How to Develop a Game Like Call of Duty

The gaming industry is achieving new milestones every year, driven by increased smartphone use and technological advancements such as 5G, AI, and cloud gaming.

Globally, 3.2 billion people play video games, and 2.8 billion play mobile games.

Yes, that’s right; gaming is a massive industry with billions of active users, and entrepreneurs are heavily investing in mobile games.

One game that is very popular globally is “Call of Duty.”

Suppose stepping into a battlefield where strategy, reflexes, and teamwork decide victory; that’s the thrill a game like Call of Duty gives to millions of gamers worldwide.

COD is a first-person shooter (FPS) franchise that has not only redefined gaming but also built a loyal community of over 100 million active players.

This game’s multiplayer modes, realistic graphics, and amazing storylines make it a benchmark in the gaming industry.

But here’s one question raised for you if you’re an entrepreneur or investor: Can you develop a game like Call of Duty?

The answer is absolutely with the right vision, tech stack, and game development company.

Today, the demand for FPS game development is at an all-time high due to high mobile adoption and, of course, the rise of esports.

As an entrepreneur, startup, or studio, developing a game like COD offers an incredible opportunity.

Here, you will discover the steps to build a game like Call of Duty, along with costs, features, future trends, and much more.

Let’s explore more about COD and the reasons behind its popularity around the world!

What is Call of Duty and Why is it So Popular?

The first COD game was launched on October 29, 2003, after the franchise launched several COD series. Later, the franchise released many games in the span of 20 years or more.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the most recent game of the series, which came out in 2024; meanwhile, COD: Black Ops 7 is the upcoming game of the series that is expected to launch in late 2025.

The Call of Duty video game franchise is among the most well-known first-person shooter (FPS) game series ever made. Originally a game with a World War II theme, it has subsequently grown to become a worldwide sensation.

COD spans modern warfare, futuristic battles, and battle royale modes. COD is one of the leading games that releases across PC, consoles, and mobile devices. It has set the gold standard for immersive gameplay and competitive multiplayer experiences.

The reasons behind its popularity are:

• Engaging Storylines

The game is popular because it offers realistic campaigns and cinematic experiences.

• Multiplayer Excellence

The best thing about COD is its smooth, fast-paced gameplay with competitive modes.

• Variety of Maps and Modes

COD offers everything from battle royale to team deathmatch.

• High-End Graphics and Realism

Comes with stunning visuals and lifelike environments.

• Global Esports Presents

The popularity of the game is also due to tournaments, leagues, and a thriving community.

• Cross-Platform Reach

It is available on console, PC, and mobile devices.

Let’s now examine the must-have stats before investing in the gaming industry.

Gaming Industry Market

The global gaming industry is massive. According to Statista, revenue in the games market is expected to cross $500 billion by the end of 2025. Let’s analyze the key statistics to understand how big the gaming industry is:

-> The gaming industry’s annual growth rate is expected to be 7.01% between 2025 and 2030.

-> The market volume is expected to reach $733.22 billion by 2030.

-> The United States is the largest market for the gaming industry, which is expected to generate $141.84 billion by the end of 2025.

-> Talking about average revenue per user (ARPU), it is estimated to be $1,800.

-> The gaming industry’s user penetration is 25.4% in 2024 and is expected to cross 27% by 2030.

Also Read: Top 10 Mobile Strategy Games in 2025! 

Why Develop a Game Like Call of Duty in 2025?

COD has undoubtedly set a benchmark for first-person shooter games, strategy, and realism. Today, entrepreneurs are heavily investing in such multiplayer shooting game development. Here are the three key reasons to create a game like Call of Duty:

1 Explosive Growth in the Shooter Games Market

The FPS, TPS, mobile, console, and PC platforms' global shooter games market is expected to reach $82 billion by the end of 2025 and will reach $193 billion by 2032. The shooter games market is projected to expand at an annual rate of 13%. You should create a game like COD because of its robust and long-term potential growth.

2 Surging Mobile FPS Popularity and Accessibility

Businesses Research Insights stated that the first-person shooter game market alone was valued at 30.61 billion in 2024. The FPS game market is growing and projected to reach $32.3 billion in 2025 and $50 billion by 2033. COD is an FPS game, which means if you develop an app like COD, you may attract the gamers.

3 High Revenue Potentials Through Monetization Models

It's a fact that FPS games like COD, Counter Strike 2, Valorant, PUBG, Free Fire, etc., are among the top-grossing games worldwide. These games offer in-game purchases, which drive billions of dollars every year. FPS games made 67 billion through different monetization models. FPS games’ battle passes, skins, and microtransactions account for 70% of their revenue streams.

In-app purchases, sports sponsorships, and subscriptions help such games generate revenue.

9 Steps to Develop a Game Like Call of Duty

Developing a game like Call of Duty is about combining coding, technology, creativity, and strategy into an inevitable experience. Whether you want to build a full-scale AAA console game or a mobile FPS game, follow the steps to successfully launch your dream game:

1 Market Research and Game Conceptualization

Market research is the foundation of developing a game, and every successful FPS game starts with strong market research. Proper market research involves analyzing the target audience, studying competitors like PUBG or Apex Legends, and identifying what players love most.

Understand what gamers like about Call of Duty games, like graphics, animation, multiplayer features, multiple modes and maps, etc. Moreover, define your niche and USP since a solid concept ensures your game doesn’t just copy but stands out in the FPS game development market.

2 Game Design and Storyline Development

It is essential to focus on compelling stories and immersive environments since these things make players come back to the game. During this phase, developers prepare a Game Design Document that outlines missions, levels, maps, characters, combat mechanics, etc.

This step is crucial since a strong narrative combined with thrilling gameplay engages players. To build a COD-like game, realistic campaigns mixed with innovative modes of storytelling differentiate your game from the crowded FPS game development industry.

3 Choose the Right Technology Stack

A tech stack impacts performance, graphics, and scalability; as a result, you must choose the right one. Different tech stacks are good for different use cases. For example, engines like Unity are ideal for mobile FPS game development; on the other hand, Unreal Engine powers high-end AAA shooter games with cinematic visuals.

Photon, AWS, or PlayFab can manage multiplayer infrastructure, which is why it can run efficiently even with thousands of players connected at a time. The correct tools selected at an early stage can save money, hasten development, and develop an FPS game that can be easily upgraded in the future.

4 Prototype and MVP Development

You can create the complete game at once, but a prototype is the easiest way to test the basic mechanics, shooting precision, movement, and weapon balancing. Then create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that includes simple maps and a multiplayer feature to receive feedback about the product.

This will save money, mitigate risk, and test your idea before investing on a large scale. Most successful FPS names, even the clones of Call of Duty, started with mini-versions.

5 UI/UX and Animation Design

Call of Duty game development requires stunning visuals and a smooth user experience to build a COD-like game. Eventually, developers design interactive HUDs, intuitive menus, and realistic character animations. Game details like reload sequences, weapon recoil, sound effects, etc., elevate immersion.

The game should mimic lifelike battlefields with rich textures and dynamic lighting. Combined with engaging animations, a well-designed UI/UX is imperative to ensure players feel the intensity of every battle. This enhances long-term engagement and retention.

6 Multiplayer and Server Integration

Multiplayer features are the backbone of FPS games since it's the key to such game success. Here, features like team lobbies, live chat, skill-based matchmaking, and cross-platform support add value.

Consider anti-cheat systems, dedicated servers, and cloud infrastructure to ensure smooth and secure gameplay. Server optimization is essential since players expect real-time performance with zero lag. COD-like games thrive due to their competitive multiplayer ecosystem and highly optimized servers.

7 Testing and Quality Assurance

In this process, game developers check for several things, such as performance issues, lag, bugs, balancing problems, and more. Here, testing must include alpha and beta versions with real players, gathering feedback on weapons, maps, and overall gameplay.

COD-like games require fine-tuned precision, but small glitches can frustrate players; eventually, QA is a must. It ensures better graphic optimization, a polished user experience, smoother performance, and AAA game development standards.

8 Launch and Marketing Strategy

Make a strong launch plan that can define your game’s success once you are done with QA and testing. Use teaser trailers, create social media hype, influencer partnerships, and esports promotions are crucial to capture market attention before release.

Later, launch the game globally across PC, consoles, or mobile, depending on your strategy. Moreover, highlight the unique features of Call of Duty clone development to ensure your game stands out against big competitors. Moreover, build a community with the help of early access programs and preregistration.

9 Post Launch Updates and Monetization

Post-launch is the most important part of COD-like app development since FPS titles thrive on constant evolution. This is why regular updates with new maps, weapons, skins, and seasonal battle passes are a must to keep players engaged even after years of launch.

Apart from that, multiple streams like app purchases, ads, esports, tournaments, etc., must be taken into account to generate high revenue. COD success lies in balancing free-to-play accessibility with premium purchases. Listen to community feedback and roll out timely updates to boost visibility and earnings.

Also Read: Game Development Stages: From Concept to Launch

Key Features of a Game Like Call of Duty

First-person shooter game development, like COD, thrives on features that deliver immersion, competition, and replay value. Features decide whether your game succeeds or not. Eventually, it is crucial to know which features to integrate as per your budget and goals. The key features of a successful game like Call of Duty are as follows:

Realistic Gameplay Mechanics

Responsive movements, smooth shooting controls, lifelike weapon recoil, etc., are a must to give features for realistic gameplay. This makes every battle feel authentic and ensures players feel fully immersed as if they are on the battlefield.

Multiplayer Modes

Multiplayer mode is one of the crucial features of a game like COD. From battle royale to team deathmatch, it offers multiple modes for multiplayer to keep players engaged. Such features attract gamers and encourage replayability.

Immersive Maps and Environments

Immersive maps and environments are a must-integrate feature if you want to build a game like COD. Add urban cities, war zones, diverse battlegrounds, deserts, future arenas, etc. Well-designed maps enhance strategy and make each session feel fresh and unpredictable.

Weapon Customization and Upgrades

The customization of weapons is among the favorite aspects of COD and other FPS games because players enjoy customizing their loadout with skins, additions, and upgrades to fit their playing style. It increases engagement and also drives the monetization potential with in-app purchases.

Cross Platform Support

A game like Call of Duty supports cross-platform features, which means it can run seamlessly across PC, consoles, and mobile devices. This ensures a wider audience reach. Cross-platform support helps create a larger connected community where friends can play together no matter the device.

High Quality Graphics and Audio

This is one of the biggest reasons behind COD's success. Cinematic effects, realistic visuals, and immersive sound effects enhance the overall FPS experience. High-quality graphics and immersive audio, and the theme basically heightens intensity and emotional impact.

Community and Social Features

Social features like in-game chat, friend lists, and clan systems build a loyal gaming community. It basically ensures long-term retention by turning individual players into loyal communities.

Anti-Cheat and Fair Play Systems

Competitive integrity is essential in multiplayer shooting game development, and anti-cheat and fair play systems ensure the integrity. It keeps the game fair and protects both casual and competitive players alike.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Game Like Call of Duty

Well, a game like Call of Duty costs $60,000 to $120,000 for a basic FPS game with limited maps and multiplayer features. However, a COD-like game for mobile devices can range between $150,000 and $300,000. On the other hand, a well-designed, high-end AAA-style shooter game for multiple platforms costs between $300,000 and $500,000 or even $1 million.

Analyze the table for better understanding:

The factors that majorly affect game development cost in 2025 include:

Game Scope and Features

The more features you integrate, the more money you need to spend. Battle royale, weapon customization, cross-platform support, and other feature integrations heavily impact the cost.

Technology Stack

The technology stack heavily impacts Call of Duty-style game app development cost. For example, choosing Unreal Engine for AAA visuals for mobile FPS development influences the budget.

Development Team Size

The size of the development team and their experience and expertise affect the cost. Hiring developers, designers, animators, and QA testers impacts the total cost.

Region of Development

Hiring app developers from the United States and Western Europe always costs more than hiring game developers from Asian countries like India for the same level of quality.

Multiplayer and Server Setup

Multiplayer, dedicated servers, cloud infrastructure, and anti-cheat systems add to overall expenses.

Also Read: Mobile Game Development Cost

Monetization Strategies for Call of Duty Style Game

How can you build a game without knowing the way to generate revenue from it? Of course, you can’t. You have to understand different monetization types to build a successful FPS game. COD generates billions of dollars so far through multiple platforms. From battle pass to In app purchases, here are the 6 major ways COD generate revenue:

Battle Pass and Season Passes

Battle pass is one of the key monetization strategies for COD. It keeps players engaged through seasonal challenges and missions and offers them to unlock premium content like weapons, skins, etc., for a small amount. This monetization works due to its combination of revenue with ongoing engagement.

In App Purchases

In-app purchases like buying weapon skins, character outfits, and endless customization of these accessories are a good source of income for COD-like games. IAP is one of the highest revenue-generating models in mobile FPS game development since players enjoy personalizing their experience by buying or upgrading skins. You can keep the core game free to play and accessible with in-app purchases and boost profitability.

Advertisements and Sponsorships

Call of Duty is one of the most popular games in the world, so it earns millions of dollars through advertisements and sponsorship. Rewarded videos or sponsored events generated steady income without disrupting gameplay. Here, partnering with prominent brands for in-game product placements adds another layer of revenue. This strategy is good for free-to-play FPS games since it ensures revenue even from players who never make purchases.

Esports and Tournament Integration

Esports plays a crucial role in transforming FPS games into billion-dollar ecosystems. Partnering with esports organizations and hosting tournaments creates new revenue streams via media rights, ticket sales, and sponsorships. Esports integration also enhances community loyalty, keeping players invested in the game for years.

Subscription Models

COD-like games also earn money by offering monthly or yearly subscriptions with perks like faster progression, premium weapons, and exclusive maps. This model is effective when combined with free-to-play FPS structures, which give paying users enhanced benefits without alienating others.

Limited Time Events and Loot Boxes

Limited-time events and loot boxes are also a source of income for COD-like games. The urgency and excitement motivate players to spend more on weapons or characters before the event ends. This keeps the game fresh and highly engaging, along with fueling revenue.

Before wrapping up this detailed guide on how to develop a game like Call of Duty, let’s discuss the future of First-person shooter game development.

Future of FPS Game Development

As of 2025, the first-person shooter game genre is evolving rapidly with the help of technology and player demand. From immersive AR/VR experiences to cross-platform and cloud computing, the future of FPS games is promising. Let’s explore the key future trends of FPS games:

AI-Powered Gameplay

Artificial intelligence is transforming every digital product, so how can FPS games be behind? It is making enemies smarter and gameplay more adaptive. In FPS games, AI will react intelligently to player tactics and offer unique challenges in every session. Moreover, it will also personalize missions or create dynamic storylines that evolve based on players' actions.

Cross-Platform and Cloud Gaming

Cross-platform enables players to game on PC, console, or mobile devices. In contrast, cloud gaming will be happy to lift hardware restrictions, which will enable high-quality FPS experiences anywhere with a viable internet connection. This implies that it will allow them to play AAA-quality games without having to spend money on expensive devices.

AR/VR Integration

Augmented reality and virtual reality integration in FPS game development, like Call of Duty, will transform immersion. Devices like VR headsets will let players physically experience battles. On the other hand, AR will blend digital combat with real-world environments. Such technologies will redefine realism and open new possibilities in the gaming world.

Esports Expansion

FPS games are going to keep rising to billion-dollar ecosystems with the help of esports. Bigger competitions, greater prizes, and broader broadcasting will bring competitive shooters even deeper into the mainstream. Game developers who create games with esports integration receive revenue prospects as well as a community that becomes loyal over the long term.

Hyper Realistic Graphics

The graphics of FPS games like COD will be enhanced over time. For example, game engines like uUnreal Engine 5 will set new standards in realism. Expect lifelike lighting, textures, and physics that mimic real-world environments. Combined with ray tracing and advanced animation, FPS games will deliver visuals almost indistinguishable from reality, enhancing immersion dramatically.

Also Read: A Complete Guide to VR Game App Development!

Develop a COD Like Game with Apptunix!

In today’s highly competitive gaming market, Call of Duty game development is not just about coding but also about creativity, advanced technology, and industry expertise. Finding a game development company that builds games with such expertise can be a bit confusing, but not after choosing Apptunix.

At Apptunix, our team creates immersive storylines, stunning graphics, and seamless multiplayer experiences that rival the best in the industry. With years of experience in FPS game development, we’re known as the best mobile game development company.

Our top-end developers, designers, quality analysts, and the whole team handle every aspect. Whether you want to build a mobile FPS game or a AAA-quality cross-platform shooter game for multiple platforms, we work from conceptualization to post-launch updates.

Apptunix offers the best technologies to build a game like Call of Duty. The company ensures your vision is transformed into a market-ready product. Apart from that, our experts also integrate effective monetization models like IAP, battle pass, esports features, etc., to ensure you generate high revenue.

What are you waiting for? Partner with Apptunix for Call of Duty clone development and bring your COD-like game to life with world-class developers and cutting-edge technology.