Call of Duty Beginner's Guide

New to Call of Duty in late 2026? Which game to play, what Modern Warfare 4 and Warzone offer, and the tips that help new players survive their first matches.

Updated 1 November 2026Checked for patch Modern Warfare 4 pre-Season 13 sources
Image: Call of Duty / YouTube

Call of Duty is Activision's blockbuster first-person shooter series. The newest game is Modern Warfare 4, made by Infinity Ward and set during a war on the Korean Peninsula. It has a campaign, competitive multiplayer and the extraction mode DMZ, and it ties into the free-to-play battle royale Call of Duty: Warzone. Season 1 starts on November 6, 2026, adding new maps – including Hajin and Zodiac in Warzone.

The basics

Modern Warfare 4 is the new gameOut October 23, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. It's a paid game and isn't on Game Pass until Holiday 2027.
Warzone is freeThe battle royale needs no purchase. It shares progression and weapons with the latest game.
SeasonsNew maps, weapons and a Battle Pass arrive each season. Modern Warfare 4's Season 1 starts on November 6, 2026.

Getting started, step by step

1. Play some campaignModern Warfare 4's six-hour story is the gentlest way to learn guns, movement and controls.
2. Run the training courseThe Proving Grounds teach movement with tutorials and timed courses.
3. Pick a simple modeTeam Deathmatch and Domination are the best places to learn maps.
4. Try DMZSolo, duos or trios against AI and players – extract to keep your loot.
5. Drop into WarzoneStart with Resurgence for quick matches, then move to Battle Royale.
6. Catch up on the seriesMore than 20 mainline games – see how they connect.

Tips that help everyone

Play the objectiveCaptures and plants earn more score – and XP – than chasing kills.
Level one weaponStick with one gun to unlock attachments; locked attachments now show their stats in Gunsmith.
Reload behind coverMost deaths happen mid-reload or in the open. Move between cover and check corners before you sprint.
Search and Destroy levels faster nowKill XP in S&D and Collateral was tripled in October 2026.
Clear your Overflow StashIn DMZ you can't deploy while items sit in your Overflow Stash.

Which older game?

Black Ops 7 (2025) is still online, but Treyarch has wrapped up its big updates. For new players, Modern Warfare 4 and Warzone are where the action is. Browse every game in order or watch the official trailers.

Our Call of Duty articles on this

Reference page written by AI (Claude) and checked against the sources above. Games change with every patch – the patch this page was last checked for is shown at the top.