"Despite the Call of Duty fandom crying out for more unique entries in the series, it seems every time Activision tries something new, the fandom reacts poorly, of which Call of Duty: Ghosts is a perfect example."

Game Overview.

Product Details
Genre: Shooter
Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision
Price: $49.99
Release Date: 5 November 2013
Supported Modes:
Disclosure: Review Copy This game was purchased with our own funds for review purposes, however this has no baring on our opinions.

No Sequel.

Call of Duty: Ghosts campaign remains one of the shortest and most generic in the history of the franchise, and because of this and Call of Duty: Ghost’s generally lukewarm reception, it has yet to receive a sequel, despite rumours circulating for at least five years that Sledgehammer games have been pitching to assume control of the dormant series, something which Sledgehammer themselves have hinted at being untrue, despite several insiders claiming to have seen proof to the contrary.

Call of Duty: Ghosts campaign ended on a cliffhanger, indicating that a sequel was originally planned, and was axed in favour of Infinite Warfare, which ironically also failed to win over the Call of Duty fanbase, leaving its narrative without a definitive conclusion.

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Image credit Call of Duty: Ghosts - Published by Activision and developed by Treyarch.

Time to Kill.

If you asked people why they hated gunplay in Call of Duty: Ghosts, most players would say it is because they die so much quicker than in previous Call of Duty titles, which is untrue.

Now hear me out: while the average weapon in Call of Duty: Ghosts kills 7% faster than in previous Call of Duty titles due to performance issues and animations used for aiming down sight, the time to kill Call of Duty: Ghosts is 12% slower than previously Call of Duty titles, which gives the impression of combat being sluggish, and at times unresponsive.

Unfortunately, Call of Duty: Ghosts was not the last game in the franchise to suffer from this issue. Call of Duty: Black Ops III would also launch with this issue before being silently patched towards the end of its lifespan.

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Image credit Call of Duty: Ghosts - Published by Activision and developed by Treyarch.

Uninspiring Maps.

Call of Duty: Ghosts launched with a  selection of unremarkable three-lane maps that were likely intended for bigger encounters, and when coupled with performance issues, sluggish gunplay, and weapons which melted players in only two or three shots, it is easy to see why Call of Duty: Ghosts, is often looked back upon as having some of the worst maps in the history of the franchise, with the base game maps, in particular, being reviled by the community, and only the DLC receiving some measure of praise from even its most diehard defenders.

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Image credit Call of Duty: Ghosts - Published by Activision and developed by Treyarch.

Extinction Mode.

Despite being one of the most underwhelming Call of Duty titles in the history of the franchise, there was one thing that Call of Duty: Ghosts did right, and that was Extinction mode, which saw players work together to progress through objective focus maps, clearing out alien infestations.

While this was essentially Call of Duty Zombies with aliens instead of zombies, it remains popular with the remaining community. It is believed to be more popular than the traditional 6v6 multiplayer mode on most platforms.

Call of Duty: Ghosts FAQ

Call of Duty: Ghosts is a first person shooter video game developed by Treyarch and published by Activision, it was released on 5 November 2013 and retails for $49.99.

Platform Availability.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is available on the following platforms: PC, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Is Cross-Platform Multiplayer Supported?

Call of Duty: Ghosts supports:

  • Cross-Generational Multiplayer
  • Cross-Generational Parties

Is There Group Finding/Matchmaking Support?

Call of Duty: Ghosts offers the following matchmaking options:

  • Region-Based Matchmaking
  • Solo Matchmaking
  • Group Matchmaking

What Peripherals Are Supported?

Call of Duty: Ghosts supports the following peripherals:

  • Console - Controller
  • PC - Controller
  • PC - Mouse and Keyboard

Is There Any Mature Content?

Call of Duty: Ghosts is rated PEGI 18+ and contains:

  • Bad Language
  • Gore
  • Mature Themes
  • Violence

Final Verdict.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is a decent but ultimately underwhelming chapter in the history of Call of Duty and one that I would not recommend wasting time or money on, especially with so many better and far more active Call of Duty titles currently available.

As of March 2023, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020), Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) remain very active on all platforms due to robust crossplay and cross-progression support, and these serve as a much better option for those looking to enjoy all that Call of Duty has to offer.

Is Call of Duty: Ghosts Worth Playing in 2025?

We found Call of Duty: Ghosts to be a mediocre game, meaning that while it has some redeeming qualities, it's held back by noticeable flaws that prevent it from being truly enjoyable.


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Richard Robins

Richard Robins

As a follower of Jesus Christ, Richard believes that the message taught by Jesus is radically different from what is taught in churches today, and that the influence of his message can be felt across various mediums, including pop culture and video games.

Richard enjoys gaming on a variety of platforms, reading speculative fiction, and exploring how gaming can be used to discover deeper truths.

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