The term Third Person is generally applied to games which show the character the gamer is playing as, from behind the character. This allows the whole character to be seen, and a larger field of view.
In most Call of Duty games, spectating a player will allow the user to pick from two cameras, a first-person camera or a third-person camera. This is the only way third person can be viewed on console games without glitching (excluding Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2).
PC users can manipulate the in-game console to have a third-person view of the game. In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare this means that aiming will make the camera zoom in by the relevant distance. Sniping however still shows the scope, but otherwise gameplay is more or less unaffected. In Call of Duty: World at War, gameplay becomes hideously difficult since for some reason all shots will travel to a certain point on the map instead of where the player is actually aiming, making aiming fundamentally useless. However, knives, grenades (excluding Molotov Cocktails) and the Triple 25 will still function normally.
Call of Duty: World at War
In Zombies, a glitch can be exploited on consoles that will enable third person, but aiming is impossible and the only way to get kills is by knives and grenades. To do this, the player must repeatedly press the switch weapon button while playing solo until the game restarts.
A similar glitch allows the player to play through a campaign mission in third person, but the same aiming difficulties will arise. First, you select a campaign mission, then, after that, in the beginning of the mission, pause and select " Save & Quit ". Then, do the zombies glitch, when you are third person in zombies, down yourself with a grenade. When the screen says "Game Over", pause and select quit. Then go to campaign and select "Resume" You will then be able to play the campaign mission in third person. But when you die, you'll restart in first person.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Main article: 3rd Person Mode
Third Person Modes in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 are exclusive to players that are rank 19 and up. The only playlist that allows third person is Third Person Team Tactical, although there used to be several others but they were removed. While aiming down the iron sights of a gun, the cross-hairs come closer together and a slight zoom comes into effect. While aiming down a Red Dot Sight or Holographic Sight, these effects are more exaggerated. The ACOG sight increases zoom, but does not increase accuracy much (how close together the cross-hairs are.) While aiming down a Sniper Scope or Thermal Scope, the view is just like first person, except slightly blurred.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Third Person mode in Modern Warfare 3 is visually the same and works the same as its Modern Warfare 2 counterpart. The only difference is that it can only be accessed in Split Screen and in private online matches.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Third Person mode was cut from Advanced Warfare.[1]
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Third Person appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 exclusively for the Specialist Spectre when the player activates the Shadow Blade.
Call of Duty: Mobile
Third Person returns in Call of Duty: Mobile in Battle Royale, Undead Siege and in some Spectator Mode scenarios.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Third Person returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II in Multiplayer as the 3rd Person Moshpit playlist in Quick Play. It is also available as an option in Private Matches. While the view remains in third-person for most weapons, it will switch to first-person when a player aim down sight while using a 4x Scope attachment.
In Special Ops, the players are able to toggle between first-person and third person via the Pause menu.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0
Third Person returned as a feature in Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, first seen in a dedicated playlist until February 15th, 2023. A third-person view was available in Battle Royale Preview between March 21st and March 28th, 2024 where players could toggle between first-person and third-person view on the fly when holding the "Down" D-Pad on consoles, or via the Pause menu.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
Third Person returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and while it doesn't have a dedicated playlist, players could play with third-person view in the Juggermosh mode. Third Person remains an option in Private Matches.
In Zombies, the players are able to toggle between first-person and third-person view on the fly when holding the "Down" D-Pad on consoles, or via the Pause menu.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Third Person returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 where it is available in Zombies in which players are able to toggle between first-person and third person via the Pause menu.
Videos
Trivia
- When pressing the ADS button while reloading in third person, the player will zoom in.
- Aiming down the sights on an ACOG equipped sniper in Modern Warfare 2 will cause the crosshairs to form a plus sign, meaning that every shot will land in the center of the screen.