Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was launched on November 14, 2025. Since its release, analysts have had their eyes set on the numbers, including player count and sales figures, to see how it compares to its close rival, Electronic Arts’ Battlefield 6.
A new report from GSD, which was published by The Game Business, shows that Black Ops 7 sales are significantly behind Black Ops 6 and Battlefield 6. According to the report, the physical and digital sales numbers of the latest instalment from Activision and Microsoft are 63% behind Battlefield 6.
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Another breakout hit that might have chipped players off Black Ops 7 numbers is Arc Raiders from Embark Studios. In addition to that, Black Ops 7 reviews and Metascore have been dismal compared to its rivals.
However, it is important to mention that Battlefield 6 is not on a subscription service like Black Ops 7, which was a day one release on Game Pass Ultimate. Therefore, it is still possible that Black Ops 7 will record higher player numbers compared to Battlefield 6, despite having a lower sales number.
Black Ops 7 has bigger problems besides its competitors
Activision has had a culture of sharing celebratory posts around Call of Duty players and sales numbers after each launch. However, communication from the developer has been mostly muted since the launch of Black Ops 7. No such accolades have surfaced from the company this year.
Black Ops 6 was the first to launch day one on Xbox Game Pass, following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023. While Microsoft claimed it was the biggest CoD launch in the history of the franchise in terms of player numbers, those numbers plunged sharply post-launch, compared to previous entries.
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According to the report, both physical and digital sales of Black Ops 7 are 50% down compared to last year’s entry. This time, it is a fair comparison since Black Ops 6 was also launched day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Notwithstanding its below-par performance, Black Ops 7 was still the best-selling game in Europe, in terms of units and revenue, for the week ending November 16. Battlefield 6 dropped to fourth in the week under review.
Some gamers have attributed the dwindling Call of Duty numbers to a glut from the yearly release. Some are suggesting the release should be less frequent to allow the developers to actually innovate on creating a fresh experience for players.
Do you think Call of Duty is a diminishing franchise, or do the falling sales numbers show more gamers are playing through Game Pass? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
