Call of Duty: World at War

Call of Duty: World at War (WaW) is a first-person shooter developed by Treyarch and released on November 11, 2008. Built on an upgraded version of the CoD4 engine, World at War returned the series to WWII but with a darker, grittier tone than any previous entry. The game pushed realism, brutality, and atmosphere in ways no COD had done before.

World at War is also the game that introduced the iconic Nazi Zombies mode, which became one of the most popular features in the entire franchise.

Campaign

The campaign spans both the Pacific Theater and the Eastern Front, following two primary storylines: U.S. Marines fighting the Japanese, and the Soviet Red Army’s march toward Berlin.

Main protagonists:

Private Miller — U.S. Marine fighting through the Pacific
Sergeant Reznov — Soviet soldier (voiced by Gary Oldman)
Private Petrenko — Red Army infantryman

Key missions include:

Semper Fi — brutal opening in Makin Atoll
Little Resistance — the famous Ray Gun “Easter egg” in the sand
Vendetta — sniper mission in Stalingrad
Burn ’Em Out — flamethrower assault through the jungle
Breaking Point — storming fortified Japanese positions
Downfall — final assault on Berlin

The campaign is known for its intensity, violence, and realistic depiction of war. Treyarch’s storytelling, combined with environmental destruction and flamethrowers, made WaW stand out from other WWII shooters.

Multiplayer

World at War’s multiplayer followed CoD4’s structure but introduced new weapons, perks, vehicles, and a more grounded aesthetic. It featured some of the most iconic and chaotic maps in the franchise.

Notable Maps

Dome
Castle
Cliffside
Knee Deep
Makin Day
Upheaval
Hangar

Weapons

MP40 (infamous)
STG-44
Thompson
Type 100
Kar98k / Mosin-Nagant
PTRS-41
BAR

Features

Leveling & Prestige system (same structure as CoD4)
Dogs killstreak instead of a helicopter
Flamethrower as a weapon attachment
Vehicle-supported maps (tanks)

The multiplayer was loved for its grounded feel and simple, skill-based gameplay — with the MP40 becoming one of the most memed weapons in COD history.

Nazi Zombies

World at War introduced the entire Zombies franchise. What started as a simple wave-survival bonus mode became one of the biggest COD features ever.

Maps included:

Nacht der Untoten — the original survival map, unlocked after the campaign
Verrückt — asylum map with power, perks, and traps
Shi No Numa — swamp map introducing the Wonder Weapon (Wunderwaffe DG-2)
Der Riese — birthplace of Pack-a-Punch and teleporters

Zombies quickly became a phenomenon — with easter eggs, storyline hints, and a community that remains active to this day.

Modding & Exploits

World at War is one of the most modded Call of Duty titles ever — especially on PC and early console modding scenes. Its open file structure and GSC scripting allowed for huge creativity.

PC Modding

Full custom maps (Zombies & Multiplayer)
Custom campaigns
Total conversion mods
Zombies weapon packs
GSC scripting tools
Lobbies and trainer tools

Console Modding

USB infections (early patches)
CFG mod menus
JTAG/RGH full menus
Stat manipulation
CFG toggle binds
Custom Zombies ports

Famous Mod Menus

MotionFlex
EliteMossy
Project X
Blue Chaos
Der Riese custom mods (PC)

World at War is still widely used by modders due to its simplicity, flexible GSC structure, and massive PC mapping community.

Notable Features

Gore & Realism

WaW pushed the limits with dismemberment, body damage, and gritty sound design — giving the war a brutal, unpolished feel.

Reznov’s Debut

The fan-favorite character Viktor Reznov makes his first appearance before returning in Black Ops.

Co-op Campaign

Unlike most COD games at the time, the entire campaign could be played cooperatively.

Legacy

World at War stands as one of the most influential COD titles ever released. It introduced Zombies, defined Treyarch’s style, and laid the foundation for the Black Ops storyline.

Even years later, the game has an active player base across PC, consoles, and private modded servers. Its Zombies maps and gritty WWII combat remain some of the most iconic in Call of Duty history.