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The big picture: The opening weekend for the latest Call of Duty game has proven that interest in the popular first-person shooter is, surprisingly, at an all-time high. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, co-developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, was released on October 25 across diverse platforms and stands as the first CoD title with day-one access on Game Pass – a significant fact.
Based on an official post from the Call of Duty X account, Black Ops 6 experienced the largest three-day opening weekend in Call of Duty history, leading in total players, hours played, and matches conducted.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reinforced these points during the company’s latest earnings call, emphasizing that Black Ops 6 represented the largest CoD launch to date. It set a new precedent for day-one players and Game Pass subscriber additions on its launch day, Nadella mentioned.
Thank you #CallOfDuty community for making the launch of #BlackOps6 one for the record books… setting new day one and opening weekend records 🎮 pic.twitter.com/CQ1Uin0zMH
– Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) October 30, 2024
The day-one Game Pass launch is notable as it makes the new Call of Duty game accessible to more players immediately. Some speculated it might hinder unit sales, but that impact hasn’t been as significant as feared.
Nadella noted that unit sales on Steam and PlayStation surged by 60% compared to last year’s release.
It’s also important to acknowledge that the development teams had more time than usual to work on this title. The last CoD game from Treyarch and Raven Software was Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, released in late 2020. Typically, CoD development cycles are two years. Will this trend of extended development time continue for the franchise?
Whether you love it or hate it, Call of Duty’s accomplishments since its first release way back in 2023 are undeniable. Over two decades later, it continues to be the leading first-person shooter every year.
