Gamers see Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 free trial as desperate attempt to slow Battlefield 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has had free trials before, but gamers find the timing of the next event suspicious. Players can experience Activision’s 2024 shooter game at no cost between October 9th and October 16th. The Battlefield 6 release date just happens to coincide with that week, set for October 10th.

Scheduled to debut on November 14th, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 may be losing ground quickly to its rival. Steam data indicates that Battlefield 6 beta attracted five times the number of players as Black Ops 7. Dice’s title also has a substantial edge in pre-order sales. The results are surprising, considering that Call of Duty has dominated past Battlefield games in revenue.

What’s notable about the upcoming Black Ops 6 free trial is that it provides full access to its single-player mode. Treyarch may feel that it has an advantage with the Black Ops 6 campaign. Reviews of last year’s Call of Duty solo experience are largely positive, describing a compelling narrative and diverse missions.

With Battlefield 2042 not offering any campaign, the impressions of Battlefield 6 single-player action are uneven. Testers have complained about poor enemy AI and scripted missions that prevent strategic gameplay. That said, early playtests of Black Ops 7 may be more negative, with fixed difficulty a common complaint.

Activision is pulling out all the stops to curtail Battlefield 6

In what may be another sign of concern from Activision, it opted to extend the recent Black Ops 7 beta. The test will now continue for an extra 24 hours, concluding on October 9th. That will keep gamers occupied until one day before the Battlefield 6 release date. To keep followers loyal, Treyarch will unlock more maps, modes, and playlists.

One key difference to remember is that Battlefield is not an annual release, unlike Call of Duty. Rumors suggest that EA will adjust its approach within the next six years. Even so, Activision’s military shooter game may be able to make up any lost ground in 2026.