As one of the largest franchises in all of video gaming, Call of Duty ups the ante every year with new gameplay experiences and game modes. From the highly successful Call of Duty: Warzone to the franchise's addictive multiplayer, there is no shortage of reasons to give each installment a try.
Those that stick with each Call of Duty entry also know of each game's many secrets and easter eggs. Running gags and elaborate easter eggs are present as far back as the first title. Here are 10 Call of Duty easter eggs and secrets some fans likely missed. This list will not cover major easter eggs in Treyarch's Zombies mode as those act more as quests than proper easter eggs.
10 Hidden Ray Gun (World At War)
Treyarch is no stranger to easter eggs. Every Call of Duty title they've made since World at War has included plenty of complex easter eggs, with some of the most complex easter eggs tied to Treyarch's deep Zombies mode.
What may surprise some fans is that Treyarch has many easter eggs in their campaigns as well. One such easter egg lies in the "Little Resistance" mission in World at War. At the start of the level, players will come across small bodies of water near a shore. Entering and standing in each puddle in a certain order will reveal four statues, one of which holding a Ray Gun that players can equip. It works the same as it does in Zombies, easily blowing off limbs and killing most enemies in a single shot.
9 ZAP!!! Easter Egg (Ghosts)
Ghost's Extinction mode might not have had as large of a following as Treyarch's Zombies mode, but it nevertheless was a fun side mode that had tons of secrets.
A small easter egg on the map "Nightfall" involves players firing at sparking electrical boxes attached to the base of various power lines. Destroying six of them in the order they spark in will display "ZAP!!!" on the screen and cause aliens to explode into snow when killed. They even leave snowmen heads for a few seconds after death.
8 Hidden Thundergun (Black Ops)
Just like the Ray Gun easter egg in World At War, players can obtain the Zombies-exclusive Thundergun in the campaign through a quick easter egg.
On the mission "Numbers," destroy all Nova Six canisters down the hallway at the start of the level. Before climbing up the ladder, head back to a nearby desk and interact with a tape recorder. Proceed through the level as normal until players reach a hidden weapons cache behind a fridge. Interact with a tape recorder at the left end of the room and a Thundergun will appear out of the wall after a few seconds.
7 Killing Yuri (Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Remastered)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 included a flashback scene where players revisited iconic Modern Warfare moments through the eyes of Yuri who is assisting Makarov. It's a solid twist, yet Yuri never appears in the two previous games.
At least, not in the original releases. Raven Software was thoughtful enough to include Yuri in the "One Shot, One Kill" mission in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Remastered. Players can see Yuri and Makarov having a discussion during the sequence. If players fire at Yuri, the game will grant an achievement and display "Friendly fire will not be tolerated."
6 Zombies Perma Perks (Black Ops 2)
Perks are a core part of any Zombies map. Running for longer with Stamin-Up or increasing a player's health pool with Juggernog are just a few things Perk-A-Colas can offer.
What's interesting is Black Ops 2 has a few hidden perks that don't count towards the 4 perk limit. These "perma perks" range from reviving players faster to explosive-damage immunity. Players must complete obscure challenges to unlock them, although they can easily lose them through similar obscure conditions. It's a bizarre system that seemed to have set the foundation for Gobblegums and Elixers in Black Ops 3 and Black Ops 4 respectively.
5 Weeping Angels (Black Ops 3)
This next easter egg is easily the creepiest secret Treyarch has made. In Black Ops 3, players can bring Nuk3town's mannequins to life.
Compared to most easter eggs from Treyarch, this is easy to do. Simply shoot off the arms of every mannequin to begin. From there, the mannequins will begin to follow the player similar to Weeping Angels in Doctor Who. In other words, they will only move when no one is looking at them. Players can hear them running behind them only to turn around and see mannequins in terrifying posses.
4 Dance Party (Call Of Duty: Finest Hour)
Fans might be surprised by just how many easter eggs exist in Call of Duty: Finest Hour. Hidden UFOs and explosive teddy bears are just a few easter eggs fans can expect while playing this game.
Arguably one of the most memorable secrets can be found in the "Underground Passage" level. Just before exiting the level while in the underground tunnels, throw two grenades at a boarded-up exit to the player's right. Running through here will play some strange music and show a group of soldiers having a dance party. Their dancing skills are a thing to behold.
3 Main Menu Computer (Black Ops)
Call of Duty: Black Ops is filled with many secrets and easter eggs in all of its game modes. One of the game's best easter eggs isn't even tied to a game mode, however.
While in the main menu, players can input their fire and aim buttons to move Mason's arms in his chair. Doing so three times with both arms will release him and allow the player to walk around the room. The back of the room has an interactive computer filled with hidden lore entries, concept art for the game, and even a hidden Zombies map called Dead Ops Arcade.
2 8-Bit Activision Titles (Black Ops 2)
Nuketown is one of the most iconic maps in Call of Duty history thanks to its small lanes and its distinct setting. Treyarch has remade this map to death, but nearly every iteration of this map has some type of easter egg.
Black Ops 2's Nuketown 2025 map has one of the most impressive easter eggs in CoD history. Players simply need to shoot off the heads of every mannequin in the level. Once complete, the monitor at the center of the map will display the Activision logo. Interacting with this screen allows players to experience Pitfall, River Raid, Kaboom, and H.E.R.O. in their full 8-bit glory.
1 St. Petrograd's Heartwarming Sign (Modern Warfare 2019)
Infinity Ward's reboot of the Modern Warfare sub-series has been a great step in the right direction for the Call of Duty franchise. Along with the game's return to "boots on the ground" combat, the game has plenty of fun secrets that fans have come to expect.
The best secret in Modern Warfare comes in the form of a tram station sign. In the St. Petrograd map, players can find a tram station sign written in Russian. When translated, this sign mentions how the text is all made up and how it gives thanks to its colleagues for being a helpful sign. What makes this truly special is it acknowledges the player midway through the text and appreciates everyone who reads it.