Analysts: Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Launches Weakly Compared to Battlefield 6 in Europe

The recently launched Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has seen a notably weaker start in the European market compared to last year’s installment in the franchise. According to estimates from The Game Business, sales of Black Ops 7 in its opening week plummeted by over 50% compared to its predecessor.

Competitors of Activision are not idle. Battlefield 6 from Electronic Arts and the unexpectedly successful ARC Raiders from Nexon have captured the audience’s attention. Experts report that Black Ops 7 sold 63% fewer copies at launch compared to Battlefield 6. Analysts at Ampere Analysis add that over a quarter of players who enjoyed Call of Duty in September switched to Battlefield 6 in October.

The situation has been exacerbated by average press reviews and a wave of negative feedback from gamers. However, it is important to note that Black Ops 7 is available through the Xbox Game Pass subscription, unlike Battlefield 6. This could mean that the actual player base for the latest Call of Duty might be significantly larger.

In light of this disappointing launch, Activision has been relatively quiet. Typically, the company is eager to highlight the achievements of the series, such as sales records or player counts. This time, following the release, there was only a brief statement about a “positive response” — without the usual fanfare.

It’s worth reminding that the rights to the franchise belong to Microsoft, which acquired Activision Blizzard in 2023 for $69 billion. Last year, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 became the first title in the series to launch in Game Pass on release day. At that time, Microsoft termed it the largest launch by player count; however, interest in the project declined quicker than usual after its release. If this trend continues, it may take a long time for the “greens” to recoup their investment.

The Game Business has also shared sales charts for the period of November 9-16. These charts compile data from over 20 countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and even Russia.

Top 10 games by units sold:

Top 10 games by revenue: