with big cities, diverse NPCs offering quests, and cool spots to explore, but for Call of Duty fans, it will suffice. After all, the shooting is superb in Halo Infinite, and that’s all that really matters for shooter fans. Plus, Master Chief is a gaming icon, which has its own appeal.
Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is less of an open-world game with one expansive planet and more like an open-galaxy game. There are hub areas where players can visit shops and accept quests from NPCs, but missions will send players all over the galaxy. Taking on a mission, Strike, Raid, or anything else will send players to specific locations on a planet for a more linear experience akin to most shooters.
