Play Order (Release = Chronological)Recommended
0 / 6 playedRelease order. Each campaign stands alone, but oldest to newest keeps the tech curve smooth.
The Activision classics
- 1 MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat Clan Wolf or Jade Falcon campaigns in the Refusal War. Expansions: Ghost Bear's Legacy (1995), Mercenaries (1996).
- 2 MechWarrior 3 Inner Sphere strike against Clan Smoke Jaguar. Expansion: Pirate's Moon (1999).
- 3 MechWarrior 4: Vengeance Civil war campaign on Kentares IV. Expansions: Black Knight (2001), Mercenaries (2002).
The Piranha era
- 4 MechWarrior Online Free to play multiplayer only. Optional; skip it for story.
- 5 MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries Mercenary company sandbox from 3015 to 3049 with several story DLC packs. Good starting point for sim fans.
- 6 MechWarrior 5: Clans Linear Smoke Jaguar campaign in the Clan Invasion. Ghost Bear: Flash Storm DLC followed in May 2025. Latest released entry.
About MechWarrior
MechWarrior puts players in the cockpit of hundred ton BattleMechs across the BattleTech universe of rival houses and invading Clans. Activision built the classic 90s sims; Piranha Games revived the series with Online and the two MechWarrior 5 campaigns.
This play order follows release order. The numbered games are standalone stories, so strict order matters less than picking the right starting point. New players should start with MechWarrior 5: Clans (2024), the most story driven modern entry.
Good to know
This list covers the numbered core games plus Online and MechWarrior 5; spinoffs such as MechCommander and the 1989 original sit outside it. MechWarrior Online (2013) is a separate free to play multiplayer game and is optional for story. In April 2026 Piranha's CEO said a Mercenaries DLC was due in May and another MechWarrior product targeted fall 2026; titles were unconfirmed, so verify before treating them as dated.
