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The latest installment of the world’s top-selling war game series, “Call of Duty,” launches this Friday amid competition to surpass the recent successful debut of “Battlefield.”
“Call of Duty: Black Ops 7” takes players into a near-future setting, showcasing a special forces team confronting a Nicaraguan terrorist threat. For two decades, “Call of Duty” and “Battlefield” have fought for supremacy in the first-person shooter genre, with “Call of Duty” maintaining a lead by selling over 500 million copies since its 2003 debut, according to publisher Activision Blizzard. Several entries have individually sold more than 20 million copies.
Despite this, choosing a 2035 timeline for the new game might pose risks, as previous “Call of Duty” titles set in the future haven’t resonated as well with fans. According to Activision’s Stephanie Snowden, “Black Ops 7” omits features like jetpacks and wall-running, which had been unpopular among players. Instead, characters can now bounce off walls with a double jump, adding a fresh element to gameplay.
The game largely follows the recent “Black Ops” formula, featuring familiar characters and maps from previous titles like Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6, intending to satisfy loyal fans without alienating them by straying too far. However, Lou Martin, a marketing student who played the game at Paris Games Week, notes that the franchise’s innovation pace appears slow.
Meanwhile, “Battlefield 6,” released on October 10, has set new records by becoming the franchise’s biggest launch ever, with over seven million copies sold within the first week—lauded by Electronic Arts as one of the biggest gaming and entertainment events of 2025. Industry insiders estimate total sales have now exceeded 10 million, marking a strong recovery after “Battlefield 2042” disappointed in 2021.
Player Reda Mbarki prefers “Battlefield,” citing its smaller multiplayer maps and a battle royale mode reminiscent of similar features in “Call of Duty.” Despite minimal innovation, Mbarki favors it over “Battlefield” for its simpler mechanics, hinting that “Call of Duty” still maintains a dedicated audience through modes like multiplayer and zombies.
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