Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Facing Tough Competition

A Shift in the Gaming Landscape

Call of Duty has always been a dominant force in the gaming world. However, Black Ops 7 is not living up to the success of its predecessor, Black Ops 6. This marks a significant departure from the usual trend where Call of Duty games consistently top the sales charts in the US.

Sales Figures: A Steep Decline

• Black Ops 7 sold approximately 401,000 copies on Steam in the first 26 days after its release.
• In comparison, Black Ops 6 sold 2.3 million copies in the same timeframe.
• Both games were part of the PC Game Pass, which typically boosts sales, but even with this advantage, Black Ops 7 underperformed.

Player Count: A Worrying Trend

• Daily active users for Black Ops 7 dropped from 36 million in December 2024 to 18 million in November 2025.
• The decline in player count began earlier with Modern Warfare in 2022, where Steam player numbers consistently decreased.
• Currently, Black Ops 7 has an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 players on Steam at any given time.

Possible Reasons for the Decline

Experts suggest several factors contributing to Black Ops 7's struggles:

• Franchise fatigue: Players may be growing tired of the Call of Duty formula.
• Preference for other genres: Gamers might be gravitating toward different types of games.
• Increased competition: Other titles are capturing the attention of potential Call of Duty players.

Industry Reactions

• Activision, the publisher behind Call of Duty, admitted that Black Ops 7 did not meet their expectations.
• Microsoft stated that Call of Duty was the top franchise on Game Pass in 2025, indicating strong performance within the subscription service despite weaker standalone sales.

The Future of Call of Duty

While the exact plans for Call of Duty in 2026 remain uncertain, one thing is clear: no more back-to-back releases of Modern Warfare or Black Ops sequels.