For the first time since 2021, the gaming world sees new installments from both Call of Duty and Battlefield launching in the same year. This rare occurrence has inevitably reignited the long-standing debate and comparisons between these two powerhouse multiplayer first-person shooter franchises.
Early impressions of Battlefield 6, particularly from its open beta, suggest that Electronic Arts and Battlefield Studios have a promising title. However, industry analysts widely believe that Battlefield 6 is unlikely to surpass Call of Duty this year, even if enthusiasm for Black Ops 7 isn`t at its peak. While EA undoubtedly aims to capture a larger market share from its rival, Call of Duty`s position as the dominant paid FPS franchise is expected to continue unchallenged.
“While Battlefield 6 has the potential to perform better than any Battlefield game ever has – financially and critically – it almost certainly won`t outsell Call of Duty,” noted Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics.
Elliott highlighted that Call of Duty benefits from an exceptionally loyal core audience that reliably purchases each new installment annually. This behavior, he asserts, is not projected to change in the upcoming year, “just because Battlefield 6 is radical and performing incredibly well.”
Under the leadership of EA`s Battlefield boss Vince Zampella, a former high-ranking Call of Duty figure, alongside Battlefield GM Byron Beede (also a former CoD executive), the development team for Battlefield 6 has drawn inspiration from fan-favorite titles like Battlefield 3 and 4. This approach resonates strongly with fans who felt the series deviated too much from its roots with Battlefield 2042.
The previous Battlefield entry, Battlefield 2042, introduced significant changes to the franchise`s core mechanics, such as replacing the traditional player class system with unique, ability-focused characters. Its launch was notoriously problematic, alienating many veteran players. In contrast, Battlefield 6 represents a return to established methods, a move that players have so far received positively.
In essence, EA and Battlefield Studios appear to be making all the right moves to steer the Battlefield franchise back on course. The recent Battlefield 6 open beta reportedly attracted a massive player base of 20 million participants. Apart from minor concerns regarding the Rush mode and map sizes, the overall sentiment was overwhelmingly positive.
However, even if Battlefield 6 garners strong reviews, widespread positive feedback from fans, and impressive sales figures, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is still expected to maintain its lead, owing to the immense scale, reach, and established momentum of the Call of Duty brand.
“For many gamers, Call of Duty is an annual ritual,” Elliott elaborated. “Tens of millions of players, many of them casual, purchase the newest CoD every year without hesitation. This `autopilot purchasing` habit is decades deep, and breaking it requires more than just one fantastic Battlefield release.”
Call of Duty`s Enduring Popularity, Despite Criticism
While Battlefield 6 might appeal predominantly to the “hardcore FPS community,” the vast majority of casual players will consistently gravitate towards Call of Duty year after year, a trend Elliott believes will persist.
“CoD`s market presence is so ingrained that players will buy it even if they voice complaints about it,” he stated.
Further bolstering Call of Duty`s annual main releases is its persistent battle royale companion, Call of Duty: Warzone. Warzone resides within the Call of Duty HQ launcher, alongside each year`s new title. Elliott emphasized that this is a critical factor because, even with a potential dip in Warzone engagement, it still commands an enormous player base that will be exposed to Black Ops 7 advertisements every time they log in.
“Battlefield simply lacks that level of cross-promotional scale,” Elliott observed.
It`s worth noting that Battlefield Studios is reportedly developing its own battle royale game for the series. However, this project is in its nascent stages, and details regarding EA`s long-term plans for its support, growth, and promotion remain undisclosed. It`s not even clear whether it will be a standalone game, a new mode, or something entirely different.
To further contextualize the situation, Elliott provided compelling data points highlighting Call of Duty`s immense market stature relative to Battlefield.
“The reality is that CoD`s sales floor is higher than Battlefield`s sales ceiling so far, for the year anyway,” he explained. “Even during Battlefield`s peak moments (Battlefield 1 in 2016), Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – a widely criticized entry – still outsold it by millions of copies. That`s the power of brand inertia at play.”
Market Dynamics and Historical Trends
In 2021, the last time both franchises released new games concurrently, Call of Duty: Vanguard claimed the title of the No. 1 best-selling game in the US, followed by 2020`s Black Ops Cold War at No. 2. Battlefield 2042, by contrast, ranked No. 5 overall in US sales for 2021. This meant it was outsold not only by its direct competitor but also by Call of Duty`s previous year`s entry, alongside other popular titles like Madden NFL 22 and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl. EA acknowledged that Battlefield 2042 fell short critically and commercially, while Activision also admitted Vanguard`s sales did not meet expectations.
Looking further back, 2018`s Battlefield V ranked No. 16 in the US, while Black Ops 4 secured the No. 2 spot that year. In 2016, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was the top seller in the US, with Battlefield 1 placing second. Battlefield 6 is often described as a spiritual successor to the well-regarded Battlefield 3 and 4. When those games launched in 2011 and 2013, Call of Duty`s latest releases dominated at No. 1, with Battlefield 3 and 4 ranking No. 4 in their respective years. Historically, a Battlefield game has never climbed higher than the No. 2 position on the US annual sales charts.
As the year concludes, many eyes will be on Battlefield 6 to see how high it can climb on the sales charts, even if those numbers alone don`t reveal the complete narrative of its success.
Game Pass`s Impact on Sales Metrics
Kade Barr, an equity research associate at Wedbush Securities, highlighted that the availability of Black Ops 7 on Game Pass, while Battlefield 6 remains a direct purchase, complicates direct sales comparisons. (Battlefield 6 will be accessible through EA Play Pro, a much smaller subscription service than Game Pass.) Barr suggests that Call of Duty`s inclusion in Game Pass could paradoxically benefit Battlefield 6`s sales performance.
“Black Ops 7 is set to attract more unique players within its first year of launch, but actual sales of both games could be quite close if both releases go smoothly,” Barr speculated. “While there`s undeniable overlap in player bases, Call of Duty`s presence on Game Pass might actually be a net positive for Battlefield. With a significant portion of Call of Duty players not needing to pay the full $70 for their game, they might have more disposable income available to purchase other titles like Battlefield.”
Overall, Barr`s firm, Wedbush, projects Battlefield 6 to become the second or third best-selling Battlefield title of all time, trailing only Battlefield 1 and Battlefield 3. Barr emphasized that for Battlefield Studios to truly challenge Call of Duty`s massive share of the premium FPS market, they must “nail” the planned battle royale mode, effectively leverage user-generated content from its Portal mode, and consistently deliver successful post-launch content.
“Ultimately, I believe Battlefield`s success hinges on a stable launch,” Barr concluded. “The excitement is palpable, but any hint of a buggy release will deter players. Given the eroded trust following Battlefield 2042, this game`s launch truly needs to be exceptionally smooth. Any significant widespread issues would likely result in a meaningful drop in sales.”
The Debate: Can Battlefield Truly `Boot Stomp` CoD?
Recently, former Xbox executive Mike Ybarra, now leading the sports betting company Prize Picks, made headlines with a social media post asserting, “Battlefield will boot stomp CoD this year.” Ybarra pointed to a perceived decline in Call of Duty`s sentiment in recent years, as Activision has increasingly incorporated “wacky” licensed skins and other features that haven`t universally pleased fans.
While online discussions often feature negative commentary about Call of Duty, it raises questions about the true weight of such conversations, especially as modern algorithms incentivize provocative content for engagement, and platforms like X directly compensate users for extreme viewpoints. Despite this negative rhetoric, official numbers consistently show Call of Duty remains an industry titan. And though online feedback doesn`t always lead to change, sometimes it does. Activision, for instance, recently announced the cancellation of the Carry Forward program for Black Ops 7, meaning the frequently criticized outlandish Call of Duty skins from Black Ops 6 may not appear in Black Ops 7. Activision has also indicated it`s listening to fans who desire a more grounded Call of Duty experience, acknowledging concerns that the franchise has “drifted” from its core identity.
In response to Ybarra`s bold prediction, Elliott simply remarked, “Chill out, son.”
To be fair, Ybarra did not explicitly claim Battlefield 6 would outsell Black Ops 7. As a Microsoft veteran of 19 years with experience in Xbox development and publishing, he is undoubtedly aware of the significant sales disparity between Call of Duty and Battlefield. His secondary point was that Battlefield 6, by focusing on fan-centric design choices, could foster increased competition, potentially prompting Activision to develop an even better Call of Duty product – an outcome Call of Duty fans would surely welcome.
From Activision`s perspective, Black Ops 7 associate creative director Miles Leslie was recently asked to comment on Battlefield 6`s successful beta. He acknowledged playing it and finding it enjoyable, but reiterated his primary focus remains on his own product.
“We`re fans of the FPS genre,” he said. “We`re fans of lots of games. Let`s all have fun.”