The Call of Duty series has been around for 14 years now, and in that time it has grown into one of gaming’s biggest franchises. Activision’s marquee series began life as a comparatively humble PC-exclusive military shooter, and since then it has evolved into an annual blockbuster and spawned several popular sub-series.
This year’s installment, Call of Duty: WWII, turns back the clock for the franchise in some notable ways. Activision has touted the game as a return to the series’ roots, eschewing the more futuristic setting and weaponry of Black Ops III and Infinite Warfare for the familiar territory of the second World War, which served as the backdrop for the series’ earliest installments.
For longtime fans, Call of Duty’s return to WWII marks a sort of homecoming, since it has been such an integral component of the series since the beginning. In the video above, we explore Call of Duty’s long history with WWII, from its inception as a “Medal of Honor killer” to its breakthrough on consoles with Call of Duty 2 and beyond.
Call of Duty: WWII is available now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The game was well-received by critics. GameSpot’s Miguel Concepcion awarded it a 9/10 in our Call of Duty: WWII review and said it “successfully capitalizes on the series’ strengths.”