Call of Duty has long been synonymous with guaranteed success with each release. However, Black Ops 7, launched on November 14, 2025 on PS5, is struggling to convince in Europe. According to GSD data published by TheGameBusiness, its first week’s sales are 63% lower than Battlefield 6yet available since the beginning of October.
This observation comes on top of another unflattering statistic. Journalist Christopher Dring reported that Black Ops 7 launch sales are also down 61% compared to Black Ops 6its direct predecessor. For Activision’s flagship franchise, this is a red flag that’s hard to ignore.
Battlefield 6 keeps control over the players
The success of a game is not measured solely by its first week. We still need to succeed in retaining players. From this point of view, Battlefield 6 seems to do much better than its rival. According to Ampere Analysis, 25% of players who played Battlefield 6 in September returned to it in October. In comparison, Black Ops 7 has a lower retention rate, with the added bonus of user scores considered disappointing.
This dynamic raises questions about public support for this new opus. Despite a colossal budget and a historic leadership position in the FPS segment, Call of Duty no longer seems untouchable.
Despite a top 1, a clear decline in the ranking
Ironically, Black Ops 7 still appears at the top of the top 10 in European sales for the week of November 16. It is notably ahead of Anno 117: Pax Romana, EA Sports FC 26 and even Grand Theft Auto 5. Battlefield 6, for its part, ranks in fourth place, but achieves a better launch performance.
These figures reflect a paradox: seemingly dominant, Black Ops 7 achieves one of the weakest launches of the franchise on European territory. A hard blow for Activision, all the more visible in a context where the FPS market is becoming more and more competitive.