'Call Of Duty' has changed the face of gaming forever, with sales figures in the hundreds of millions and enough revenue generated to surpass the GDP of a small country.
This week, the 20th entry in the franchise - a reboot of 'Modern Warfare 2' - will hit shelves, and will wihout question be among the biggest-selling games of the year.
The franchise has taken place everywhere, from the beaches of Normandy, the streets of Cuba, islands in the Pacific Ocean and all the way to outer space.
Over the years, we've fought so many virtual battles that we needed a good connection to back it up.
Thankfully, the folks at Virgin Media offer best in the industry internet speeds and are the internet provider of choice for those who are looking for that competitive edge in their multiplayer experiences.
With the landmark 20th title in the series due for release this week, we look at 5 of the greatest games in the series.
5) 'Call Of Duty' (2003)
The original 'Call Of Duty' may seem quaint and charming now considering the game came out when Roy Keane was still captain of Manchester United, but the game was a hit for a reason.
'Call Of Duty' served as a worthy rival to the 'Battlefield' games that were massive hits for PC, but even early on, there were signs the game was something special.
The cinematic campaign trumped anything that the 'Medal of Honour' games had come up with, and the game's multiplayer features, while primitive now (just 8 players!) were a major evolution in the first-person shooter genre.
The first 'Call Of Duty' is fully deserving of a place on this list not just because it was the start of one of the biggest franchises in all of culture - the game genuinely still plays well nearly 20 years later.
There is a level of gravitas with the original 'Call Of Duty' that isn't present with more recent entires into the series, and the more grounded approach in the first game is a reminder that the series can do subtle when it wants to.
4) 'World At War' (2008)
The best of the series' World War 2 titles, 'World At War' was the victory lap for the series over the 'Medal Of Honour' games.
Any game with the voice talent of Kiefer Sutherland and Gary Oldman that also lets you use a flamethrower is an instant classic in our books, and out of all the games set in the past, 'World At War' effortlessly combines the old and new.
The 4 player co-op campaign was one of the high points of the series, and tackling the trenches of the Pacific or the frontlines of Europe with friends is as epic as gaming gets.
The gore in 'World At War' is as nasty as the series has ever been, and feels more like a video game version of 'Saving Private Ryan' than it does 'Call Of Duty', but that is what makes it stand out.
Of course, 'World At War' was the genesis of the incredibly popular Zombies mode, and even in the primitive state, there were signs that the mode was going to become the USP for the franchise going forward.
The very first Zombies level, Nacht Der Untoten, is raw, frantic, and most importantly, scary, and all these years later the simplicity of the level is its greatest strength.
3) 'Modern Warfare' (2007)
The series making the leap to the present day was a bold, daring experiment, yet it made it look so effortless.
2007 is one of the greatest years in video game history with the likes of 'Bioshock', 'Halo 3' and 'Portal' being released, but the success of 'Modern Warfare' changed the face of gaming forever.
Swapping out World War 2 for the modern day was a risky move and could have easily backfired, but the game has such assurance in its storytelling and gameplay that it still holds up incredibly well 15 years later.
An unforgettable story with some iconic moments such as the chilling execution sequence that opens the game or the nuclear explosion are still etched into the minds of gamers the world over, and the multiplayer suite proved that the series could radically change itself but still keep what made it great.
The late 2000s era of the multiplayer shooter, before it became riddled with microtransactions and endless patches, was the glory era of the genre, and for our money, 'Modern Warfare' is one of the most important games of all time.
2) Black Ops (2010)
'Black Ops' saw the series take on the Cold War - and to incredible effect.
The 'Black Ops' series is the series at its most creative and James Bond-y, with a mix of international intrigue, conspiracy and mind-bending moments, and this is apparent from the first time you boot up the game and are strapped into an interrogation chair.
With a good dose of 'The Manchurian Candidate' thrown into the existing 'Call Of Duty' formula, the franchise visiting the 60s is the gameplay at its most refined, tightest, and most importantly, fun.
By 2010, the franchise was on the path to world domination, but 'Black Ops' still plays like a development team unhindered by expectation and are cutting loose, and the game still plays fantastically well all these years later for that reason.
The multiplayer suite and maps were as good as it's ever been, with the game introducing the iconic Nuketown map to the franchise, the Zombies mode was more confident and assertive and the story still has fans debating over a decade later about what it really meant.
It is a testament to how high quality the 'Call Of Duty' games were in their heyday that every game felt like an event, and 'Black Ops' showed that even when it was under no pressure to mess with a winning formula, it pulled the rug out from under players and delivered one of the series' finest hours in the process.
1) 'Modern Warfare 2' (2009)
What can we say about 'Modern Warfare 2' that hasn't been said before?
'Modern Warfare 2' is the game that introduced millions of people to the concept of online gaming, and it is very hard to imagine the modern gaming industry without it.
The singe-player campaign was at the series at its most Hollywood, but the multiplayer suite is still among the greatest gaming experiences.
Iconic map after iconic map, a bevy of game modes, gunplay that straddled the line between arcade and realistic and a buoyant community meant that for a brief window in time, 'Modern Warfare 2' was like being at Woodstock.
The cultural impact of the game is undeniable as we explored in our piece about the game, but even removing the real-world element from the game, 'Modern Warfare 2' is the series at it's sparkling best.
'Modern Warfare' laid the groundwork for a bolder, more daring sequel, and in the process the team at Infinity Ward shocked the world with its revolutionary game.
'Modern Warfare 2' has a more abstract feeling to it that can't really be put into words - the game feels important.
There is an air of pomp and prestige associated with the game, and while this was certainly the case when it launched in 2009, that aura is still present within the game now, like playing the original 'Half-Life'.
'Modern Warfare 2' is one of the biggest success stories in gaming history, and for that reason, it's our pick for the franchise's best.
