Top 10 Call of Duty Maps That Are Based on Real Places

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” (2019)

While many fans have mixed feelings about this map, there’s no denying how iconic it was in the rebooted “Modern Warfare.” The multiplayer map features the real-life Piccadilly Circus in London which is where one of the terrorist attacks takes place in the campaign. Although the spawning in Multiplayer can be frustrating at times, the artistic work that went into creating this map is gorgeous to say the least. What feels like a one to one scale recreation makes way for breathtaking artistic design, both in the multiplayer map and campaign.

“Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare” (2014)

Sledgehammer designed “Advanced Warfare’s” maps with verticality in mind to incorporate their Exo-suit movement system. Several maps took full advantage of this, with one being none other than Terrace. Set on the real Greek island of Santorini, this map fulfilled all your jetpacking needs and the tight alleyways and wide-open airspace are almost identical to the actual Greek island. The uniquely designed map, coupled with the visually stunning art design, made it one of “AW’s” best. Next time you find yourself needing a vacation, just remember you could have digital access to one of the best resorts in the world.

“Call of Duty: WWII” (2017)

Sledgehammer’s WWII brought the introduction of War Mode, which had players fight over strategic objectives on large scale maps. Operation Neptune had players storming the famous beaches of Omaha on D-Day, something every “Call of Duty” fan had dreamed about a multiplayer rendition of. As fun as it is to storm up the map attempting to conquer enemy land, it’s a bit harrowing remembering the area was real and this scenario actually happened. War Mode not only gave players a map of Omaha Beach but threw players into the experience of how the real-life battle occurred.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” (2011)

“MW3’s” campaign saw the invasion of Europe by the Russian Federation. And so, it’s no surprise its multiplayer maps feature prominent locations throughout the continent. Taking place at Place Dalida in Paris, this map became popular in-part due to its striking resemblance to the real French Square. Because of its urban location, several fans of the game have actually visited the spot in real-life. This map was a fan favorite in “Modern Warfare 3” thanks to its good flow in a variety of game modes and because of the striking real-world resemblance, the map went on to help define the game’s multiplayer.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” (2019)

This fan favorite map solidified Warzone as the Battle Royale game mode in the “Call of Duty” franchise. Not only is Verdansk one of the biggest “COD” maps ever made, but several pieces of the map are based off of real locations. The airport, stadium, and bank are all actual landmarks in the city of Donetsk and other parts of Ukraine. Verdansk is massive in scale and the map is filled with a diverse landscape of exciting areas to explore. Coupled with the introduction of Warzone, it’s easy to see why this map has become so popular in such a short amount of time.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” (2009)

Infinity Ward is no stranger to real-world map locations and Favela is no exception. With the famous Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking the slums of Rio de Janeiro, it reminds us that places like this actually exist. From the streets to the rooftops, the resemblance of modern day South American poverty is striking. Favela went on to become an acclaimed multiplayer map in “MW2” due to its map layout and setting and it makes it all the more unique with the amount of research and design that went into it.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops II” (2012)

Although this wasn’t the first Zombies map in “COD” to feature a real-world place, this one did it the best. Mob of the Dead was a fan favorite back in 2013 and it utilized one of the most famous locations in the world. Alcatraz Island was featured as a map in “Black Ops 4’s” Blackout mode but it didn’t come close to what zombies achieved. Mob of the Dead is a well-designed and fun zombies map and it successfully merged the mystery and horror of Alcatraz prison with the undead in a way a fictional location could not have.

“Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” (2007)

Before the HBO series “Chernobyl”, the campaign mission “All Ghillied Up” was one of the reasons the city of Pripyat had so much notoriety. While the map Wasteland from “Modern Warfare 2” takes place right outside Chernobyl as well, Vacant brings players into the heart of the city, which has since become one of the most memorable locations in the entire “Call of Duty'' franchise. Being one of the smaller maps in the game, players knew to sit up in their chairs when Vacant popped up on their screen. “COD 4’s” campaign changed first person shooters forever and Infinity Ward knew what they were doing when they brought their singleplayer atmosphere into their multiplayer.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops” (2010)

Arguably one of the most famous “COD” maps of all time, Nuketown isn’t just simply a map, nor is it just that one area from the fourth Indiana Jones movie. It’s actually inspired by a real nuclear testing site that the U.S. Government used in Nevada. In the early 1950’s, entire cities were built to test the effectiveness of bomb shelters along with the effects of nuclear weapons. The craters from the bombs are even still there today. Now when you get blown up at the end of a Nuketown match, you’ll know it isn’t entirely fiction.