Call of Duty is a game I have played for a long long time. The First COD game I ever played was Call of Duty Big Red One for the Xbox. I loved Halo and I loved Medal of Honor growing up, so getting into COD just made sense. Much like the general population I didn’t get into COD multiplayer until 2007 with Call of Duty 4. Aside from Halo 3, it was the first multiplayer game I really remember grinding. Call of Duty 4 was the beginning of modern call of duty is. Multiplayer focused gameplay and hopping on with the boys, screaming at the TV all night because you just need one more win before you get off. It was the first time multiplayer gaming like this was at the forefront of my life. Everything else up to that point had been playing games on the same screen in the same house with my brothers or going over to a friends place to play what they had. Call of Duty 4 held my attention for a long time, well, that was until Call of Duty World at War came out the following year. I was thrilled, I loved COD 4, so not having to wait a long time was GREAT for me. But herein lies the problem. Too much of the same thing, no matter how good can start to wear out its welcome. COD after COD, year after year, I kept buying the games. I think the first COD I didn’t get at launch was MW3. Back then I told myself that I would only play zombies since I fell in love with it ever since it premiered in WaW all the way through Black Ops 6. But that wouldn’t be how went for me. I have ended up with every COD game one way or the other. Whether it was obtaining it through a cheap sale at a gamestop or online, or buying it new, at one point or another I have owned every single Call of Duty game that has ever released.
What makes me compare COD to fast food? Well, it’s ease of access. It’s knowing what you’re getting. It’s the game not having any fundamental/hug changes in years. Let’s talk ease of access. Most towns have a McDonald’s, a Subway, a BK, Wendy’s etc. No matter what type you want, it’s usually just a short drive away. COD has become just about the same thing. Whether you wanna jump into Black Ops 2, or Black Ops 6 you can find a match. Craving some good ole COD 4? You can find a game. Wanna play some COD Ghosts? No you don’t, but you get the idea. In all honesty I find it really cool that almost every single COD game has their own player base. Some, like BO2 (at least on PC) may require some mods or other means to find some online games, but fire that bad boy up on a PS3 or a 360 and you’re able to find something. Fast food, in my opinion is just like this, it’s pretty much always right there, but just like it might take a little more effort to find a game in one of the older COD games, you may have to drive a little further to get Wendy’s instead of McDonald’s.
When it comes to Call of Duty you know what you’re getting, just like you know what you’re getting when it comes to that McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger. The Call of Duty games have become such a polished experience that from a regular gameplay loop, you know what you’re getting, you’re getting mostly the same gamemodes, weapon types, maps, and customization. There have been ups and downs throughout the years of course. But for the most part if you played Call of Duty 4 back in the day and hopped onto Modern Warfare 2019 you really wouldn’t be that out of place. And that is NOT a bad thing. People like what’s familiar, I do too, and that’s why I think COD is just like the fast food of gaming.