History of Call of Duty in Timeline

Call of Duty is a popular first-person shooter military video game franchise published by Activision. Originating in 2003 and initially developed by Infinity Ward, development responsibilities expanded to include Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games. The franchise has seen numerous mainline entries, spin-offs, and handheld versions. The most recent release is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (October 2024), with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 scheduled for November 2025.

2007: Legal Issues Arise Between Infinity Ward and Activision

In 2007, as Infinity Ward's founders Jason West and Vince Zampella began contract negotiations with Activision to continue developing Call of Duty, legal issues arose. Ultimately, West and Zampella were forced out of Infinity Ward and subsequently formed Respawn Entertainment within Electronic Arts. They and several Infinity Ward staff members filed lawsuits against Activision related to unpaid royalties and bonuses.

March 30, 2010: CODE Donates Copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to U.S. Navy

On March 30, 2010, CODE donated 3,000 copies of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2", valued at approximately $180,000, to the U.S. Navy, which were distributed to over 300 ships and submarines, along with Navy Morale, Welfare, and Recreation facilities worldwide.

2017: AM General Sues Activision Over Humvee Use

In 2017, AM General, the manufacturer of the Humvee, sued Activision for using the Humvee in multiple Call of Duty games.

April 2020: Activision Wins Summary Judgement in Humvee Lawsuit

In April 2020, a federal district judge granted Activision a summary motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by AM General (the manufacturer of the Humvee) in 2017. The judge stated that the Humvee's use in Call of Duty games to provide military realism differed from AM General's trademark purpose of selling to the military.