Highlights

• Crown Raceway, located in Southeast Asia, is a dynamic map that offers players a thrilling and action-packed experience. With its short range size, the map encourages close-quarters combat and fast-paced gunfights.
• Checkmate, set in Karlshorst, Berlin, is a map that combines historical significance with intense warfare. The map's layout features a mix of short and long-range combat, allowing players to adapt their playstyle accordingly.
• Express, set in a Los Angeles terminal for a High-Speed Rail, offers players varying engagements and strategic advantage points. The map's layout, resembling a half-crescent shape, adds an element of excitement and unpredictability to gameplay.

Call of Duty is probably the most famous first-person shooter video game franchise ever. Even if someone hasn't played it, they know exactly what this game is about, what it looks like, and why everyone loves it.

Fans of the franchise who have played most games know that some maps are more exciting than others. Put all the games in the Call of Duty series together, and people get a plethora of great maps, some gripping, and some a little disappointing. So for those marathon Call of Duty players, we have collected the best and most exciting maps in all Call of Duty games.

Updated on March 23, 2024, by Jake Fillery: For players looking for the best Call of Duty maps, look no further, as this list compiles some of the greatest across all Call of Duty games, allowing players to see just how the game has evolved, and how each map has a unique flair and level of detail to make it exciting and tense. The best COD maps of all time often range through different methods of combat, as well as intricate details to keep every match feeling different, whether it's the newest COD, or the latest, maps are integral to the multiplayer experience, and here's a grand amount of fan favorites from across the decades.

30 Octane

Call of Duty: Ghosts

• Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
• Map Size: Short & Medium Range Combat

"Sin City! Deal out some damage in this fast action shoot'em up."

Call of Duty: Ghosts is seen as one of the most underrated COD games, and the maps featured definitely deserve some recognition of greatness. Octane puts players deep into the Nevada desert, where they will face off within an abandoned town, filling empty streets and buildings with blood, bullets, and bodies as they face off in a multitude of high-energy game modes like Kill Confirmed.

There's some creativity here not seen in other maps, as players can blow up the EZEB gas station to create some extra cover, ruining a potential spot for snipers and other nesting players to lay. There is plenty of corner cover and obstacles in the way, allowing players to run cover-to-cover as they seek out targets, bringing intensity to the ongoing warfare.

29 Carentan

Call of Duty

• Location: Carentan, France
• Map Size: Short & Long Range Combat

"A small town in France, great short range combat with lots of cover and many flank routes."

A beloved classic to many, Carentan exists as one of the best Call of Duty maps. It's a map for veteran players, those who have been around since the very first game to remember how the maps used to be. Carentan has only ever been remade for modern consoles once thanks to WW2, and it still features in all its glory, begging the question as to why this well-designed small French town has not returned.

Players can experience several flank routes thanks to the many walls and buildings, tightly woven together to create a great espionage map for those who adore sprinting around looking for hostiles. The many buildings give plenty of opportunity for surprise attacks, or sniper nests, allowing players to navigate and fight their way throughout.

28 Cargo

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

• Location: Port of Singapore
• Map Size: Short & Medium Range Combat

"Port of Singapore. Good for close quarters engagements and verticality."

There are many reasons why Black Ops 2 is seen as one of the best COD games of all time, but part of that reason is the intricately designed maps found within this game and no others. It's strange that maps like Cargo have not been remade for future COD titles, especially when one considers the detail of the map itself, where a crane can often move shipping containers and change the layout somewhat, adding a sense of unpredictability to the combat.

The warzone of Cargo is always changing, and players can often fight with independence, whether they like hiding with shotguns inside small buildings or sniping from a prone position inside a shipping container, there's a lot going on in Cargo, as well as a lot of ways to die, as cargo containers can and will crush players underneath them.

27 USS Texas

Call of Duty: WW2

• Location: White Cliffs of Dover
• Map Size: Short & Long Range Combat

"Fight on a Battleship at sea near the White Cliffs of Dover."

The port and the starboard have never felt deadlier than on board the USS Texas, a giant battleship that calls players to action from either side. The ship itself is massive and often rocks due to the unpredictable waves of the water. Players can expect some long-range battles from snipers at either side of the map or intense close-quarter situations within the ship's interior.

It's a creative map, and remains a fan favorite, despite its lack of appearances over the franchise's history. Only appearing in two titles, USS Texas cements itself as one of the best for a good reason, that being the range of attack methods available and in a unique location within the waters.

26 Resistance

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2009)

• Location: Paris, France
• Map Size: Short & Medium Range Combat

"Parisian district. Great for Domination and Kill Confirmed."

Taking place on the streets of Paris, France, players will have an opportunity to get to Europe. The map can be all-out warfare, and the cinematic flair of seeing the Eiffel Tower in the distance visually makes Resistance a great map. The inclusion of multiple buildings, in which players can hold ground, watch for open spaces, and defend their point, makes for an intense playing ground when it comes to warfare.

This map is well-known and featured in Modern Warfare 3, and with its medium size, it leaves plenty of room for running and gunning. Players may find themselves battling in the busy streets, or closer to the buildings where they will find more cover. Due to the vehicles around the map, players can set death traps for their opponents, by exploding these vehicles.

25 Summit

Call of Duty: Black Ops

• Location: Mount Yamantau, Bashkortostan, USSR
• Map Size: Medium Range Combat

"Gondola is back in service... the peak awaits."

There’s a reason that Summit has appeared across multiple Black Ops titles. It’s one of the most well-known maps and one of the coldest due to the harsh winter climate. On a snowy mountain research facility, players can expect bullet fire from every angle of this highly engaging map. There’s a lot to explore within this map, including the unique use of the ski lift.

Players can run and jump into the ski lift, where although they may be a sitting duck, they are rather well disguised when prone, allowing them to pick off targets that run past, blissfully unaware. The map itself is mainly comprised of a large open section, with the array building being the main focus of combat, due to the ability to hide within the stairs and server points.

24 Shipment

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

• Location: Pripyat, Ukraine / London Gateway, England, United Kingdom / Honolulu, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii / International Waters, Atlantic Ocean
• Map Size: Short Range Combat

"Tiny Russian shipyard. Fast paced action with no hiding."

Another highly intense Call of Duty map that has returned across multiple games is Shipment. This is by far one of the smallest Call of Duty maps in Multiplayer, and the match will be over within minutes due to the randomness of the spawns, and the bizarre nature of this hectic map that features quick games, and fast-paced action with a complete lack of hiding and zone positioning.

Shipment has plenty of shipping crates for cover, but considering the map is a glorified box, players will have no way to save themselves from impending gunfire. Perhaps the most useful tip for Shipment is to just accept that death is inevitable within this map, and a shotgun in such close quarters is perhaps the best way to pick up quick kills for this frenzy of a map.

23 Firing Range

Call of Duty: Black Ops

• Location: Guantánamo Bay, Cuba
• Map Size: Short Range Combat

"Head back to the range, you know what to do."

A classic map from one of the best Call of Duty games, Firing Range will have players using opposing soldiers for practice rather than the cut-outs to target. There are many vantage points in Firing Range, as well as plenty of rooms that players can find themselves in. These vantage points will have players hiding in corners, staying in the high ground above the competition, and battling in competition from this military practice facility in Cuba.

The impact of Firing Range comes from the close-range and medium-range battles that players will find. There are plenty of buildings for cover. The fact that the map is fairly small means that players will spawn dangerously close to each other. With tight corners, players should watch out for explosive traps, as well as vicious competition from opposing forces.

22 Express

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2

• Location: Los Angeles, California
• Map Size: Medium & Long Range

"Los Angeles bullet train station. Good long to medium engagements up and down the bullet."

Players will find themselves within a Los Angeles terminal for a High-Speed Rail on the Express map. Express was one of the best maps from Black Ops 2, and one of the finest, most intense maps for game modes like Search and Destroy. Players can hide within the trains, or fight at medium and long-range distances once inside the train station. There are some intense gunfights waiting for players in Express.

The map layout for Express is like a half-crescent, and it makes for some exciting gameplay. Each match that takes place on Express will differ depending on the players, as there are many different ways to fight each other on Express. Whether it’s keeping the high ground, hiding in trains, or fighting from across train stations, Express is all about advantage and positioning.

21 Slums

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2

• Location: Panam City, Republic of Panama
• Map Size: Short to Long Range Combat

"Clock in, streets need another cleaning."

Another mighty map from Black Ops 2 is Slums, which takes place in Panama. This is one of the Black Ops franchise’s largest maps, and it deserves recognition for the different types of combat that players can enjoy. This map is for everyone, with plenty of space for close-range fights, medium-range fights, and long-range fights. However, maybe it’s best to avoid the center of the map, as the fountain is usually a hot spot for snipers and other marksman rifles that will surely take the head off the player.

The main spawn points for Slums have players on either side of the map, whether that’s near the laundry mat or the parking lot. These spawn points give players a few seconds to find each other, and perhaps throwing grenades across the map is a good point of combat for this one, since the size of the map can create some alarming and dangerous situations.

20 Checkmate

Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

• Location: Karlshorst, Berlin, East Germany
• Map Size: Short to Long Range Combat

"NATO special forces shutdown a hidden Perseus training facility, built to practice an assassination attempt against the POTUS."

A hidden Perseus training facility that used to act as a training ground for assassination attempts has now become an area where soldiers can train against each other. What makes Checkmate such a great map from Black Ops Cold War is the layout featuring tight corners and plenty of exciting covers to hide behind, with the focal point of the map being the plane in the center that can be used to hold ground against all sides.

Checkmate is a map for everyone, and players can either run around with a shotgun, take spots and hold ground with medium-range weapons, or keep to the high ground on the left side of the map with snipers. Checkmate deserves to come back in a future Call of Duty game for good reason.

19 Crown Raceway

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)

• Location: Southeast Asia
• Map Size: Short Range Combat

"Set on a racetrack infield, this small-sized map is the perfect place to get your motor running."

It is too early to definitively state which Modern Warfare 2 maps will stand the test of time. The title launched with 15 maps, including five Battle Maps, and overall the game offers quite a strong selection. If forced to select one standout map, it would have to be Crown Raceway.

Set around an F1 track, Crown Raceway makes creative use of its unique setting, allowing players to take advantage of the cars' noises to hide their movement. Densely packed and offering plenty of options for vertical positioning, Crown Raceway is an imaginative map and a great addition to Call of Duty's legacy.

18 Strike

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

• Location: Afghanistan / Urzikstan
• Map Size: Medium to Long Range Comabt

"Large urban desert town. Excellent team games."

This map looks like any other that people would expect from Call of Duty, but Strike has a nice flow to it. The points of defense are placed perfectly, everything is done intentionally and smoothly.

There are a few crucial choke points on the map, and those are designed beautifully with a ton of options for each type of player. With the trio of buildings, surrounded by open streets, this map serves as an intense gameplay experience with a lot of different opportunities.

17 Rust

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)

• Location: Site Hotel Bravo, Afghanistan
• Map Size: Short Range Combat

"Tiny desert sandstorm. Fast-paced action ona small map."

This is one of the best and most famous 1-vs-1 maps in the series. Although it's one of the simpler and smaller maps, Rust is loved for its unique layout. There's one main building, which, when conquered, can be the key to the game.

There are a lot of excellent covers, and it's a nostalgic map for any CoD fan. It's a timeless classic, and always fun to play, even after knowing the entire layout like the palm of the players' hands. It's known for incredibly fast-paced games, so the well-seasoned players have an advantage on these small grounds. But once a player has momentum, they have to act fast.

16 Raid

Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2

• Location: Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California
• Map Size: Short, Medium & Long Range Combat

Raid is a popular Call of Duty map, as the setting is unique. It takes place in a huge mansion that follows the three-lane setup very well, with the central courtyard, a swimming pool, and a roundabout on either side.

Chances are that players will be taken out by a sneaky sniper after just joining the game, but if they can avoid that, it's a great map for any type of player in the long run. It's fast-paced, very competitive, and has a great flow in the design.

15 Hackney Yard

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Map Size: Short & Medium Range Combat

"Hackney Yard is the locale where Al-Qatala forces planned their next attacks..."

Before the release of Shoot House, Hackney Yard was the oasis of Modern Warfare. Gunrunner was pretty great, and Azhir Cave has its fans, but amid all the controversy of that title's maps on launch, Hackney Yard was always there to save the day. There isn't anything too special about Hackney; its color palette is fairly bland, but that was intentional for 2019's aesthetic.

Ironically, it fits the bill as a pretty standard three-lane, but with the experimentation of 2019's maps falling flat, the comfortable familiarity of Hackney always kept it fun. Shoot House may be the best remembered by the MW2019 community, but Hackney Yard will always be there on a bad day just waiting to be the perfect pick-me-up.

14 Nuketown

Call Of Duty: Black Ops

• Location: Nuketown, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada
• Map Size: Short Range Combat

Some fans can be sick and tired of this map being everywhere, as it's featured in most games since the first Black Ops. But despite it being done to death, there's no denying that it's a great map. This picturesque neighborhood is one of the series's smallest maps but is fast-paced and action-filled.

It's not the best map for snipers, but they do have some great options to choose from. Nonetheless, teammates will be furious at that one player who insisted on being a sniper. People either love it or hate it. It has a very concrete style due to its size, there's not a lot to do. Just try to survive. Other than that, it's a very picturesque location.

13 Shoot House

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

• Location: Urzikstan / Las Almas, Mexico
• Map Size: Short Range Combat

"Situated in the jungles south of Las Almas, the Shoot House's new home was built for training cartel hired guns..."

Like Nuketown, Shoot House is a three-lane design that makes up for its format with some creativity and brilliant execution. It wouldn't be a stretch to call Shoot House Infinity Ward's take on the idea of a Nuketown map, as they have quite a bit in common that makes them both great to play on. The lanes are super defined, even more so on Shoot House as it doesn't share the openness of its cousin. On top of that, it has a second-floor area to be used as a power position. It even has a sight line that spans the entire center lane, perfect for farming mounted kills during the camo grind.

Every turn funnels players into chaotic action, making it a hectic alternative to the slower-paced and sentinel-ridden gameplay of Modern Warfare 2019. The game had some good maps at launch, but the full package came up below average. When Shoot House was added, the map was a breath of fresh air that revitalized the community in the game's favor.

12 Cliffside

Call of Duty: World At War

• Location: Okinawa, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
• Map Size: Medium to Long Range Combat

"Snipers get the advantage in the large Japanese cliffside jungle."

Being less rigid in its lanes, Cliffside has the bonus of using elevation as the key. While most maps prioritize a level playing field broken up by higher or lower paths, Cliffside throws that idea off of, well, a cliff. The entire map is set on a slope that gives one team an inherent height advantage that the other must contend with or steal by pushing up far enough to swap spawns. Cliffside excelled in objective modes like Domination or the World at War original War, putting that imbalance to good use.

The history of Cliffside wouldn't be complete without its iconic trick shots. Back when the CoD culture was dedicated to insane clips and over-the-top stunts, the bounce glitch was king. This was also a thing in Modern Warfare, but Cliffside's bounce spot revealed a very populated part of the map to exploit. It wasn't even that hard to pull off either, and seeing someone attempting a bounce shot on Cliffside was commonplace. Sadly, those glitches are patched as soon as they appear now, but they're always fun while they last, and Cliffside is evidence of that.

11 Jungle

Call of Duty: Black Ops

• Location: Vietnam, Southeast Asia
• Map Size: Long Range Combat

"Great vertical gameplay along a river valley in Vietnam."

Treyarch's maps generally follow a similar formula, but they differentiate themselves with unique presentations, labyrinthine passageways, or both. Jungle doesn't have the most striking visuals, nor does it take after the rat's nest mentality of some of its kin, but it does have a mountain placed right in the middle. Shotgun users beware, Jungle is a sniper's heaven in the most literal sense. Far more open than many of Treyarch's maps, Jungle stands apart from its contemporaries by channeling the elevation weirdness of Cliffside to great effect.

Jungle plays topography, setting the map on rolling hills or suspended bridges with the famous mountain in the middle providing a full view of nearly half the map. Putting claymores on the way up made it nearly impenetrable, too, making it a seriously advantageous spot. It also made anyone up there a target, forcing the enemy team to deal with them. The Jungle peak adds priorities to even basic modes like team deathmatch, allowing this map to always have a flow with something to do.