In this new episode, the player is modelled after the Normandy breakout, where the British, Canadian, Polish, American, and French Resistance forces pushed into the village of Chambois, France, also known as the Falaise Gap.

The events in the game are based on a single combined campaign, with the player being switched between the four nations and their respective characters for each leg of the story. There are 14 playable campaign missions.

In addition to the single-player campaign, Call of Duty 3 features a wide range of multiplayer modes for players to participate in each team allowing up to 24 on the PS3 and the Xbox 360, but 16 for the PS2 in a single match. All team game modes feature the soldiers of the Allied nations versus those of the Axis (German).