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Play the reboot campaigns in release and story order: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Modern Warfare II (2022), then Modern Warfare III (2023). Activision describes Modern Warfare II as an indirect continuation of the 2019 story and Modern Warfare III as its direct sequel. Choose Modern Warfare III first only if its Open Combat mission format matters more to you than following the narrative from the beginning.
The recommended order for the reboot story
The reboot is a three-game narrative, not a replacement name for the original Modern Warfare trilogy. For a new player, the clearest route is:
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)
This order follows how the campaigns establish and continue their shared setting. The 2019 game introduces the reboot’s version of its special-forces world. The 2022 campaign moves that story forward as an indirect continuation, and the 2023 campaign follows it directly. Playing in another order will not erase the missions, but it can make character relationships, organizations and references arrive without their setup.
There is no separate prequel in this reboot that you need to place ahead of 2019. The year in each title is therefore the simplest way to identify the intended sequence. If a store or console library lists several games with nearly identical names, use the release year rather than the position of the title in a search result.
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What each campaign is about
Modern Warfare (2019): start of the reboot
The 2019 campaign is the foundation of this continuity. Its central conflict involves special forces and freedom fighters trying to recover stolen chemical weapons in Europe and the Middle East. That premise establishes the geopolitical setting and the groups that later games build upon.
It is the strongest first choice for someone who wants the reboot as a continuous story because there is no earlier reboot campaign to understand. The year in the title is important: this is not the similarly named 2007 game or any other entry in the original trilogy.
Starting here also gives you the cleanest introduction to the reboot’s terminology and organizations. Later campaigns can then refer back to the world, alliances and Task Force 141 context without requiring you to reconstruct the opening conflict from flashbacks or summaries.
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Activision’s October 18, 2022 launch overview calls this campaign “an indirect continuation” of the 2019 story. It takes place three years after Task Force 141’s original formation, giving the sequel a time jump while retaining the reboot’s narrative context.
The setup involves the successor of a foreign general, an international cartel and stolen U.S. ballistic missiles. The campaign also frames its conflict around a revenge-driven alliance. Those elements make more sense after the first game has introduced the reboot’s world and the role of Task Force 141.
“Indirect continuation” does not mean an unrelated anthology. It signals that the story advances from the earlier game while moving into a new crisis and a later point in the team’s history. If you begin with 2022, you can follow the immediate plot, but you will encounter the setting after its initial foundation has already been laid.
Modern Warfare III (2023): the direct sequel
The 2023 campaign is explicitly described in Call of Duty’s August 22, 2023 announcement as the direct sequel to the events of Modern Warfare II. It therefore belongs after the 2022 campaign, even if a particular mission type appeals to you more than the earlier games’ formats.
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Its campaign combines traditional cinematic missions with Open Combat Missions. The official description presents Open Combat Missions as allowing varied approaches, so players can expect more choice in how they tackle those specific scenarios alongside the series’ more directed set pieces.
This makes Modern Warfare III a useful preference-based entry, but not a better starting point for narrative newcomers. Its open-ended structure changes how some missions are approached; it does not change the fact that the campaign follows the events of Modern Warfare II.
Campaigns compared at a glance
| Game | Story position | Officially established premise or structure | Best reason to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modern Warfare (2019) | Beginning of the reboot | Special forces and freedom fighters seek stolen chemical weapons in Europe and the Middle East. | It gives a newcomer the reboot’s starting point. |
| Modern Warfare II (2022) | Second campaign | Indirect continuation set three years after Task Force 141’s formation; its setup includes a foreign general’s successor, an international cartel and stolen U.S. ballistic missiles. | It continues Task Force 141’s developing story. |
| Modern Warfare III (2023) | Third campaign | Direct sequel to Modern Warfare II; mixes cinematic missions with Open Combat Missions. | It suits players most interested in open-ended mission approaches while following the story onward. |
The table separates two questions that are easy to mix up: where a game sits in the story and what its missions feel like. The chronological answer is fixed by the continuity statements. The format preference is personal, with Modern Warfare III standing out because its official campaign material specifically names Open Combat Missions and varied approaches.
Why chronological play is the safest choice
It preserves the setup and payoff
The 2019 campaign supplies the reboot’s initial conflict and context. The 2022 game assumes that context while moving the timeline forward, and the 2023 game assumes the events of its immediate predecessor. This progression is why chronological play is the general recommendation rather than choosing by the newest release.
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It avoids title confusion
Several games share the Modern Warfare name. The original trilogy and the reboot use related terminology but are separate continuities. Always check the release year when selecting a campaign: 2019, 2022 and 2023 are the reboot entries discussed here. A store page or library list that displays only “Modern Warfare” can otherwise lead you to the wrong game.
It makes the time jump legible
Modern Warfare II is set three years after Task Force 141’s formation. That detail describes the reboot’s internal timeline, not three years after the 2019 game’s release. Starting with the 2019 campaign lets you encounter the formation and early context before the sequel’s time jump.
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Choose by the kind of campaign you want
If you want the complete narrative
Start with Modern Warfare (2019), continue to Modern Warfare II (2022), and end with Modern Warfare III (2023). This is the only option that follows the reboot’s progression from its opening premise through the direct sequel.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf you mainly want Open Combat Missions
Open Combat Missions are the defining structural distinction called out in the official Modern Warfare III campaign material. They sit alongside traditional cinematic missions and support varied approaches. If that flexibility is your priority, Modern Warfare III is the relevant entry. It is still the third story chapter, so playing it first means accepting that earlier events and relationships will be encountered out of sequence.
Choosing it first is therefore a format-first decision, not a recommended story order. You can get the newer mission structure immediately, then return to 2019 and 2022 for the preceding narrative, but that reverse route gives up the gradual introduction and continuation that chronological play provides.
If you want to understand the 2022 campaign’s context
Play the 2019 campaign before Modern Warfare II. The sequel is an indirect continuation, not a wholly disconnected anthology. Its missile, cartel and revenge-related setup is designed within the reboot world established by the earlier game.
If you are choosing only one game for now
Choose Modern Warfare (2019) if your priority is understanding the reboot from its beginning. Choose Modern Warfare II only if you already know the 2019 story or specifically want its later crisis. Choose Modern Warfare III when Open Combat Missions and varied approaches outweigh the benefit of starting at the narrative beginning. None of these choices establishes that one campaign is shortest, easiest or objectively best; the decision is about continuity or mission structure.
A practical play-through plan
- Verify the year before installing. Select the 2019, 2022 or 2023 reboot entry rather than an older game with the same subtitle.
- Complete the 2019 campaign first. Treat its chemical-weapons recovery conflict as the introduction to this continuity.
- Move to the 2022 campaign. It follows the earlier setting indirectly and introduces the later Task Force 141 situation, including the stolen ballistic-missile threat.
- Finish with the 2023 campaign. Because it directly follows Modern Warfare II, it is the natural final chapter of this three-game sequence.
- Use Open Combat Missions as a preference decision, not an order rule. Their varied-approach design can influence which game you are most eager to play, but it does not change the story sequence.
If you pause between games, note the year and title before returning. That small habit prevents accidentally launching an older trilogy entry or a similarly named product and assuming it is the next reboot chapter.
Platforms, editions and cost checks
Activision’s official Modern Warfare page lists PlayStation, Xbox and PC platform families. That broad listing does not verify the exact edition, current store availability, regional compatibility or the contents of a particular marketplace listing. Before buying or downloading, open the product page for your platform and confirm that it contains the campaign you intend to play.
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- Check the release year in the product title.
- Confirm that campaign access is included rather than a multiplayer-only or add-on product.
- Check the platform generation and account requirements shown by your regional store.
- For a used or physical copy, verify that the disc or code matches the intended platform and edition.
- Compare the listed price at your chosen storefront; no single current price applies across regions, editions or formats.
Those checks matter especially because the three reboot games have similar names and may appear beside older Modern Warfare products. A platform-family listing confirms supported ecosystems, not the price, stock status or exact contents of the copy you are considering.
What the official descriptions establish—and what they do not
The official campaign descriptions establish the relationship between the three reboot stories, their broad premises and the mission-structure distinction in Modern Warfare III. They do not establish which campaign is shortest, easiest, best reviewed or universally most satisfying. Those are subjective or separately measured questions, so there is no evidence-based ranking for them here.
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Likewise, a platform-family listing is not a guarantee that every current edition is sold everywhere. Availability, pricing and compatibility can vary by region, storefront and edition. Treat the individual product listing as the final authority for those purchase details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently asked questions
Should I play Modern Warfare (2019) before Modern Warfare II?
Yes, if you want the reboot narrative in order. Activision identifies the 2022 campaign as an indirect continuation of the 2019 story, so the earlier game provides the intended foundation.
Is Modern Warfare III a remake or a sequel?
In this reboot sequence it is the 2023 direct sequel to the events of Modern Warfare II. Do not confuse it with the original trilogy’s similarly titled games.
Can I start with Modern Warfare III?
You can, especially if Open Combat Missions and varied approaches are your main interest. For story comprehension, however, it is better placed after the 2019 and 2022 campaigns.
What does “indirect continuation” mean for Modern Warfare II?
It means the campaign advances the 2019 story without being presented as an immediate scene-by-scene continuation. It is set three years after Task Force 141’s original formation and introduces a new crisis involving a foreign general’s successor, an international cartel and stolen U.S. ballistic missiles.
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Are the reboot and original trilogy connected?
They are separate continuities. Use the release years 2019, 2022 and 2023 to identify the reboot campaigns covered here, rather than selecting an older game solely because it also says Modern Warfare.
Which campaign is shortest or easiest?
The official campaign descriptions used here do not establish a reliable shortest or easiest ranking. Choose by story order or mission-format preference instead of assuming one from the title or release year.
Do all editions include the campaign?
Check the individual regional product listing. Platform-family information alone does not confirm the exact edition, campaign access, price or compatibility of a specific copy.
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- New to the reboot: begin with Modern Warfare (2019).
- Following the story: play 2019, then 2022, then 2023.
- Already finished the 2019 game: continue with Modern Warfare II (2022), the indirect continuation.
- Most interested in flexible mission approaches: choose Modern Warfare III (2023), whose campaign pairs Open Combat Missions with cinematic missions, while recognizing that it follows the 2022 story.
Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I play the Modern Warfare reboot campaigns?
Play Modern Warfare (2019), then Modern Warfare II (2022), then Modern Warfare III (2023). That order follows the reboot’s narrative progression.
Should I play Modern Warfare 2019 before Modern Warfare II?
Yes. Activision describes Modern Warfare II as an indirect continuation of the 2019 story, so the first game supplies the intended context.
Is Modern Warfare III directly connected to Modern Warfare II?
Yes. Call of Duty’s August 22, 2023 campaign announcement describes Modern Warfare III as the direct sequel to the events of Modern Warfare II.
Which Modern Warfare reboot has Open Combat Missions?
Modern Warfare III (2023) combines Open Combat Missions, which support varied approaches, with traditional cinematic missions.
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Are the 2019, 2022 and 2023 games remakes of the original trilogy?
They are a separate reboot continuity. Check the release year so you do not accidentally choose an original-trilogy entry with a similar title.
The Bottom Line
Best overall order: Modern Warfare (2019) → Modern Warfare II (2022) → Modern Warfare III (2023). Start with 2019 for the complete reboot story; choose 2023 first only when Open Combat Missions matter more than chronological context.
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