Advanced Warfare Campaign

A Marine's second chance turns into the fight for the future.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare marks a significant shift in the series as the first title developed primarily by Sledgehammer Games, released on November 4, 2014. Set between 2054 and 2061, this futuristic installment moves away from historical conflicts to explore a world dominated by private military corporations. The campaign stars Jack Mitchell, a United States Marine who loses his arm during a battle against a North Korean invasion of Seoul in 2054. After being medically discharged, he is recruited by the Atlas Corporation, led by Jonathan Irons, receiving a prosthetic limb and a new purpose. This narrative introduces players to Exo movements—boosting, dashing, and sky jumping—fundamentally changing how combat unfolds while following Mitchell's journey from soldier to defender of humanity against his former employers.

Quick Facts

Protagonist: Jack Mitchell
Primary antagonist: Jonathan Irons
Setting: 2054-2061

Lore & Background

The story begins in 2054 when U.S. Marines Jack Mitchell and Will Irons repel a North Korean invasion of Seoul under Sergeant Cormack. During the battle, Will is killed and Mitchell loses an arm, leading to his medical discharge. Following Will's funeral, Mitchell joins the Atlas Corporation, a private military firm run by Will's father, CEO Jonathan Irons, who equips him with a prosthetic arm. By 2055, a terrorist group called the KVA, led by Joseph "Hades" Chkheidze, launches coordinated nuclear attacks on power plants worldwide, killing 50,000 people and irradiating cities.

Atlas emerges as the dominant global force over the next four years, aiding displaced civilians while consolidating power. In 2059, Mitchell and his team capture KVA second-in-command Dr. Pierre Danois in Detroit, learning that Hades is at a conference in Santorini, Greece. There, Mitchell kills Hades, who warns him of Irons before dying.

Reader's Guide

The campaign features only one playable character, Jack Mitchell, utilizing pre-rendered cinematic cut scenes similar to Call of Duty: Black Ops II. After each mission, players earn upgrade points based on performance and side objectives like collecting "Intel." These points allow upgrades to the Exo suit (detection, armor, resistance) and weapons (recoil, reload, quick aim). Players can switch between different grenade types with distinct abilities.

The story progresses through specific locations: Seoul in 2054, Lagos in 2055 during a summit rescue, Detroit in 2059 to capture Dr. Danois, Santorini for Hades' elimination, New Baghdad for the escape from Atlas headquarters, Bangkok in 2060 to find the Manticore bioweapon, and finally Antarctica where the plane carrying the weapon crashes. Key NPCs include Mitchell's teammates Gideon, Ilona, Cormack, and Knox, who guide the mission objectives against the rising threat of Jonathan Irons.

Did You Know?

Sledgehammer Games originally worked on a game set during the Vietnam War before development began on Advanced Warfare in late 2011.
The game was the first Call of Duty entry since Call of Duty 2 to feature an engine mostly re-written and built from scratch.
A special Day Zero Edition released on November 3, 2014, included bonus in-game content for pre-orders a day before the official launch.