Call of Duty Is Getting Pummeled by Battlefield, and It’s Beautiful

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Written By NLM Team

It turns out you can’t just release the same mediocre shooter every year forever. Battlefield is back, and it’s eating Call of Duty’s lunch.

For nearly two decades, Call of Duty has been the unkillable juggernaut of the industry. It didn't matter how bad the game was; it printed money. Well, that era might finally be over.

The European launch numbers for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 are in, and they are catastrophic.

According to GSD data, Black Ops 7's opening week sales are 63% lower than what Battlefield 6 managed during its debut in October. (Physical sales only)

Read that again. Sixty. Three. Percent.

The "Game Pass" Excuse Doesn't Fly

I know what the apologists are going to scream: "But it's on Game Pass!"

Sure, Black Ops 7 is on Game Pass, and Battlefield 6 isn't. That absolutely accounts for some of the drop. But a 63% gap? And a 50% drop compared to last year's Black Ops 6? That is not just subscription cannibalization. That is a rejection.

The reality is that people are tired. Black Ops 7 has been getting slammed by players for its "Mostly Negative" user reviews on Steam, its lazy campaign, and its general lack of soul.

Meanwhile, Battlefield 6 did the impossible: it actually launched in a good state. It gave players what they wanted (mostly) and the market rewarded it by absolutely burying Activision’s yearly cash grab.

Ubisoft Catches a Rare W

In a weird twist, Ubisoft is also having a great week.

Anno 117: Pax Romana, a dense strategy game about Roman logistics, debuted at #2 on the charts, right behind Black Ops 7.

Even more impressive? It sold 2.5x more at launch than the massive hit Anno 1800.

So, to recap: Battlefield is crushing Call of Duty, and a complex city-builder is putting up blockbuster numbers. It’s almost like gamers actually appreciate good games that respect their time and intelligence.

Nature is healing.

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NLM Team
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