Game Spending Rises Thanks To Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6

While it was expected that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 would dominate 2024 gaming conversations, its impact is proving to be instrumental in boosting overall game sales across the United States.

Insights from Circana (previously known as NPD Group) reveal a significant increase in October spending on gaming hardware, software, and accessories, which rose by 10% compared to the same month last year. Analyst Mat Piscatella identified the launch of Black Ops 6 as a key factor in this surge. Additionally, spending on non-mobile video game subscription services saw a remarkable 16% increase.

Piscatella noted that the rise was largely influenced by the October launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, in contrast to the November 2022 release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. On the subscription side, he highlighted how the inclusion of Black Ops 6 in Xbox Game Pass fueled this growth.

Overall, spending on video game content, including purchases of games and downloadable content (DLC), rose by 12% year-over-year, although hardware sales continue to decline. In terms of sales performance, Black Ops 6 has made a considerable mark, being the top-selling title for October and ranking as the third best-selling premium game of 2024, trailing only EA Sports College Football 25 and Helldivers 2.

The excitement surrounding Black Ops 6 was palpable, especially given its return to the beloved Black Ops franchise and its availability via Xbox Game Pass, allowing subscribers access at no additional cost. Industry analysts are keen to see whether this will lead to a sustained rise in Xbox Game Pass subscriptions or if this spike will be temporary. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently stated that the game set records for day-one player engagement and new Game Pass subscriptions on its launch day.

Despite its popularity on Xbox, Black Ops 6 is experiencing strong sales on PlayStation as well. According to Piscatella, 82% of total spending on Black Ops 6 is attributed to PlayStation, a trend influenced by the Game Pass model.

Piscatella elaborated on the game’s impact, stating that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Game Pass significantly affected U.S. market dynamics. It helped boost subscription spending, shifted full game sales more toward PlayStation, and notably, it did not seem to cannibalize sales significantly or drastically increase Xbox Series console sales. Thus, many questions regarding the long-term effects of such subscriptions remain unresolved.