Hands down the Call of Duty franchise is one of the most popular of all time. Millions of gamers have experienced the magic of bringing death to their enemies, achievingprestige, and verbally assaulting anyone brave enough to leave them unmuted. Yes, the persistent shooter has spawned its own subculture of noobs, fanboys, badasses, and unchecked 12-year-olds. Though each new game is familiar territory, thanks to the success of its online multiplayer, players have yet to see it all.
What makes Call of Duty a household name isn’t its campaign mode, but its multiplayer. That’s where variables, unique personalities, and randomness thrive. Ironically, it is also where repetition and predictability rear their ugly heads. All players encounter campers, snipers, and random grenades at one time or another. You either become experienced enough to overcome them, or you become one of them.
In addition to disappointing opponents and teammates, there are also issues with the game itself that are worth making fun of. For instance, the respawn system often places players in the enemy’s line of sight. Headshots don’t always kill an opponent, but a knife often takes them out in a single swoop.
It is our shared annoyance with the aforementioned points that gives birth to memes. It is only appropriate that Call of Duty’s tight-knit, every-man-for-himself subculture would create memes that describe the weird, the elite, the desperate, the noobs, and everything in between. Here are 20 hilarious memes that are straight from the battlefield.
20 All Praise The Mute Button
Call of Duty and expletives go together like ice cream and cake. It is nearly impossible to play online without being called the synonyms for “butthead’ and “female dog”—not to mention a host of other phrases that we will not mention here. Typically, when some 8-year-old kid brags about his “totally real” relationship with your mom, you have three options: ignore him, verbally decapitate him, or hit the mute button.
The mute button is the unappreciated silent hero of online gaming. Without out, we leave ourselves open to a nonsensical, prepubescent onslaught of insults. You didn’t shell out 60 bucks to play with a whiny brat. You imagined navigating your team of enemy fire and coming up with strategies to disarm that bomb.
Hey, we can dream, right?
19 Who Says You Can't Hone Your Knife Skills IRL?
Everyone knows that playing Call of Duty requires a significant commitment. It’s not just a game; it is a way of life. If you want to be competitive, you have to put in the work—even when you aren’t playing! Plan your school route to avoid enemy dogs as you walk. Crouch before going around corners. At night, when you should be sleeping, prone instead. After all, you never know when an enemy is near.
Eventually, you will find a way to work Call of Duty into every aspect of your life. With enough training, you will soon be able to butter an entire loaf of bread with a single swoosh of your knife. By the time you get back online, you will be a knifing, gunning, quick-scoping, unstoppable mastermind.
18 Why Live Once When You Can Live Forever?
Ah, yes, one of the reasons gaming is so great is that it allows us to live many lives, whereas others tend to live only one until the end of their days. Call of Duty allows us to explore several experiences from the safety of our own home. For instance, we get a taste of what war is really like without actually having to fight in one ourselves. We can kill without consequences, and make choices that benefit ourselves instead of the entire team. These choices don’t work out so well in the real world.
Of course, one major perk that titles like Call of Duty add to our fictional lives is the ability to die—well, actually, be murdered—and come back to life multiple times. Want to get revenge for your death? Go for it! Don’t wait for a family member to swear vengeance. Just do it.
17 What Does Your Support Team Do While They Wait?
Killstreaks are the lifeblood of Call of Duty. Without them, war would just be a bunch of folks shooting and knifing each other. There is something satisfying about being rewarded for being an untouchable killing machine for a brief moment in time. Often it is the reward system that makes many players dig deep to find their way out of situations so harrowing that they get all the views on YouTube.
Now, imagine what it would be like if killstreaks were an actual part of war. Support would spend an entire segment of time sitting on the sidelines eating PB&J, waiting for you to get that seventh kill—and throwing up their hands when you don’t. Talk about pressure and, not to mention, an ineffective way to win a war.
16 When You're On A Killstreak ButNeed Your Hair Done
Did we mention that Call of Duty is life? Oh! Did we? Well, allow us to elaborate. In addition to being able to butter your bread like a boss, you should wear your passion on your sleeve (and head!). It isn’t enough to buy a Modern Warfare t-shirt or to march around in camouflage and combat boots. Oh no, you have to truly commit to the franchise—from head to toe.
Of course, your head is likely to get more attention than your feet, so be sure to grab everyone’s attention by focusing your efforts above your neck. In fact, each time you achieve a new killstreak run down to your local barber or stylist and get a commemorative haircut.
I mean, who doesn’t want helicopter hair?
15 Can You Ever Really Beat A Horde of Zombies?
Just when we thought we were all sick of zombies, Treyarch takes it upon themselves to add a zombie mode to Call of Duty. What was at first a head-scratching decision is now a signature feature of the Black Ops games. Sure, you are still shooting people, but now those people are the walking dead, and there appears to be no end in sight.
No matter how strategic you are, at the end of the day, you are trapped in a space with limited equipment and an infinite number of enemies. It is inevitable that you will die. We all do. However, that’s what makes this game mode so great. It isn’t about beating the game; it is about beating yourself. Now, go, reflect on these words of wisdom as you fight a losing battle against the undead.
14 Playing CoD Doesn't Make You A Weapons Expert
Everybody knows someone who has a hard time distinguishing between fact and reality or acknowledging experiences that occurred outside of themselves. This are the folks who believe that watching a documentary or playing a video game makes them an expert on the topic being covered. In the case of Call of Duty, these players think they know all about the truths of war and have become masters of international diplomacy without having to leave their armchair.
In addition, they are a weapons expert who will attempt to educate a gun owner about the Colt Python they brought to the gun range. Of course, when you hand them a weapon they are immediately taken aback by its weight and recoil. Tons of research is done to create a Call of Duty game, but that doesn’t mean the game prepares you for basic training.
13 Everyone Wants To Live In Nuketown
Remember how much we all loved Nuketown? It is arguably one of the best small maps in the history of the franchise. First of all, it looks cool. You are in a fake town surrounded by models living out their 1950s dreams, unaware of the nuclear test looming outside of their front doors. The only way this map could get any cooler is if you had to survive a blast by taking cover in a fridge.
One of the reasons why Nuketown is so great is due to the sheer amount of chaos that ensues on its streets. Death and respawns are everywhere you turn unless you are willing to hide out in a house like Kevin McCallister, waiting for your next victim. Some may call it camping, but you know the truth. You are simply defending what is yours.
12 When Noob Tubes Ruled The Battlefield
If you encountered the Noob Tube in Modern Warfare 2, then you were either on the receiving end of a quick death or delivering them yourself. Most players either love the grenade launcher attachment or hate it. It was a great equalizer for inexperienced players or those who wanted to wreak havoc just for the hell of it. Of course, in true multiplayer fashion, any who chose to use the attachment were quickly labeled noobs, regardless of how experienced they actually were.
After all, if you aren’t struggling for that killstreak, then are you really playing? It doesn’t matter that it’s an available attachment in the game, you are not supposed to use. Just put it back, or better yet, smash it into bits and play Call of Duty how the pros intended—by letting them kill you.
11 Call Of Duty—Where Headshots Don't Matter
Call of Duty gets a lot of things right. For instance, weapons look and sound as they should, players earn rewards that encourage them to stay alive but also confront other players, and manages to get millions of players to interact with each other year after year. However, despite how realistic the game feels, it is not always logical.
How exactly does one survive a headshot? Sure there are probably extraordinary cases where this has happened, but we certainly don’t expect such an outcome all the time. Of course, it’s a game. Headshots likely don’t work as they should to avoid frustrating gamers. This seems like a sound explanation until you realize that a knife in the foot is an instant kill. What the hell, Infinity Ward!?
10 The Kid Who "Slept With Your Mom"
We aren’t sure if the phenomenon known as “I banged your mom” is some warped version of an Oedipus complex or not, but it is definitely spreading. There is no stopping this epidemic from contaminating all minor-containing households the world over. As longs as parents ignore the age rating on the box and the additional warning received from their friendly game store staff, the disease will continue to thrive.
So what is a mature gamer to do? How do we combat this? Unfortunately, our only option at the moment is an intervention. That’s right, when you see a little brat out in public with a Call of Duty shirt on, grab their parent by the shoulders, look them square in the eye, and give them a firm, “No!” If that doesn’t work, hit them on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.
9 Finish The Mission As Your Teammates Judges You
Unlike Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy forces players to work together to achieve the common goal of eliminating the other team or detonating a bomb. There are no extra lives, which means if your team is screwing around, individual members are flying solo, or they aren’t quite as skilled, then you might find yourself as the last person standing on the battlefield.
No pressure. Just remember that all eyes are on you, and if you die by grenade everyone will remember it until the end of time! We are kidding. Of course, we’d be remiss to tell you not to panic when it just you against five opponents. However, if you pull it off, you’ll be the badass of the century—or at least until the next round.
8 Using Last Stand Like A Boss
So you are out there, on the battlefield, shooting at and knifing every enemy in sight, when suddenly you are hit. You fall to the ground and find that you can only use your pistol. The bastard who shot you is on a six-kill streak and hopes to make you their seventh. In an act of desperation, you aim down your sights and fire away, effectively ending his reign.
There is no better feeling than using last stand to take out the guy who took you out, especially when it comes with extra XP. Even if you don’t get that guy, at least you’re taking someone else down to hell with you. Of course, you will both be back in no time, but that is beside the point.
7 Sometimes Life Gives You Rotten Lemons, And You're Screwed
“All your base are belong to us.”
Well, not really. If you play enough Call of Duty, you will eventually find yourself in your enemy’s base or directly in the line of fire. This isn’t because of your lack of skill or spatial awareness. Oh no, this is due to the game’s shoddy respawn system. Yes, in Call of Duty, not only do you have to overcome enemy players, but you also literally have to beat the system itself.
At least you now know you have a higher purpose in life. Continue to train your third eye and be ready to fire as soon as you are resurrected. Then, once you have mastered that, you must train others in The Way. Good luck, and if that doesn’t work, you can always try bringing smoked sausages. People love those things.
6 The Price You Pay For Reloading
No matter how badass you are at Call of Duty, without an ammo crate,you’re basically toast (unless you are a knife master). You can only evade for so long before you’re overwhelmed by the opposing team. Sure, you will come back, but who doesn’t love surviving for as long as they can? It’s even better when you are on a massive killstreak (or scorestreak).
Sometimes survival means having that one extra bullet. Unfortunately, for most of us, we reload compulsively — even when it actively gets in the way of our survival. Its irrational on a skill level, but it's nice knowing you have a full chamber at all times.
According to totally accurate and peer-reviewed studies conducted by science-y experts, the majority of kills in Call of Duty are caused by campers and random explosives. Don’t argue. This is indisputable, irrefutable scientific fact! This is because there is a disproportionate number of campers on each map. The larger the map, the more campers there will be. Those who aren’t campers are simply anarchist who throw grenades to disrupt the status quo (or noobs).
It is because of this that the majority of KillCam footage is so disappointing. Instead of seeing a sick kill from across the map, you instead see a soldier blown up by who knows what. How unsatisfying. Let’s all try to do better. Make the KillCam great again!
4 Do It For The Cam
Call of Duty’s KillCam, outside of inadvertently rewarding campers and rogue explosives, is how stars are born. There are players who get good in order to be on top, and then there are others who do so for the KillCam. If they could complete a backflip and land the splits while simultaneously getting a headshot kill (after several bullets), they would. Really great final performances find themselves on YouTube for haters to downvote as soon as they get a chance.
Of course, for all of the praise (or ridicule) the victor receives, no one once stops to think about the loser of their brief altercation. Sure, they may hear the occasional joke or get berated by their teammates, but no one ever stops to make sure they are okay. Don’t just call them a noob and log off. Instead, try and lift their spirits—said no CoD player ever.
3 Snipers Are So ConsiderateTo Others
Call of Duty players love to hate snipers. It doesn’t matter if they are hardscoping or quick-scoping, getting killed by an out-of-sight enemy sucks. Every sniper knows where to hide to pick off unsuspecting players are they scurry across the map. They clearly know how to gain the upper hand by playing to their strengths, which is unfortunate for everyone else.
However, they aren’t the only ones who know the best sniper spots. In fact, most experienced players know where to find a cluster of prone enemies. Once you find them, taking them out with a knife is easy since they are often too focused on long-range targets to notice your presence. A couple of swoops and their sniper party becomes a one-person knife show.
2 Revenge Is A Dish Best Served To Campers
Next to snipers, campers draw the most ire from Call of Duty players. Perhaps it’s because campers are next level snipers. They just sit there, waiting for an enemy to appear. They never explore the map or risk their own lives. At least snipers have to move from time to time. Campers are only concerned with themselves (and their own stats). The longer they stay alive and kill enemies, the better they look.
Of course, this doesn’t go over well with the enemy team or even members of the same team. After all, they are out there risking life and limb while the camper sips on fresh-squeezed lemonade. No wonder campers have such huge targets on their back. Taking one out should earn you an achievement or trophy.
Though, the real reward is ending the camper’s reign (with a grenade).
1 When Teamwork Doesn't Make The Dream Work
Those new to Call of Duty may be surprised to discover that their team doesn’t move or make decisions as a unit. Unlike real soldiers, there isn’t a ranking officer on the mic giving out commands or coming up with strategies to thwart the enemy. Instead, mics are used to hurl insults, brag, and complain. For true war enthusiasts, this may be a major letdown. For CoD veterans, this is nothing new.
While the lack of camaraderie frustrates some, it motivates others to become god-like so that they can carry their ragtag team of misfits to victory. This behavior prepares us for the real world. No one is going to pick you up when you fall or help you with the group project. Sometimes you just have to go for broke and make the best of a crappy situation.
Besides, you’ve got karma, grenades, and an assault rifle on your side.
