Call of Duty has become a cultural phenomenon, setting an unbeatable standard for online arcade shooters over the last two decades. Throughout its storied history, the franchise has introduced a diverse array of maps that have hosted thousands of intense battles each season. We've compiled a list of the 30 best maps in the history of the franchise, taking you on a nostalgic journey through some of the most iconic battlegrounds in Call of Duty.
Table of Content ---
Payback (Black Ops 6, 2024)
Ocean Drive (Black Ops 6, 2024)
Crown Raceway (Modern Warfare II, 2022)
Moscow (Black Ops Cold War, 2020)
Farm 18 (Modern Warfare II, 2022)
Miami (Black Ops Cold War, 2020)
Ardennes Forest (WWII, 2017)
London Docks (WWII, 2017)
Turbine (Black Ops II, 2012)
Plaza (Black Ops II, 2012)
Overgrown (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2007)
Meltdown (Black Ops II, 2012)
Seaside (Black Ops 4, 2018)
Crossfire (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2007)
Karachi (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
Estate (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
Dome (Modern Warfare 3, 2011)
Favela (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
Express (Black Ops II, 2012)
Summit (Black Ops, 2010)
Highrise (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
Crash (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2007)
Standoff (Black Ops II, 2012)
Raid (Black Ops II, 2012)
Hijacked (Black Ops II, 2012)
Shipment (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2007)
Firing Range (Black Ops, 2010)
Terminal (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
Rust (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
Nuketown (Black Ops, 2010)
Payback (Black Ops 6, 2024)
Image: warzoneloadout.games
Set in a multi-level mansion nestled in the Bulgarian mountains, Payback is designed for tense firefights and varied gameplay. Despite its compact size, this map strikes a perfect balance for all playstyles. Its intricate architecture allows for both setting ambushes and skillfully evading them, often by simply jumping out of a window.
Ocean Drive (Black Ops 6, 2024)
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Inspired by iconic 80s action films, Ocean Drive features gunfights among luxurious hotels and flashy cars. The map's design, with its contrast between spacious streets and cramped interiors, makes it suitable for a variety of game modes, enhancing the excitement and strategic depth of each match.
Crown Raceway (Modern Warfare II, 2022)
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Crown Raceway offers a fast-paced battle setting among garages, stands, and pit-stop areas. As soon as the match begins, the environment transforms into a blood-soaked racetrack, with the sounds of racing cars adding to the intensity. The map's unique design and dynamic combat ensure that your kill/death ratio will eventually balance out, no matter your skill level.
Moscow (Black Ops Cold War, 2020)
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Set in Cold War-era Moscow, this map transports players to the heart of the Soviet capital. Battles unfold amidst massive concrete buildings, luxurious marble halls, and metro stations. The main fighting occurs in narrow alleys, on spacious boulevards, and inside government complexes, offering a perfect balance between tactical and aggressive play.
Farm 18 (Modern Warfare II, 2022)
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An abandoned military training base hidden deep in a dense forest, Farm 18 features a concrete training ground that turns into a real meat grinder once the match starts. Surrounding it are partially destroyed buildings, narrow corridors, and hidden paths, providing excellent opportunities for assault players.
Miami (Black Ops Cold War, 2020)
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With glowing neon signs reflected on wet asphalt, nightclubs, expensive cars, and palm trees, Miami plunges players into the atmosphere of the 1980s criminal underworld. The map combines narrow streets with wide boulevards, making it ideal for a variety of tactics and enhancing the immersive experience.
Ardennes Forest (WWII, 2017)
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Snowy forests, trenches, and blazing ruins create the atmosphere of a real warzone in Ardennes Forest. This map takes players to the heart of one of World War II's fiercest battles, notable for its well-thought-out symmetry and brutal combat. The snow-soaked landscape adds to the intensity, making every step potentially your last.
London Docks (WWII, 2017)
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Set in London during World War II, London Docks features dark alleys, wet cobblestones, and industrial architecture, creating a grim wartime atmosphere. The map's detailed design includes narrow alleys perfect for ambushes, spacious warehouses for active firefights, and docks that provide excellent vantage points for control.
Turbine (Black Ops II, 2012)
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A sprawling map across canyons, Turbine offers a mix of vertical gameplay, open spaces, and numerous hidden routes for tactical flanking. The center of the map, with its broken turbine, can serve as cover or become a trap where it's easy to get caught in crossfire, adding to the strategic depth.
Plaza (Black Ops II, 2012)
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Welcome to the vibrant neon world of Plaza, a futuristic metropolis where battles unfold among upscale clubs, glowing signs, and narrow alleys. The map's architecture is designed so that every corner can be potential cover, while stairs, balconies, and glass storefronts add variety to the gameplay, making it a dynamic battleground.
Overgrown (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2007)
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An overgrown abandoned village with ruined buildings and excellent sniper positions, Overgrown is perfect for players who love to camp. Elevated spots and watchtowers allow you to monitor enemy movement, making it one of the most tactical maps that supports both stealth and open engagements.
Meltdown (Black Ops II, 2012)
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Set on the grounds of a nuclear power plant, Meltdown features strategically important areas and multiple routes leading to them. The central zone, an enormous reactor complex with a maze of tunnels, is perfect for close combat and unexpected flanking attacks, adding a layer of complexity to the gameplay.
Seaside (Black Ops 4, 2018)
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A charming seaside town with cozy squares but dangerous alleyways, Seaside offers open areas for long-range shootouts and narrow lanes perfect for close quarters. An enemy could be lurking around any corner, so don't let the stunning views distract you from the intense battles.
Crossfire (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2007)
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Set in a city abandoned during an ongoing military conflict, Crossfire features a long street flanked by ruined buildings and sniper nests. You can engage in prolonged ranged battles or try to break through for close combat via side alleys, but only if you're truly skilled.
Karachi (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
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With dusty streets, abandoned buildings, and a chaotic layout, Karachi offers rooftops for ambushes and control over narrow alleys, while the lower levels provide cramped corridors and shadowy passages perfect for shotguns. The city ruins create an unpredictable landscape ideal for flanking maneuvers, requiring constant vigilance.
Estate (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
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A luxurious mansion perched on a hill overlooking a dense forest, Estate is memorable for its versatility. Inside, you can fortify your position and hold off enemies, while the outside forest offers plenty of trees for hiding and launching surprise attacks from cover.
Dome (Modern Warfare 3, 2011)
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Compact yet lethal, Dome is a ruined military base with an abandoned dome at its center. Battles here unfold at lightning speed, with hostile fire coming from any direction. It's perfect for aggressive play where reflexes, knowledge of cover, and timing your attacks are crucial.
Favela (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
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A densely built Brazilian slum district, Favela is where danger lurks around every corner. Narrow corridors, rooftops, and hidden passages make this map perfect for sudden ambush attacks, making it a favorite for players who prefer close-quarters combat with shotguns.
Express (Black Ops II, 2012)
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Get ready for rapid-fire shootouts on one of the busiest train platforms with Express. The moving train adds tension and can become a deadly trap for careless players. This dynamic battlefield requires strategy, speed, and smart use of cover to determine the winner.
Summit (Black Ops, 2010)
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A snowy mountain base with various routes and tight corridors, Summit requires caution everywhere, especially near the edge of a steep cliff above a bottomless abyss. Fighting takes place in both open areas and inside closed-off labs, adding to the map's strategic complexity.
Highrise (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
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Set atop a skyscraper, Highrise offers combat through cramped offices or open rooftop areas. It's famous for its hidden approaches that allow for sudden attacks and brutal sniper duels across the map, making it a favorite for players who enjoy vertical gameplay.
Crash (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2007)
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An urban map featuring three main lanes of combat, Crash offers numerous tactical possibilities with its ruined buildings and narrow alleyways. The crashed "Black Hawk" at the center evokes vivid memories for many players, adding a unique element to the map's design.
Standoff (Black Ops II, 2012)
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A classic little town with small buildings, Standoff is ideal for ambushes. You can fight in various styles, lying in wait from hidden routes or firing down from above. The cinematic feel of the map is enhanced by the need to reload in time to avoid being ambushed by an enemy around the corner.
Raid (Black Ops II, 2012)
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A modern mansion in Los Angeles with a pool, marble corridors, and open courtyards, Raid is superbly balanced for both close-quarters combat and longer-range shootouts. The high-paced action here is thrilling, regardless of players' skill levels, making it one of the best maps in the series.
Hijacked (Black Ops II, 2012)
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Set on a luxury yacht, Hijacked turns the deck, cabins, and every corridor into a battleground for fierce combat. Its small space and limited cover create maximum adrenaline, making it a favorite for players who thrive in intense, close-quarters battles.
Shipment (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 2007)
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A tiny, square map with chaotic firefights among shipping containers, Shipment is where you can easily rack up killstreaks or get killed in an instant. It's complete anarchy across three lanes but also a paradise for shotguns and close-range weapons, offering non-stop action.
Firing Range (Black Ops, 2010)
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A military training ground designed for mid-range battles, Firing Range offers multiple elevation levels, small buildings, and long open areas. There's something for every playstyle, making it an ideal map for any type of weapon and tactical approach.
Terminal (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
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An airport that blends spacious terminals, narrow corridors, and an open tarmac, Terminal allows for ambushes, control of vantage points, or close-quarters combat on the airplane. The key is to keep the enemy in your sights and not dash blindly toward your objective, ensuring a strategic and thrilling experience.
Rust (Modern Warfare 2, 2009)
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A miniature desert map with an oil rig in the center, Rust offers tight yet vertically oriented gameplay. Perfect for one-on-one duels and intense firefights, there's no time for second thoughts—combat starts the moment the match begins and continues until the last bullet.
Nuketown (Black Ops, 2010)
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This small yet incredibly dynamic map has become a true hallmark of the series. With two symmetrical streets, a couple of houses, and some backyards, Nuketown is an ideal battlefield for high-speed skirmishes. The limited space forces players to keep moving, remain alert, and have weapons ready at all times, with the added thrill of potentially ending up at ground zero of a nuclear explosion.
These 30 maps have been etched into the memories of millions of players, becoming Call of Duty classics. Each map offers something unique—be it frantic close-quarters action, tactical fights in open terrain, or a blend of both. No matter your preferred playstyle, you'll find the perfect location in this list.
