Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® similar games & best alternatives
Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®
2023
Related articles
Quick resume
Experience a visceral Campaign or assemble your team in the ultimate online playground with multiple Special Ops challenges and a mix of Multiplayer maps and modes.
Global score
79/100
Genres
Action, Shooter
Similar games
Pros
- Engaging and cinematic campaign
- Robust and skill-based multiplayer
- High-quality graphics and sound
- Weapon customization and progression
- Crossplay and active community
Cons
- Large installation size (~160-220gb)
- Short campaign length
- Presence of cheaters in multiplayer
- Spec ops mode less polished and less popular
- Some technical bugs and crashes reported
Analysis
Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Fellowship, Domination, Status. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fantasy, Value.
How to use the graph
Similar games map
Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.
- Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
- Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
- Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
- Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.
Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.
Motivations
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Autonomy3
"Players have freedom to customize weapons and loadouts, choose multiplayer modes, and select difficulty in campaign, indicating moderate autonomy."
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Competence4
"Game offers skill-based multiplayer, challenging campaign modes (e.g. Realism difficulty), and progression systems that reward mastery."
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Competition4
"Strong multiplayer focus with ranked modes, leaderboards, and competitive play; players compare skills and compete against others."
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Continuation3
"Many players report habitual play and long multiplayer sessions; some grind for unlocks and achievements."
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Cooperation2
"Co-op Spec Ops mode exists but is less popular and sometimes frustrating; multiplayer mostly competitive but some teamwork."
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Creativity2
"Weapon customization (Gunsmith) allows creative loadouts; limited creative building or modding reported."
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Domination3
"Competitive multiplayer includes exerting superiority over others; some reports of toxic behavior and cheating."
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Escapism4
"Players use game for stress relief, distraction, and immersive experiences away from real life."
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Expectation-3
"Most players engage voluntarily for enjoyment; some feel pressure from community or grind but generally intrinsic motivation."
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Experimenting3
"Players try different weapons, tactics, and game modes; some experimentation in multiplayer and campaign."
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Exploration1
"Campaign offers some new environments and mission variety; multiplayer maps are familiar but varied."
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Expression2
"Customization of characters and weapons supports self-expression; no major avatar or environment modding."
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Fantasy-2
"Game emphasizes realistic military scenarios and grounded story, less on imaginative or improbable fiction."
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Fellowship2
"Community exists around multiplayer and co-op; some social interaction but also solo play common."
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Growth4
"Players develop skills in shooting, tactics, and progression systems; campaign and multiplayer offer learning challenges."
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Health-4
"Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."
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Idle-3
"Requires focused attention and continuous engagement; not typically used for background or passive play."
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Intimacy1
"Some social interaction and friendships form in multiplayer; limited evidence of deep emotional connections."
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Leadership2
"Some players take leadership roles in multiplayer teams; no strong evidence of dominant leadership mechanics."
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Progression4
"Robust progression systems with weapon unlocks, levels, and achievements motivate continued play."
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Relaxation1
"Some players find flow and catharsis in gameplay; others experience tension from competitive modes."
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Sensation4
"High-quality graphics, sound design, and immersive effects provide strong sensory stimulation."
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Status3
"Recognition through ranks, achievements, and multiplayer reputation motivates players."
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Story3
"Campaign offers engaging narrative and character interaction; story is a significant motivator for some players."
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Strategy3
"Multiplayer and campaign require tactical thinking, planning, and problem solving."
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Thrill3
"Players enjoy suspense, risk, and adrenaline from firefights and challenging missions."
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Value0
"Mixed opinions on value; some find it worth price especially on sale, others find it expensive for content length."
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Violence4
"Game centers on combat, shooting, and destruction; violence is a core gameplay element."
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Survival2
"Modes like Survival and Realism difficulty emphasize threat avoidance and resource management."
Where to buy
Last update: 29/04/2026