Best Call of Duty games on Mac: How to Play

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If you’re a new MacBook Pro owner and a longtime fan of Call of Duty, you might wonder if you can play your favorite game on your new laptop. Well, we’re here to tell you, YES! 

MacBooks are generally not designed or preferred for gaming purposes; however, there are multiple methods and third-party solutions that make this possible. 

When it comes to playing CoD, there are only a few versions you can play on your Mac; including Warzone, Vanguard, and Black Ops 3, which are some of my personal favorites.

But first, let’s take a look at the best Call of Duty games you can play on Mac.

Best Call of Duty Games on Mac

When we think of Call of Duty, there is a massive list of games; however, not all of them work on MacBook. Here is an exclusive list of games you can play on your MacBook (Intel and Silicon).

1. Call of Duty- Black Ops III

Black Ops 3 is the only game that works perfectly on your Intel and Silicon-based MacBook. All you need is to download and start.

Speaking of the game, it is a single-player campaign where you play a soldier who has no clue about their past or the missions ahead. The entire game progresses with intense combat missions, a storyline, hidden secrets, making moral choices, and a lot more.

You can also play in multiplayer mode and Zombie Mode. Both have entirely different storylines and maps to uncover.

Features

1. Storyline: The Black Ops 3 story is set up in the distant future with a series of missions, mysterious discoveries, moral dilemmas, AI, and the struggles between humans and machines are at par. 

2. Multiplayer Mode: The multiplayer mode makes the entire experience highly engaging and intense, especially when playing with friends or the community. You can try out different maps and missions and enjoy replayability.

3. Zombie Mode: If you love being the Zombieland or slaughtering the undead, the Zombie Mode could be your favorite. Each map in this mode has hidden secrets with a unique story.

4. Impressive Graphics: Every character and map has been given exceptional detail to create a visually stunning and immersive experience.

Pros

• Supports hundreds of customization options
• Zombie and multiplayer mode adds the thrill to the game
• Exceptional design and animation
• Brilliant storyline

Cons

• Requires a massive storage

Summary

Overall, the game delivers an intense, action-packed experience you may not find in its predecessors. The multiplayer mode makes it easy to connect with you and take on an adventure for hours. Since this a demanding game, you will need massive storage and good enough graphics on your Mac for the best performance.

2. Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

Call of Duty: Warzone is one of the Best free game. This is the game that I enjoyed the most. If you’ve played PUBG before, you will love this epic 150-player battle royale.

From exceptional graphics to proximity chats, this game will likely keep you hooked for hours. Unlike its earlier version, you will find extended maps, new features added to Gulag, improved spectator mode, and much more.

Features

1. Updated Maps: The Warzone 2.0 introduces the new Al Mazrah map with 18 points of interest where you can travel via boat, land, and air vehicles. This map can accommodate 150 players with 3 safe circles.

2. Gulag 2.0: Gulag mode is where you end up after you are dead on the battlefield. This mode allows you to have a 1v1 battle with other players and return to the game if you win.

3. Proximity Chat: One of the most interesting features that improves the entire gaming experience. You can listen to the nearby enemies’ voices coms with proximity chat. They can hear your conversations and strategy when they are close enough and vice versa.

4. Revised Ping System: You can ping an enemy on the move. This will highlight the enemy for a short amount of time, and you can track them.

Pros

• Smooth gameplay on Mac
• Exceptional sound effects and graphics
• Massive maps to collect loot with 150 players
• DMZ extraction mode is a brilliant addition

Cons

• Only works through cloud gaming on Mac
• Backpacks as lootable gear that slows down the movement

Summary

Warzone 2.0 has everything you could have asked for – bigger maps, better gameplay, a ping system, improved sound effects, and more. There are certain drawbacks when it comes to playing it on a MacBook since you cannot directly download it on the system, but with a solid internet connection, Cloud Gaming works best.

3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)

This game has the best visuals and graphics ever. It almost feels like watching a movie rather than playing a game. 

Modern Warfare II is the best campaign in the COD series, with 8 hours of gameplay in the single-player mode. But if you want to complete all aspects of the game, it might take you uphill of 16 hours. 

The audio and visuals are given exceptional detail, whether you are standing in an empty village or hearing enemy footsteps.

Features

1. Compelling Campaign: Unlike the others in the campaign, this game focuses on a strong storyline rather than simple gunfights. The action sequences are well crafted, and the story never fails to deliver.

2. Exceptional Graphics: The major aspect of Modern Warfare II is the graphics and also sound effects. You can see the realistic portrayal of the characters and every other element in the game.

3. Gunplay: The Gunplay is exceptional in the campaign and multiplayer mode. You can fine-tune your gun easily to fit your playstyle with multiple options.

4. Multiplayer Mode: The weapon customization and bigger maps have made the entire experience of multiplayer mode better and most enjoyable.

Pros

• Brilliant Campaign mode and storytelling
• Realistic graphics and aesthetic visuals
• Weapon customization helps to tune guns
• Multiplayer mode is solid and limitless

Cons

• Few bugs and errors during gameplay

Summary

Modern Warfare II has one of the best multiplayer modes and a gripping storyline. You can enjoy customizing your guns, and the gameplay around multiple other modes in the game makes it exciting for hours. There are certain errors and bugs while playing on Windows, but they can be ignored for a great experience.

4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

“Old is gold” 

This phrase perfectly fits the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that was released back in 2007. After 15 years of its release, it continues to be amongst the best, and I still have it in my old Intel MacBook.

This was the first game in the Modern Warfare series that revolutionalized first-person shooter in the gaming industry. The major focus on keeping the realism on the weapons front as well as the sound effects makes it play-worthy.

Features

1. Warfare Settings: The gaming industry has applauded the makers for giving MW a realistic depiction of WWII and modern weaponry post-war. It is intense and chaotic but better than all its predecessor.

2. Weapons and Guns: Modern Warfare features a varied list of 70+ weapons and guns that are authentic and set in a contemporary warfare setting. You will also find night vision goggles, a ghillie suit, and more.

3. Single Player Campaign: The campaign revolves around two storylines, i.e., the British SAS operative and the US Marines. Some of the popular missions you will find are Death from Above, All Ghillied Up, and many more.

4. Multiplayer: The multiplayer mode brings in a diverse range of maps, weapons, leaderboard, and many such features to keep you hooked and enjoy this addictive gameplay with your friends.

Pros

• A memorable and intense campaign
• High-quality graphics and sound effects
• Advanced yet authentic depiction of weapons and other accessories
• Engaging multiplayer mode

Cons

• The campaign is very short in length

Summary

COD 4 is a winner, with its amazing campaign and multiplayer mode. The variety of weapons and guns at your disposal makes it intense, whether it be a missile launcher or a simple rifle. Even though the graphics may feel a bit outdated as opposed to the current standard; however, it works smoothly and is highly enjoyable.

5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)

The Modern Warfare series continues to impress, and this version is a lot better compared to the current MWII. This MW version introduced the Spec Ops mode in the series, where you can enjoy offline and online co-op gameplay.

MW2 has three modes, i.e., Single-player, Spec Ops, and Multiplayer. 

Features

1. Campaign: The single-player mode lives up to the hype after the Call of Duty 4 was released back in 2007. It takes place in Rio de Janeiro’s favela, Afghanistan, the Kazakhstan mountains, and other locations. The entire mode ends within 5 hours of intense battle and gunplay.

2. SpecOps mode: This mode is best for those hoping to play with their friends, either offline or online. This is highly addictive and competitive. Once you get the hang of it, all the other modes might not bode well.

3. Intense Multiplayer: The multiplayer mode is limitless and keeps you hooked for hours. The weapons are stunning, and the visuals are even better than before.

4. Customizable Killstreak: Another great addition to the game is Killstreak. You can unlock tons of rewards with killstreaks such as precision Airstrike, stealth bombers, nukes, and more.

Pros

• Spec Ops mode is well-crafted and enjoyable
• Multiplayer mode keeps the intensity intact
• The visuals are stunning, with smooth gameplay
• Campaign mode gives a cinematic experience

Cons

• Storytelling is a bit overwhelming at times
• No leaderboard in Specs Ops mode

Summary

Modern Warfare continues to be the best with its killstreaks, attachments, weapons, equipment, and hundreds of such additions. Yes, the game was introduced in 2009, but still, it is another of my favorites.

How to Play Call of Duty on Mac? [Step-by-Step Guide]

Now that we have an exclusive list of the Call of Duty games that you can play on your MacBook let us look at how to play it on the device.

Note: Currently, the Mac App Store does not have any versions of Call of Duty. You need to purchase the game from Steam or use Cloud Gaming.

1. Direct Download

If you are using an Intel MacBook, then downloading the games directly or even using BootCamp is a lot easier when compared to Silicon-chip Macs.

The only game that you can download on your system currently is Call of Duty: Black Ops III. It is compatible with macOS High Sierra or later.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Sign Up and create an account on Steam.
2. Now, purchase the game and install it on your MacBook.

That is all you need to do. Now, if this does not work directly on your system, use other methods listed below to run the game.

2. Use BootCamp Assistant

One of the best features of using an Intel MacBook, especially for gamers, is that it allows you to have Windows on your system. This will help you download and run the 32-bit games that are no longer supported on current macOS.

Here is how you can use BootCamp Assistant on your Intel-based Mac:

1. Create a backup of your MacBook through Time Machine
2. Download the Windows 10 ISO file from Microsoft
3. Now, open BootCamp Assistant from Spotlight Search
4. Click on Continue and adjust the disk size for Windows

5. Add the ISO image file from your system and choose Install.

Now, wait for the system to download Windows Support Software on your system. Boot Camp will then restart and take you to Windows setup.

1. Follow the on-screen instructions to setup Windows 10
2. Again, Boot Camp Install will appear on your Windows interface; choose Install
3. This will install all the drivers needed.

Once this is done, you can then download Steam and purchase any Call of Duty game you would like.

3. Use a Virtual Environment

Since Silicon-chip MacBooks cannot run Boot Camp Assistant, you need another third-party software to download Windows on your MacBook.

The best software that works perfectly with MacBook is Parallels.

1. Download and install Parallels Desktop on your Mac
2. Then, on the next window, choose Install Windows to get Windows 11 on your Mac

Wait for the software to download the virtual machine on your Mac. This process might take time since the file is big.

Once done, you can then install Steam and start playing Call of Duty games. Now, there are certain games, like Warzone, that do not work with Parallels. Hence, you need to try Cloud Gaming instead for the same.

If Steam isn’t Your Choice then Uninstall Steam from your Mac.

4. Try Cloud Gaming

Although this method does not download the games on your system, it works on your browser seamlessly so you don’t have to worry about glitches, or even the game taking up space on your MacBook Pro.

All you need is an exceptional internet connection. The best Cloud Gaming platforms that have been tried and tested are:

• Boosteroid
• Shadow
• Ge Force Now

With Boosteroid, you can easily play Call of Duty Warzone. If you are willing to purchase games, you can also try other COD games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

This is an exclusive list of Call of Duty games that run smoothly with your MacBook. I have been playing COD since the first version was released back in 2003, and now the above-listed versions work perfectly on my MacBook as well.

The games here are not directly available to download from the App Store; however, most of them are available on Steam or can be played using Cloud Gaming platforms.

You may need to download Windows on your Macbook using a virtual environment to run a few games, but it’s worth the effort.

About Kanika Modi