The Call of Duty franchise has been going strong for over two decades, garnering millions of monthly players on average. However, a recent survey suggests this large player base might not be the sharpest group among gamers.
Video games demand strategy, practice, and critical thinking. While some may dismiss them as child’s play, the reality is that an average Joe might actually dislike the experience of playing them. This was proven in a recent study by WhichBingoUK, which surveyed 1,002 gamers with the help of trained psychologists to approximate their intelligence levels.
Overall results were good, with gamers generally boasting an above-average IQ. Call of Duty players, though, didn’t fare as well.

According to the final results, League of Legends, Black Myth: Wukong, and Baldur’s Gate 3 players are the smartest of all. Meanwhile, Call of Duty players found themselves near the bottom of ranked games, with below-average IQ scores.
Call of Duty players have the lowest IQ among gamers, according to a survey
A survey suggests that Call of Duty players one of the lowest average IQs in gaming.
WhichBingoUK’s survey evaluated participants’ cognitive skills in four areas: verbal communication, mathematics, logic, and visual reasoning. The study classified IQ scores as follows: below 85 is considered below average, 85–115 is within the average range. Anything above 115 is considered above-average intelligence.
Only the top four games scored above average, with Call of Duty players hanging out at the bottom of the list, above Rocket League and FC 24. The test showed that the average Call of Duty player has an IQ of 95.3, even lower than GTA 5, a game that’s hardly known for its competitive edge.
This might surprise some, given that Call of Duty demands serious strategy and practice. Some even compare its competitiveness to the fourth-ranked game, Counter-Strike 2. However, as the test noted, several factors were considered.
It’s possible Call of Duty players fell short in areas like communication or mathematics. These skills are crucial in tactical shooters, but less so in a more casual game like Call of Duty.
Clearly, RPGs tend to be more demanding, attracting players with higher IQs, while League of Legends calls for those who can stay patient and quickly process information overload. All of this is generally absent in an average Call of Duty deathmatch mode, which plays in first-person and allows players plenty of time to make decisions and move toward victory.