The latest entry in Activision’s blockbuster franchise, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, appears to have encountered a surprisingly difficult opening week. According to early market data from the United Kingdom, the highly anticipated military shooter is not only tracking significantly behind its main rival, Battlefield 6, but has also suffered a dramatic year-on-year drop in physical sales compared to its direct predecessor.
The news, which is sending ripples through the gaming industry, paints a picture of a rocky launch for the typically unstoppable Call of Duty juggernaut.
A Sharp Decline in Physical Sales
The first signs of trouble came from industry analyst Christopher Dring of The Game Business, who teased the early statistics on social media. While not providing exact figures, Dring revealed that the latest Call of Duty title is "playing catch-up" to its EA-published rival, Battlefield 6, and is "significantly behind past entries" in the series.
In a post on X, Dring pointed to GfK market data as the source, confirming that the initial retail performance for Black Ops 7 is underwhelming.
This sentiment is backed by hard numbers from gaming community trackers. Data compiled on the Install Base forums provides a stark comparison. According to their estimates, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 sold approximately 105,000 physical copies in its first week in the UK last year. The follow-up, Black Ops 7, has managed to move only around 40,000 physical units—a precipitous 61% drop.
The Digital Wild Card and Game Pass Factor
It is crucial to note that these figures represent physical sales only, and the digital marketplace continues to claim a larger share of overall game purchases. Furthermore, the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on Xbox Game Pass from day one is a significant variable that previous titles did not have. This likely means a substantial number of players are opting to access the game via subscription rather than through a direct purchase, physical or digital.
However, even when accounting for this shift, the projections are concerning. Analysts suggest that if the physical-to-digital sales split is similar to 2024's trends, the total combined first-week sales for Black Ops 7 might only reach around 170,000 units in the UK. For context, Black Ops 6 reportedly achieved a much healthier 450,000 units in its debut week last year.
How Does Black Ops 7 Stack Up Against Battlefield?
The rivalry between Call of Duty and Battlefield is one of gaming's most enduring, but recent years have seen Call of Duty consistently come out on top. Black Ops 7 appears to be breaking that trend, at least initially.
The Activision title is tracking slightly ahead of the poorly received Battlefield 2042, but that is a low bar to clear. The real competition is the revitalized Battlefield 6, which seems to be comfortably ahead.
This performance gap is further evidenced on the PC platform. Concurrent player counts on Steam for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 peaked at around 100,000 in the days following its release. Meanwhile, Battlefield 6 shattered records by peaking at over 747,000 players—a staggering figure that eclipses any previous Call of Duty launch on the platform.
What’s Behind the Slow Start?
Gamers and industry watchers have been quick to theorize why Battlefield has managed to upend the normally dominant Call of Duty. Several key factors are being cited:
- Perceived Lack of Innovation: A common complaint among early players is that Black Ops 7 offers only minimal improvements over Black Ops 6, with some criticizing its single-player campaign as disappointing.
- Subdued Marketing: Some fans have noted a less pervasive marketing campaign from Microsoft and Activision compared to previous years, potentially leading to lower overall awareness and hype.
- Fierce Competition: The shooter genre is more crowded than ever. The surprise success of titles like Arc Raiders, which has surpassed expectations, is splitting player attention and making it difficult for any single release to dominate the conversation.
The full picture for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will become clearer as sales data from other regions and official digital figures emerge. But for now, in the key UK market, the king of shooters has been dealt a surprising and significant blow, signaling a potential shift in the industry's competitive landscape.
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