Call of Duty World at War Console Commands: How to Actually Use Them Without Breaking Your Game

Back in 2008, Treyarch took us back to the mud and the blood of the Pacific and Eastern fronts, but they also left the "dev console" wide open. If you’re playing on PC today, Call of Duty World at War console commands are basically the only way to keep the game feeling fresh after nearly two decades. Honestly, most people just want to fly around the map or give themselves a Ray Gun in solo campaign, but there’s a lot more nuance to it than just typing "noclip."

You've probably been in a situation where a scripted event in the campaign just... stops. Maybe a door won't open in "Vendetta" or an NPC gets stuck on a rock. That's where the console becomes a literal lifesaver. It’s not just about cheating; it’s about control. It’s about making a game from the Bush administration behave on a Windows 11 rig.

Getting the Console to Actually Show Up

First things first. You can’t just press a button and expect magic. You have to enable it in the options. Go to Options > Game Options and toggle "Enable Selection of Console" to Yes. It’s a simple step, but you’d be surprised how many people forget it. Once that's done, the tilde key (~) is your gateway.

✨ Don't miss: Masterwork Research Wish Granted: Why This Shiny Jirachi Quest Is Still A Grind

If you're in the main menu, the console might look a bit different than when you're mid-match. Some commands require a "devmap" load to function. This is a huge sticking point. If you try to use noclip or god in a standard lobby, the game will just ignore you. You have to load the map specifically through the console using the devmap [mapname] syntax. For example, typing devmap mak will load the first Pacific mission with cheats enabled. Without that specific "devmap" prefix, the game thinks you’re trying to cheat in a way that’s restricted.

It's kinda finicky. Old engines are like that.

The Essential Call of Duty World at War Console Commands for Survival

Let’s talk about the heavy hitters. You know the ones. God mode is god. It makes you invincible. Simple. Then there’s demigod, which is a bit more interesting—you still take damage and your screen shakes, but your health never hits zero. It feels a bit more "authentic" if you can even call it that.

For movement, noclip is king. It removes collision. You can fly through walls, go under the map, and see how Treyarch tucked away secret assets. But be careful. If you noclip out of bounds and then turn it off, you might fall into the "void" and die instantly, even with god mode on in some cases.

Ammo is another big one. give all is the "I want everything" button. It gives you every weapon available in that specific mission. If you’re in a Nazi Zombies map like Nacht der Untoten, this command is absolute chaos. You’ll have a Flamethrower, a Ray Gun, and a BAR all at once. If you just want bullets, give ammo is your best friend.

A Quick List of Common Commands

• god: Invincibility.
• noclip: Walk through walls.
• give all: Grants all weapons for that level.
• mapname: Tells you exactly which map you are on (useful for devmap loads).
• notarget: The AI literally forgets you exist. They’ll just stand there while you walk past.
• jumphi: Standard is 39, but you can set it to 500 and go to the moon.
• timescale: This is a fun one. timescale 0.5 is slow motion. timescale 2.0 is fast forward.

Fixing the Infamous FOV Issue

One of the biggest complaints about older Call of Duty titles is the narrow Field of View. It feels like you're looking through a toilet paper roll. By default, World at War sits around 65. Modern gamers usually want 90 or 100.

To fix this, you use cg_fov. But wait—there’s a catch. In multiplayer, this is often capped or protected. In single-player or private matches, you can usually bump it up. Try typing cg_fov 90 and see how much better the game feels. Your peripheral vision opens up, and the sprinting animation feels way more aggressive. It’s a small change that makes a massive difference in how the game "feels" on a wide-screen monitor.

The Secret World of Nazi Zombies Commands

This is where most of the community spends their time. If you’re playing Solo Zombies, Call of Duty World at War console commands turn the game into a sandbox.

If you’re testing a strategy or just want to see how long you can last, sf_use_ignoreammo 1 is the "Infinite Ammo" command. Unlike give ammo, which you have to keep typing, this makes it so your reserves never drop. It’s perfect for the MG42.

Another weird one is g_speed. Default is 190. If you set it to 300, you’re basically The Flash. This is incredibly helpful for getting across larger maps like Der Riese if you don’t feel like dealing with the teleporters.

Then there’s the "Magic Box" luck. Unfortunately, there isn't a direct console command to force the Mystery Box to give you a Ray Gun every time. That’s handled by the game’s internal scripts. However, you can use give ray_gun_zm on most zombie maps to just spawn it in your hands. If you want the Wunderwaffe, it’s usually give tesla_gun_zm.

Weapon Strings for Zombies

• give ray_gun_zm
• give tesla_gun_zm (Wunderwaffe DG-2)
• give ppsh_zm
• give mg42_zm

Keep in mind that if you give yourself a weapon that isn't naturally in that map's files, the game might crash. The engine looks for the model and the sound files; if they aren't there, poof. Desktop.

Technical Commands for Performance

Since World at War is an older title, it doesn't always play nice with high refresh rate monitors. You might notice your FPS is capped at 85 or 91. That was the standard back then. To break that cap, use com_maxfps 144 (or whatever your monitor's refresh rate is).

If you’re seeing stuttering, check your "draw frames" with cg_drawfps 1. This puts a little counter in the top corner. If the numbers are jumping all over the place, you might want to look into cl_maxpackets. Back in the day, we used to set this to 100 for smoother online play. On modern fiber internet, it’s less of an issue, but on a shaky Wi-Fi connection, it can still help stabilize your "lag" in private co-op sessions.

The Risks of Using Console Commands

Look, I have to be honest. If you use these in a public multiplayer match, you’re asking for a ban. While World at War doesn't have the aggressive "Ricochet" anti-cheat of the modern games, it still has PunkBuster and server-side checks. Most of these commands are "cheat protected," meaning they literally won't work unless the server has sv_cheats 1 enabled.

Even in solo play, using too many commands can break script triggers. If you noclip past a trigger point where a cinematic is supposed to start, the game might just soft-lock. You’ll be standing in an empty room with no way to progress because the game is waiting for you to walk through a door you flew over.

Actionable Steps for Your Next Session

If you want to dive back into WaW tonight, here is exactly what you should do to have the best experience:

1. Enable the Console: Head into the options menu and toggle it on.
2. Load via Devmap: Don't just click "Resume Game." Open the console and type devmap [mission_name]. For Nazi Zombies, try devmap nazi_zombie_prototype for Nacht.
3. Fix the FOV: Immediately type cg_fov 90. Your eyes will thank you.
4. Uncap FPS: Use com_maxfps 0 to remove the frame limit entirely, or set it to your monitor's specific hertz.
5. Bind Your Keys: If you’re going to be using noclip a lot, you can type bind p noclip in the console. Now, every time you hit the 'P' key, you'll toggle flying mode. It’s way faster than typing it out every time.

Using these commands transforms the game from a linear shooter into a playground. Whether you're trying to find easter eggs in the "Berlin" levels or just want to survive round 1000 in Zombies with infinite ammo, the power is right there behind the tilde key. Just remember to save often, because the 2008 engine wasn't exactly designed for you to be moving at 500 mph while firing a Ray Gun in the middle of Stalingrad.

To ensure your game remains stable, always execute commands one at a time and avoid stacking too many movement modifiers (like g_speed and jumphi) simultaneously, as this frequently causes the physics engine to glitch out and crash the session.