Call of Duty is a legendary franchise in its own right, but some of the characters featured in the series have helped it to become truly memorable and iconic. With a history that spans more than two decades, there have been hundreds of Call of Duty characters, but only a few of them can be classed as the greatest Call of Duty characters of all time. That’s what we’re summing up in this definitive list, looking at the characters that have had the biggest impact on the Call of Duty franchise.
Let’s take a look at the series from end-to-end and determine which among them can be considered the best Call of Duty characters ever.
Copyright Activision/Blizzard
“Bravo Six, going dark.”
Captain John Price is easily the most iconic and instantly-recognisable Call of Duty character in history. His core history stretches back to 2007, when he was first introduced in the original Modern Warfare title, and since then, he has proven to be a force of nature in the Call of Duty world. As a gifted combatant and a truly inspirational leader, Captain John Price has quite literally saved the world on more than one occasion.
Voiced By: Billy Murray and Barry Sloane
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
“What kind of a name is Soap, eh?”
In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007), Soap is introduced as the ‘FNG’ – the new guy in town. He’s ridiculed for his name and not taken seriously by Captain Price, his superior, but he quickly becomes known as one of the sharpest, most capable soldiers in the Call of Duty franchise. His in-game presence doesn’t last as long as Captain Price’s, but he remains a massively impactful Call of Duty character with a lasting legacy that has stretched through several of the series’ biggest titles.
Voiced By: Kevin McKidd, Julian Wierzbicki, and Fraser Jardine
Copyright: Activision/Blizzard
“You can’t kill me!”
Frank Woods is a driving force in the Call of Duty: Black Ops sub-franchise, but he has also made appearances in Modern Warfare, Warzone, and Call of Duty Mobile as an Operator. He first appeared in 2010’s Black Ops, immediately establishing himself as one of the most badass Call of Duty characters to ever exist. He’s a military man through and through, and in the jungles of Vietnam, he was shaped into the ultimate warrior.
Voiced By: James C. Burns and Damon Victor Allen
Copyright: Activision/Blizzard
Without Shepherd, most of the active Call of Duty titles today wouldn’t exist. He’s a pivotal Call of Duty character, serving the role of a twisted antagonist with some seriously misguided, patriotic views. His turn to the dark side in 2009’s Modern Warfare 2 was absolutely iconic, and even today, fans of the franchise know exactly what Shepherd did. He’s one of the best COD characters with ease, but only because of how dastardly and traitorous he is.
Voiced By: Lance Henriksen and Don Berns
Copyright: Activision/Blizzard
Vladimir Makarov isn’t just one of the greatest Call of Duty characters ever, but he’s arguably one of the best bad guys in gaming, period. He’s an individual that orchestrated a world war, kicking off events that would impact the entire planet. He’s a terrorist mastermind, and in Modern Warfare 2, players watch as he saunters through an airport, gunning down hundreds of innocent people in order to add further fuel to the fire that was that raging war. His demise in 2011’s Modern Warfare 3 was nothing short of legendary, and it came at the hands of Captain Price.
Voiced By: Roman Varshavsky
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
“What do the numbers mean, Mason?”
This is a phrase that’s synonymous with one of the best Call of Duty games in history. In 2011, Alex Mason was introduced as the protagonist of Black Ops, and he’d go on to span the entire sub-franchise, having worked so successfully to establish himself as an intriguing, impressive presence in the first game. Mason’s story was one of the most innovative, twist-laden tales in the history of Call of Duty, and even today, he remains one of the most interesting protagonists in the series.
Voiced By: Sam Worthington, Nolan North, and Chris Payne Gilbert
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
“Mission failed, we’ll get ’em next time.”
Out of all the Call of Duty games and characters, Simon Riley is one of the most mysterious, intense Call of Duty figures, with an impressive resume. He’s dominated the franchise since being introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and despite only lasting for one game (originally), he left a lasting impression on the series. He has since returned to the series in several titles, most recently in 2022’s Modern Warfare II, and he continuously proves to be one of the most skilled combatants in the history of the franchise. Without any shadow of a doubt, Ghost is one of the best Call of Duty characters ever.
Voiced By: Craig Fairbrass, Andrew Randall, and Jeff Leach
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
“We are all soldiers, without an army. Betrayed. Forgotten. Abandoned.”
Reznov is a leader of men, an icon, and a force of nature. He’s one of the greatest Call of Duty characters to make this list, because quite frankly if we didn’t list him, we’re scared he’d track us down by the sheer will of nature and put us to shame. He has existed since 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War, and his role in 2011’s Black Ops was nothing short of iconic. He’s a determined, capable fighter, a revolutionary, and a die-hard patriot, and even his ultimate demise didn’t mean the end of his character.
Voiced By: Gary Oldman, Piotr Michael
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
Farah is one of the most steadfast, determined Call of Duty characters ever introduced. Her abilities as a fighter are second only to her ability to rouse those closest to her, serving as an undeniable leader on the battlefield. In 2019’s Modern Warfare, we learn of the tragic events that fuelled Farah’s upbringing, and despite only having a small role in 2022’s Modern Warfare II, the character still boasted a remarkable on-screen presence.
Voiced By: Claudia Doumit and Sophia Coto
Image Credit: Activision Blizzard
“I know a place.”
Nikolai is one of the greatest Call of Duty characters who serves a side role in every title that he appears in. From the earliest missions in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, we’re exposed to the mystery and intrigue of this particular character, who always seems to be on hand to support Captain Price and Co. in their military endeavours. He’s pulled their irons out of the fire on numerous occasions, and without him, some of the most important characters in the series wouldn’t have ever escaped some tricky situations.
Voiced By: Sven Holmberg, Robin Atkin Downes, and Boris Kievsky
EN Global 
JP 日本語
BR Português