Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, the latest entry in Activision’s blockbuster annual shooter series, launched in November 2025 to a mixed reception and underwhelming sales figures in key markets, prompting a candid official response from the development team and a strategic pivot for the franchise’s future. Despite topping European sales charts for its debut week, the game sold 63% fewer units than rival Battlefield 6’s opening week and over 50% fewer than its predecessor, Black Ops 6, according to data from GSD (Games Sales Data) tracking both physical and digital sales across Europe. In the U.S., it was the best-selling game of November by dollar sales but saw a significant decline from Black Ops 6, with early discounts dropping prices to half off within weeks.
Rocky Sales Performance in Europe and Beyond
European launch data painted a particularly grim picture for Black Ops 7. For the week ending November 16, 2025, it led unit sales and revenue charts ahead of titles like Ubisoft’s Anno 117: Pax Romana and EA Sports FC 26, with Battlefield 6 slipping to fourth place. However, its performance was 63% below Battlefield 6‘s debut in October and marked a more than 50% drop from Black Ops 6’s launch the previous year. Analysts noted stiff competition, with over 25% of Call of Duty players from September migrating to Battlefield 6 the following month.
The inclusion of Black Ops 7 in Xbox Game Pass from day one complicates direct comparisons, as subscription downloads are excluded from GSD figures, potentially inflating actual player counts compared to the premium-only Battlefield 6. Globally, reports from Circana highlighted ongoing sales struggles, with Battlefield 6 now “extremely likely” to outsell it as the top game of 2025 in the U.S. Activision remained tight-lipped post-launch, claiming a “great response” without releasing official player or sales metrics.
Mixed Reviews: Multiplayer Strengths, Campaign Weaknesses
Critically, Black Ops 7 earned middling scores across platforms. On Metacritic, PC critics averaged 65/100 (based on 58 reviews), with PS5 at 66/100 (49 reviews) and Xbox Series X at 66/100 (17 reviews). User scores were far harsher, plummeting to 1.6/10 on PC from over 3,200 ratings, marking it as one of the lowest-rated entries in the series.
Praises centered on multiplayer and Zombies modes, lauded for excellent maps, fluid movement, ambitious content, and longevity. IGN called the multiplayer “a great time” with strong initial maps. Criticisms, however, dominated: a shallow, confusing campaign with poor mission design, always-online requirements, microtransactions, and a lack of meaningful innovation, described by some as the “nadir of the franchise.”
Activision’s Response: Apology, Free Trials, and No More Back-to-Backs
In a December 9, 2025, blog post titled “Message from the Team,” Activision acknowledged that the franchise “has not met [some players’] expectations fully” while positioning Black Ops 7 as a “spiritual successor to Black Ops 2.” The team promised “unprecedented seasonal support,” with Season 01 as the largest ever, ongoing updates based on feedback, and a free trial to let players “judge for [themselves].”
A major shift: No more back-to-back Modern Warfare or Black Ops releases. “We will no longer do back-to-back releases of Modern Warfare or Black Ops games,” the team stated, aiming for “meaningful, not incremental” innovation to deliver “an absolutely unique experience each and every year.” This breaks a pattern where seven of the last eight mainline titles were from those sub-series. Microsoft, Activision’s parent, echoed the sentiment, with execs noting annual releases are “really difficult.”
Looking Ahead: Competition, Fatigue, and Renewal
The launch woes come amid rising competition from Battlefield 6 and signs of franchise fatigue after 20+ years of annual drops. While Black Ops 7 retains strengths in core modes, its stumbles underscore the risks of the yearly cadence. With promises of a revitalized schedule and player-focused updates, Activision hopes to reclaim momentum, but Battlefield’s surge and early discounts signal a tougher battlefield ahead.