Battlefield 6 trails Call of Duty games in console users despite impressive player counts and sales

All signs seem to point to Battlefield finally overtaking its military shooter rival. Battlefield 6 has set sales records and achieved a higher concurrent Steam player count than any Call of Duty game. Yet, even before the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 release date, Activision’s franchise still has more support among console users.

Mat Piscatella shared Circana data on Bluesky, showing player engagement on PlayStation and Xbox. The statistics cover the week ending October 18th, including the first days after the Battlefield 6 release date. Measuring total active users in the U.S., the Call of Duty HQ ranks second behind Fortnite. Meanwhile, Dice’s new shooter is in seventh place on PlayStation and sixth on Xbox consoles.

It’s important to consider that Call of Duty HQ serves as a launcher for several titles. Although the publisher recently removed Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3, the app still houses Black Ops 6 and Warzone. Black Ops 7 is set to become the new star attraction on November 14th.

The Call of Duty world keeps expanding

Many gamers would prefer that Call of Duty HQ disappear. Fans complain about large downloads and a clunky interface. Still, it demonstrates an advantage that Activision still has over the Battlefield series. Even with the success of Battlefield 6, there are numerous Call of Duty games in its path. There are rumors that the series could become an annual release to keep players invested.

The new free-to-play Battlefield RedSec also provides competition to Warzone. Boosted by this release, Dice may continue to dominate PC gaming. While Call of Duty is ahead on consoles, Battlefield 6 player counts propel it to first place on Circana’s Steam charts in the U.S. and Canada.

With fewer pre-order sales and much lower open beta participation, Black Ops 7 faces diminished expectations. Nevertheless, Battlefield does not yet boast the same imposing ecosystem as Call of Duty.