Call of Duty’s biggest unanswered cliffhangers across every game ⇒ CODIntel

Cliffhangers are nothing new in gaming, but few franchises use them as consistently — or controversially — as Call Of Duty. Across its many sub-series like Modern warfare, Black Ops, Ghosts, and Cold War, the franchise has repeatedly delivered endings that leave players in suspense. Some were followed up in sequels, others were ignored entirely, and a few are still waiting for answers more than a decade later.

This article breaks down the most intense and unresolved cliffhangers in Call of Duty history. From shocking betrayals and fake deaths to full-blown world wars, these are the endings that leave players with more questions than answers.

Call of Duty Ghosts had the biggest unresolved ending

When it comes to pure shock value, nothing tops the ending of Call of Duty Ghosts. The game builds around a covert military group known as the Ghosts, focusing on the Walker family and their mission to stop Rorke, a former Ghost turned enemy. After an intense final battle and what seems like a victorious ending, the game rolls credits. But then it hits you with a post-credit twist that changes everything.

Rorke survives, ambushes Logan, and drags him away. The implication is clear — he intends to brainwash Logan the same way he was turned. This setup was a clear attempt to establish a direct sequel, and it worked. Fans were eager to see what would happen next. But due to the mixed reception and sales performance of Ghosts, a sequel never came. To this day, players have no idea what happened to Logan or Rorke.

The Modern Warfare trilogy thrived on ambiguity

The original Modern Warfare trilogy is filled with cliffhangers, often centered around the fate of key characters. Each game ends with a blend of closure and mystery that kept fans engaged for years.

In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, players defeat Zakhaev, the primary villain, but are left wondering whether Captain Price survives after suffering critical injuries. The final moments show him receiving CPR, but no confirmation is given until the next game.

Modern Warfare 2 raises the stakes. After a brutal knife fight, General Shepherd is killed, but Soap is left seriously wounded. The campaign ends in silence, with no clear answer about Soap’s survival. On top of that, the events have triggered World War 3, which becomes the backdrop for the next game.

Modern Warfare 3 closes out the trilogy with Price taking down Makarov in dramatic fashion. However, he’s badly hurt and collapses after the final scene. Some versions of the ending even suggest Price may have died, though this was never confirmed. The trilogy never got a direct continuation, and with the rebooted Modern Warfare series taking a different direction, the original storyline remains suspended in uncertainty.

Black Ops 2’s multiple endings created confusion

Call of Duty Black Ops 2 was the first in the series to feature branching storylines, giving players the power to choose how the game ends. These decisions led to multiple outcomes, from peaceful resolutions to full-on chaos.

The problem is that Treyarch never confirmed which ending was canon. Did Menendez live or die? Did David Mason walk away or stay in the fight? Even now, years later, no official statement has clarified which storyline is being followed. The only detail fans have is that Alex Mason is confirmed dead based on current in-game lore, but everything else remains unanswered.

With the upcoming Black Ops game rumored to follow the events of Black Ops 2, there’s a real possibility that this long-standing cliffhanger could finally get resolved.

Learn more about Call of Duty’s biggest unanswered cliffhangers across every game from Inkslasher on YouTube.

Black Ops 3’s ending was pure confusion

If there’s one Call of Duty campaign that still has players debating what actually happened, it’s Black Ops 3. The ending takes a deep dive into sci-fi territory, where technology and identity blur beyond recognition.

After a lengthy battle against Corvus — an AI entity that infects human minds — the player character appears to become someone else entirely. Despite dying earlier in the story, Taylor seems to live on through the protagonist. The final scene shows the player identifying as Taylor, raising more questions than it answers.

The storyline dives into neural interfaces, artificial consciousness, and psychological manipulation. But in the end, the player is left without any closure. Treyarch has never followed up on this narrative, and most fans agree that it stands as the most confusing and unresolved cliffhanger in the series.

The Modern Warfare reboot brought back post-credit teasers

The rebooted Modern Warfare games, starting with the 2019 release, also use cliffhangers, but they take a slightly different approach. These games often include post-credit scenes that tease upcoming storylines rather than leave major character fates unresolved.

In Modern Warfare 2019, players are introduced to key figures like Victor Zakhaev and Khaled Al-Asad, setting up their roles in Warzone and later campaigns. While not direct cliffhangers, these teasers helped build long-term storytelling across titles.

Modern Warfare 2 (2022) pushed this concept further by ending with the introduction of Vladimir Makarov. It’s a clear setup for Modern Warfare 3, which finally brings Makarov back into the spotlight.

But even in Modern Warfare 3 (2023), the game ends with a massive unanswered moment. Makarov shoots Soap McTavish and escapes without a trace. The campaign closes without confirming Soap’s condition, and the post-credit scene ignores the incident completely, shifting focus to General Shepherd instead. With no follow-up in the seasonal content so far, players are left waiting for answers.

Black Ops Cold War ends with a betrayal and silence

In Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, the final twist reveals that Russell Adler turns on the player character, Bell, after using him to stop the antagonist Perseus. While it’s framed as tying up loose ends, the moment is executed without resolution.

The bigger issue is that the Cold War seasonal content that followed never referenced Bell’s fate. It feels like a major narrative beat was introduced and then immediately dropped, leaving players wondering if Bell survived or if there were any consequences for Adler’s actions.

Black Ops 6 introduces a new threat but leaves doors open

The most recent Black Ops storyline, currently unfolding in the seasonal content of the latest title, appears to bring some closure. Players stop Pantheon’s plot and eliminate major characters like Jane Harrow. But just when it seems like things are settled, the final scene suggests that there’s still a mole inside the CIA.

This unresolved ending is still being expanded in real-time, with Season 3 adding more context. It may not stay a cliffhanger for long, but for now, it leaves the story open for more twists.

To keep up with the latest developments in the Black Ops storyline, check us out at CODIntel.