Should They Play?The parents' guide to apps and games

Should I let my child play Call of Duty?

18+

No

Not for under-18s. It's rated 18 for realistic, bloody violence, and voice chat with strangers is part of almost every match.

Call of Duty is made for adults. PEGI, the App Store and Common Sense Media rate it 18, and ESRB 17+, for realistic violence with blood, strong language and drug use. We never go below the highest official rating, so this is a no for every child, whatever settings you use. Most matches also put players in voice chat with strangers. Activision now uses AI to moderate voice chat, but your child can switch chat back on in the game's own settings. If your teenager already plays, the steps below cut the biggest risks.

Call of Duty fails 4 of our 7 safety checks. See how we decided, and the official age ratings

Last checked . Call of Duty is made by Activision (Microsoft) and runs on Xbox, PlayStation, Windows, iPhone & iPad, Android.

What is Call of Duty?

Call of Duty is a series of realistic military shooting games. The latest, Black Ops 7, and the free Warzone run on consoles and PC, and Call of Duty: Mobile runs on phones. Most play is online, in voice chat with strangers.

Our advice by age

Under 18
NoPEGI, the App Store and Common Sense Media rate Call of Duty 18, including the free Warzone. Call of Duty: Mobile is PEGI 16 on Google Play but 18+ on the App Store, and we follow the highest. If your teenager already plays, set up every step below.

What to watch out for

  • Realistic violenceRisk is high by default, high with controls on

    Players shoot and kill realistic human characters, with blood. This is the whole game, and no setting changes it. It's why every rating board puts it at 17 or 18.

  • Contact from strangersRisk is high by default, medium with controls on

    Most matches put players in voice chat with strangers, many of them adults. Console and PC family settings can restrict chat, but your child can switch it back on in the game's own settings.

  • Abuse and swearingRisk is high by default, medium with controls on

    Voice chat is known for insults, slurs and harassment. Activision uses AI to detect and mute abusive players, and says repeat offending has fallen, but it still happens.

  • SpendingRisk is medium by default, low with controls on

    Battle Passes, COD Points and bundles cost real money. Italy's competition regulator is investigating whether Call of Duty: Mobile pressures players, including children, to spend. Purchase approval stops surprise bills.

What's good about it

  • Teamwork and quick thinking in short matches
  • AI moderation of voice chat has cut abusive behaviour, according to Activision
  • No player-made content, so everything in the game is made by Activision

If your child already plays it

If your child already uses Call of Duty, these steps make it much safer. Takes about ten minutes. Do it with your child so they know what's switched on and why.

  1. Use your child's real date of birth on every account

    Age-based protections on consoles, PC and phones depend on it.

  2. Block chat in your console or PC family settings

    Set communication with other players to Blocked or Friends only in Xbox, PlayStation or Battle.net family settings.

  3. Turn off voice and text chat in the game

    Voice chat is in Audio settings, and text chat is under Account & Network. Your child can switch these back on, so check them regularly.

  4. Require approval for every purchase

    Turn on purchase approval in your console, PC store, Apple or Google settings.

  5. Talk about what they hear

    Agree that they'll tell you about anyone who's abusive, asks personal questions or wants to talk on another app.

  6. Set a daily time limit

    Use your console's or phone's family settings.

Recent news

  1. Missouri Attorney General wants answers from Microsoft over child predators on Xbox LiveNewstalk KZRG

    A letter demands that Microsoft, which owns Call of Duty's maker, deal with predators targeting children on Xbox.

  2. Call of Duty's AI moderation is catching things human players never reportedDualShockers

    Activision says Black Ops 7 has half as many abusive voice-chat offenders as before, thanks to AI moderation. These are Activision's own figures.

  3. Italy watchdog opens probes into Activision Blizzard over mobile game monetisationPocketGamer.biz

    Italy's competition regulator is investigating whether Call of Duty: Mobile pressures players, including children, into spending.

Common questions

What age is Call of Duty suitable for?

18. PEGI, the App Store and Common Sense Media rate it 18, and ESRB rates it 17+, for realistic, bloody violence and strong language. We never go below the highest official rating.

Is Call of Duty OK for a 12-year-old?

No. It's rated 18 for realistic violence, and most matches include voice chat with adult strangers. No parental setting changes the violence.

All my child's friends play it. What should I do?

That's hard when friends are playing it. We'd still say no, but explain why rather than just saying it: talk to your child about the realistic violence and why the game is made for adults. If your teenager already plays, block chat in your console settings, turn off chat in the game, turn on purchase approval and keep talking about what they hear.

Is Call of Duty: Mobile different?

It's rated PEGI 16 on Google Play but 18+ on the App Store. We follow the highest rating, so our answer is still no for under-18s.

Can strangers talk to my child in Call of Duty?

Yes. Most matches include voice chat with strangers. Console and PC family settings can restrict chat, but your child can switch it back on in the game's own settings, so check regularly.

What would change your verdict?

Only a change in the official ratings. The violence is the game itself, so no setting can make it suitable for children.