It was supposed to be the year the tide turned. With record-breaking sales and a wave of positive buzz, Battlefield 6 seemed poised to finally challenge Call of Duty for the military shooter crown. Yet, despite an impressive launch that saw it top Steam charts, a new report reveals a familiar story is playing out in the living room: on consoles, Call of Duty’s throne remains secure.
The narrative was compelling. Battlefield 6 exploded out of the gate, setting franchise sales records and achieving a higher concurrent player count on Steam than any Call of Duty title in the platform's history. Even with the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 release date still on the horizon, it appeared DICE and Electronic Arts had finally landed a decisive blow against their long-time rival, Activision.
However, fresh data on player engagement paints a more nuanced picture, one where console loyalty runs deep and an established ecosystem proves incredibly difficult to disrupt.
The Console Conundrum: A Tale of Two Charts
The reality check comes from industry analyst Mat Piscatella of Circana (formerly NPD Group). In a recent post on Bluesky, Piscatella shared U.S. player engagement data for PlayStation and Xbox for the week ending October 18th—a period that crucially included the first days following the Battlefield 6 release date.
The numbers tell a clear story. On both major consoles, Call of Duty maintains a significant lead.
- On PlayStation, the Call of Duty HQ ranked as the second most-engaged-with platform, trailing only the behemoth Fortnite. The new Battlefield 6? It landed in seventh place.
- On Xbox, the gap was slightly smaller but still evident. Call of Duty HQ held the number two spot, while Battlefield 6 climbed to sixth.
This data is a stark reminder that success on PC, while significant, is only one part of the broader gaming landscape. For the crucial console market, Activision's flagship franchise continues to command the attention of millions more players.
You can see the specific data shared by Mat Piscatella here.
The "HQ" Advantage: More Than Just a Game
A key factor in this console disparity is the structure of the Call of Duty ecosystem itself. Many players have expressed frustration with the Call of Duty HQ—a central launcher application that houses multiple games. Complaints about massive, mandatory downloads and a clunky interface are common among the community.
Yet, this very system highlights a strategic advantage for Activision. Even with the roaring success of a single Battlefield title, it has to compete not with one game, but with a library. Although Activision recently removed Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 from the platform, the HQ still provides direct access to the upcoming Black Ops 6, the free-to-play phenomenon Warzone, and will soon usher in Black Ops 7 on November 14th.
This creates a powerful network effect. A player might log in to check on Warzone, see friends playing the Black Ops 6 beta, and decide to jump in. It’s a self-sustaining engagement loop that a standalone title like Battlefield 6 struggles to replicate. Rumors that Battlefield may itself move toward an annualized release schedule suggest EA is keenly aware of the need to build a similar always-on ecosystem.
The Road Ahead: A War on Multiple Fronts
This isn't to say Battlefield 6 is faltering. On the contrary, its performance is a massive success for the franchise. Its player counts have propelled it to first place on Circana's PC charts in the U.S. and Canada, proving its immense popularity and refined gameplay are resonating powerfully with a dedicated audience.
Furthermore, the recent launch of the free-to-play Battlefield RedSec provides a direct competitor to Warzone and could help bridge the gap by offering a lower barrier to entry for console gamers.
Meanwhile, the Call of Duty machine faces its own challenges. Reports of significantly lower pre-order sales and open beta participation for Black Ops 7 have tempered expectations for this year's installment. The franchise is not invincible.
The Bottom Line
The battle between these two titans is far from over. Battlefield 6 has proven it can compete on quality, sales, and PC player count. It has won a major battle for the soul of the modern military shooter.
However, the war for the living room is a different conflict altogether. Call of Duty’s deep-rooted ecosystem, bolstered by its multi-game HQ and the consistent draw of Warzone, has created a fortress on consoles that a single stellar release cannot easily breach. For Battlefield to truly claim the crown, it must build a world, not just a game.
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