Call of Duty,by far, has been the most popular go-to military-based first-person shooter experience ever since 2003. Throughout that time, there has been a wide variety of campaigns that have taken the world of gaming by storm. Through each game’s campaign, the gaming community has been introduced to new and old characters. These characters have made lasting memories for gamers and have made theCall of Dutyfranchisesuccessful for twenty years.
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With the franchise still chugging along, it is time to look at the best campaign characters the series has witnessed. Below are some of the most memorable characters the entire franchise has ever produced.
Updated August 06, 2025 by Gregory Louis Gomez:The Call of Duty franchise is nearing its 20th anniversary, and over the course of its nearly two-decade run the series has seen a plethora of interesting characters, both player controlled or otherwise. Some characters are rightfully celebrated by the COD community while others have been unfairly forgotten despite how strongly written they are. With this in mind, we’ve seen fit to add a few more of the series' standout characters to the list. Some of them are more recent than others, but each one fulfills a pivotal role in the COD franchise that the series would be weaker without.
13Sergeant Roebuck (World At War)
Though he has essentially been forgotten by the collectiveCODcommunity, Roebuck serves as one of the series' best commanding officer characters due to how grounded he is. One of the central messages ofWorld at Waris that war is brutal and that it makes the men who wage it brutal in order to survive - men like Roebuck.
The caveat to this is that Roebuck, throughout the campaign, is often weary of the cost of doing his duty. He cares only about getting his fellow marines home safely even if it means sacrificing his own life. This places him in stark contrast to a character like Reznov, whose archetype is one of jingoistic enthusiasm. Roebuck represents the personal toll that war takes on servicemen.
12Ghost (Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 2019)
Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley, is a prominent and founding member of Task Force 141. Ghost is known for his intimidating iconic skull-patterned balaclava, headset, and dark red sunglasses. Fans were fascinated to see a man with no personality and no face but understood who he was right away.
Guided by Shepard after going through torture and finding out his family was killed, Ghost ultimately met his fate through Shepard in one of the most shocking and heartbreaking deaths in the history of the franchise in “Loose Ends.” In the end, Ghost went through so much and still was a badass people loved until his tragic death.
11Raul Menendez (Black Ops 2)
As amemorable villainof theCODfranchise, Menendez is a scary figure withinBlack Ops 2.His character is incredibly charismatic and well-developed, becoming a fan favorite right away. Menendez is known for his vigorous speeches, rage, and love for his sister, Josefina, who was killed by a grenade thrown by Frank Woods.
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From there, Menendez took it upon himself to make the life of Woods and David Mason a living hell, starting the “Cordis Die” faction that would overall start a revolution after Menendez’s death. Overall, Raul Menendez is one of the top villains of theCall of Dutyfranchise and was beloved right away by fans.
10Jason Hudson (Black Ops, Black Ops 2, Black Ops: Cold War)
Whether he’s voiced by Ed Harris orMichael Keaton, Jason Hudson is one of the mostBond-style charactersCODhas ever had. The guy just exudes a coolness factor that few characters have been able to match even years after his introduction in 2010’sCall of Duty: Black Ops.
He is the perfect embodiment of a CIA operative; cool under pressure and tactically proficient. He’s also not afraid to play dirty, even going so far as to torture Mason for information, although Hudson later admitted that he did not think him a traitor. He has a strong sense of loyalty and dedication towards his allies, even to the point of self-sacrifice.
9Viktor Reznov (World at War, Black Ops, Black Ops 2)
Both a major character inWorld at Warand theBlack Opsseries, Reznov was originally a Russian squad leader of the Red Army in World War II. He was well-known for allying himself with Alex Mason when escaping from Vorkuta but soon became an image in Mason’s mind. Reznov was a guardian angel-like hallucination, helping Mason combat the objectives the Russian experiment wanted him to do.
Instead, Reznov helped Mason pursue and kill those who had brainwashed him in the first place. Reznov became a big fan favorite during the Vorkuta uprising, mainly for his powerful speeches and knowledge of fighting for his freedom. At the same time, he was also another character that kept fighting for what he believed in.
8General Shepard (Modern Warfare 2)
Lieutenant General Shepard, the commander of the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Army Rangers, Task Force 141, and his own elite army known as Shadow Company inModern Warfare 2, was the mastermind behind thebiggest betrayal in franchise history. Going behind the back of his trusted men, Shepard was decorated as a war hero after his death at the end of the game.
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Not a fan-favorite among the community, however, Shepard was a man who wanted to get things done and did not stop at anything to get these things done as well. Using a .44 Magnum as his signature weapon, Shepard was a badass for wielding it around. However, players were shocked when Shepard turned hero to villain, killing two beloved characters at the same time.
7Jonathan Irons (Advanced Warfare)
When fans were introduced to Jonathan Irons, CEO of the Atlas Corporation, they saw another supporting character inAdvanced Warfare.However, when he was revealed as the main antagonist for the rest of the campaign, fans fell in love with or hated Irons. Played by Kevin Spacey, Irons was a powerful man that had the world in the palm of his hand.
Irons was a man that had control of everything and could not be stopped. However, it was one of the tragic deaths Irons faced at the end of the campaign. With Spacey’s portrayal, Irons was a fan favorite for his poetic speeches and strong voice.
6Alex Mason (Black Ops, Black Ops 2)
Having one of the more interesting storylines inCOD,Alex Mason played a big role in bothBlack Ops. Mason is known for being a big badass alongside Frank Woods, taking on practically everyone in Vietnam. Obviously, fans were attached to Mason just from the opening ofBlack Opswith the interrogation.
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Mason to many fans was a “Dempsey-like” figure who was just a boss in everything that he did. Even though he was a very puzzling character, he still found a way to gain fan love with his accomplishments.
5Russel Adler (Black Ops: Cold War)
Russell Adler can best be described as a snake. He’s the kind of guy who won’t let anything stand between him and the completion of his mission, even if it means using top-secret CIA mind control techniques on a person to brainwash them into serving his ends. Indeed, Bell is more of a victim of Adler’s methods than he is a brother in arms. Adler is, for all intents and purposes, the American equivalent of Dragovich.
Whereas Dragovich attempted to brainwash Mason into helping the Russians, Adler does the same to Bell for the Americans, and just like Dragovich, is the object of the player’s revenge at the end of the story (one of the endings at least). This moral ambiguity (if not outright amoral attitude), in combination with his hardened and mysterious exterior, all contribute towards making him one ofCall of Duty’sstandoutcampaign characters.
4Vladimir Makarov (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3)
The true antagonist of theModern Warfareseries, Makarov was a mastermind that was always steps ahead of Captain Price. Although Makarov was hated, he turned out to be one of the best characters and villains in all ofCOD. Creating all this anarchy and chaos around the world to make his true purpose known, Makarov was a man that could get everything accomplished and still have more hands to play if it came to that.
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He is best remembered for the controversial airport massacre mission inModern Warfare 2. But, at the end of the series, fans appreciated that Makarov took the protagonists to the limit and made them go out of their comfort zone to take him down.
