8 Best Maps in the Call of Duty Franchise, ranked

The maps of Call of Duty are some of the most iconic in all of gaming. It’s hard to single out just one that stands head-and-shoulders above the rest since so many are brimming with a personality. However, I will do the impossible by making a ranked list of the top eight best maps in the Call Of Duty franchise. Go ahead, and use this as a cheat sheet the next time you find yourself in a heated debate about the best CoD maps.

Call of Duty: 8 Best maps in the franchise, ranked

Before anyone gets out their pitchforks, note that these maps are ones that I consider great because I’ve spent tons of time on them. 

Best maps in the franchise (according to me)

From worst to best:

• Strike: This is one of the more generic maps in any Call of Duty game, it doesn’t stand out as much since a bunch of maps in the original Modern Warfare were based in the Middle East. However, it’s still an absolute joy to play on after all these years. There are three lanes and a painful choke point that punishes you if you get caught in it. Feel like this map is where a lot of A-Dead-Legends got good.

• Hijacked: First appearing in Black Ops 2, Hijacked requires players to think fast since the map is compact, leading to a lot of close-quarters combat. If you’re a sniper on either side of the yacht, there are spots on the spawn point that you can use to overlook the central area. To combat being sniped, you can go take the underground path to outflank the enemy team. It’s a great way to sneak attack, but make sure you’ve got someone watching your six.

• Shipment: Shipment is a tight squeeze, so you’ll run into many enemies often and die as many times. It’s great to farm XP, but just have patience because there’s a firefight waiting around every corner. Shipment was featured in the remake of Modern Warfare in 2019 and featured the same ultra-twitchy meta. If you’re good at Call of Duty, this map might have been your go-to. 

• Favela: This is probably one of my favorite maps. Unlike the maps mentioned so far, Favela is less symmetrical and more layered. There are narrow hallways throughout that may get you caught in an unwarranted shootout. On top of that, the map is stacked on itself. So you can potentially fight in any direction, vertically and horizontally. And here’s some good news for Fevela fans: the iconic map is getting remade for the Modern Warfare 3 remake.

• Nuketown: Both Shipment and Nuketown stand out the most since they’ve been remade several times, and fans always admired the simplicity of the map. Admittedly, it took me a while to understand why it’s beloved. But I understood it instantly when I played Kill Confirmed on Nuketown. You can play diversely, either flank on each side of the house, go through the busses in the center, or camp on the top floor of either house. It’s a small map, so your strategies can be limited. But still, with its closed-quarter style, anything can happen. Every match I’ve played began as a lop-sided affair before the losing team stormed back for the win. The tiny map makes every match unpredictable. 

• Firing Range: I know some players out there loath spawning so close to the enemy team. Me? I’m built different. The wooden targets add a layer of tension that can trick anxious players into unloading on a target, thereby notifying anyone nearby of their location. There are two ways to play this map: Staying in the buildings or fighting on the ground. Both have pros and cons. The buildings are great for raining fire from above, however, they’re balanced out by leaving you open for a sneak attack. Which…has happened to me. A lot. If you’re staying outside, the small areas of cover around the map will help you pop in and out for quick kills while providing just enough cover to survive. But, since balance is the operative term for Firing Range, taking potshots behind cover opens you to attack from multiple directions.

• Terminal: I’m getting PTSD just thinking about it. Terminal featured prominently in the original Modern Warfare. You can stay in the building and fight close quarters, where players standing on the planes outside can still get you. Most of the time this map is a mess, and I’m here for it. On the outside, if you’re choosing to play on the planes you’re either a madman or just plain brave. Camping here is possible, but when you do, there’s a high chance someone will sneakily take you out. There are no safe areas in Terminal.

• Rust: Every conversation about the best CoD maps is complete without Rust. I used to hate it as much as Nuketown, and for similar reasons. But the more I played, the better my reaction times became, making me better at CoD multiplayer overall. Rust does have a special place in my heart for how aggressively if forces me to play. With little to no room to breathe, you’re forced to engage often and run away safely if you can. And 1v1 matches on Rust are CoD at its finest. One person could go on top and try to snipe below, while the player below still maintains a great vantage point for knocking out the sniper. Everyone is equal on Rust. 

More Call of Duty articles. 

Modern Warfare is available for pre-order now via Steam.