Since 2003, Call of Duty has been a franchise synonymous with first-person shooters. Countless tropes and gameplay features from the series have laid the groundwork for the genre, from the HUD display to the shooting mechanics to the kill streaks. First-person shooters would look immensely different without COD. Even those who have not played the game understand that the the series has left a monumental impact.
The franchise has largely stuck to its roots and kept many of the original gameplay mechanics in play for the latter entries. However, the series has also ditched a select amount of tropes that fans of the classic first games might recall. Here are some of the clearest examples.
7 No Scoping
No scoping still exists in Call of Duty, of course, but the days of "360 no scoping" an opponent from across the map are thinning. The more cartoonish mechanics of the early games ensured that proper placement of a sniper rifle shot could devastate and infuriate enemy players. Getting the no scope for the final kill cam became the stuff of legends. Perfect kills were compiled in YouTube videos, featuring dozens of screaming players in awe of the feat.
As the series has become more realistic in terms of shooting gameplay, no scoping has only gotten harder. However, that is not to say no players are capable of pulling off the move — it just takes a bit more skill and practice.
6 World War II
World War II has been the go-to setting for first-person shooters since the early days of Wolfenstein. Especially in the 2000s, the European Theater was the quintessential battlefield for players to duke it out. The first three Call of Duty games were all in set in a WWII backdrop, featuring everything from desert warfare in tanks to bunker firefights in occupied France.
The franchise recently returned to its roots with Call of Duty: WW2 which was a major event for the series. However, the days of every game being set during the war are long gone. That trope disappeared with the inclusion of Modern Warfare.
5 Grenade Spamming
This is another trope that still exists in some format, but has largely been toned down with the changes to map designs and shooting mechanics. In the early days of COD, spawning and instantly getting blown up by a grenade was all too common. Nothing was more annoying than meeting a quick end in this way; likewise, nothing was more satisfying than finding the right cluster of enemies spawning and multi-killing them all with a well placed grenade.
Maps are more spread out in recent games and it has become much more difficult to spam grenades right off the bat. While handheld explosives are still present, they're not as overpowered anymore.
4 Health Bars
In the very early days of the series, the health was not regenerative. This meant that players had to refill their health gauge with kits found around the map. This feature shows just how far the franchise dates back, considering that health bars in first-person shooter games are largely associated with old-school classics.
The regenerative health feature is more forgiving, while the static health bar mechanic could be brutal and downright difficult. Players have an easier time surviving with the modern system.
3 PC Emphasis
COD is not known for console or PC exclusivity these days, but when it first hit the shelves, the game was PC only. As it grew in popularity, though, so did the need for it to be multi-platform.
The series adapted quickly, and featured the second game on consoles as well as computers. Although some old-school aficionados still prefer the early days when COD was just another WWII multiplayer shooter, other fans appreciate the franchise's growth.
2 Spin-Offs
Another classic component of the COD franchise that no longer plays a part in the current series, spin-offs were common place for console and handheld exclusives. Considering the PC origins of the series, a medley of spin-offs, largely set during WW II, were issued to appease the non-PC gamers of the day.
Still, the series adapted. It wasn't long before there wasn't a need for spin-offs at all, as the games spread to other platforms.
1 Training Missions
This classic trope is missing from a lot of video game franchises these days, not just COD. The training mission was a substantial, albeit a bit oversimplified, way to introduce the player to the shooting mechanics and controls of the game.
For that reason, the first missions of each game have changed with time. Now, they largely serve as exposition for the plot, while easing the player into the structure of the game. Video game designers can assume that most players understand how to aim and shoot guns at this point. As games are ever evolving, will be exciting to see what tropes and features currently used in the series will become obsolete in the new few years and which remain.