It’s a decisive month for fans of military FPS. Battlefield 6launched on October 10, surprised with its meteoric start, while Call of Duty: Black Ops 7available since this week, has just entered the arena. Two historic franchises, two visions of the genre, and a renewed confrontation that could well reshuffle the cards.
While Call of Duty traditionally dominates sales year after year, a first indicator suggests that this 2025 edition could be less overwhelming than usual. At least, at start-up.
An explosive start for Battlefield 6
Released barely a month ago, the new opus of the EA license already seems to be reaching new heights. In an interview relayed by Twisted Voxel, Mat Piscatellaa recognized analyst at Circana, affirms that Battlefield 6 is on track to become the series’ best-selling installment by the end of 2025. An astonishing projection, which reflects a return to grace of a franchise that has sometimes fallen behind in recent years.
The game has visibly capitalized on a strong launch, combining a classic single player campaigna well-established multiplayer mode and a new competitive playing field with Battlefield: REDSEC, its free battle royale version. Clear objective: compete directly with Warzone And Fortnite in the free-to-play field.
An ambitious bet, but not devoid of logic. Players have long been asking for a more tactical alternative in this type of game. REDSEC could be the springboard that EA has been waiting for for years to reestablish its license on the podium of online shooters.
Black Ops 7: rich, complete… but not yet crowned
For its part, Activision is bringing out the heavy artillery. Black Ops 7 offers a dense experience: campaign playable in 4-player co-op, Explosive Zombies mode, classic multiplayer and a vast amount of end-game content. A massive, time-scaled opus that capitalizes on the reputation of the Black Ops sub-series.
But beyond the breadth of the content, one observation stands out: the game has only just been released. Any immediate comparison to Battlefield in sales would be skewed. Mat Piscatella himself recalls this: “Battlefield 6 is unlikely to outsell Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 in the long term.” A lucid reminder of the historical commercial power of the Call of Duty license.
The real question is therefore not who will sell the most this week, but rather how these two titles will establish themselves over time, among increasingly fragmented communities of players.
A rivalry that is good for the genre
Basically, this renewed competitiveness between the two franchises could be beneficial for the entire industry. After years of undivided domination of Call of Duty, often criticized for its conservatism, the emergence of a Battlefield in great shape could force the two series to be renewed.
With two single-player campaigns, two solid multiplayer offerings, and now two competitive battle royales, fall 2025 marks a turning point. The players have again the choiceand this is perhaps what has been missing in recent years.
Battlefield 6 is currently available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7meanwhile, is playable on all current platforms, including via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate upon its release.