Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has stormed to the top of the UK all-format boxed game charts, showcasing its immense popularity. However, the game’s physical sales have taken a dip compared to last year’s Modern Warfare 3, dropping by 10%. This shift can be attributed to Xbox users increasingly choosing digital Game Pass options, highlighting the growing impact of subscription services on the gaming industry.
Chris Dring, an expert from GamesIndustry.biz, points out that this trend signifies a significant shift in how many gamers are accessing their favorite titles. With Game Pass providing access to a vast library of games for a monthly fee, it’s no surprise that some players are opting for the digital route, especially with a new Call of Duty title being included in the subscription service for the first time.
As expected, PlayStation continues to dominate physical sales for Call of Duty. In the UK, a whopping 80% of physical copies sold were on PS5, while Xbox Series X/S accounted for 12% and PS4 captured the remaining 8%. This pattern aligns with previous Call of Duty releases, where Sony platforms have historically seen greater physical sales.
Despite the decline in physical sales, Black Ops 6 still managed to secure the number one spot in the UK rankings, pushing EA Sports FC 25 to second and Sonic x Shadow Generations to third.
Moving beyond consoles, Black Ops 6 has also garnered significant attention on PC. The game reached a peak of 306,460 concurrent players on Steam during its launch weekend, marking the third-highest peak for a Call of Duty game since the Call of Duty launcher’s debut in 2022. While this is impressive, it falls short of the record set by Warzone 2.0, which achieved nearly 492,000 concurrent players.
However, user reviews on Steam are currently mixed, with players expressing concerns about issues like crashes, performance lags, and spawn problems. Activision has acknowledged these complaints and is actively working on addressing them to ensure a smoother gaming experience.
The inclusion of Black Ops 6 on Game Pass is a noteworthy move by Microsoft. This marks the first time a new Call of Duty title has been available on the subscription service since Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This release also coincides with Microsoft’s decision to remove its $1 Game Pass trial, making it an experiment to gauge player engagement without introductory incentives. It remains to be seen how this strategy will play out in the long term, but it certainly represents a significant shift in the gaming landscape.
With its strong performance across platforms and its foray into the subscription model, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is undoubtedly poised to make a significant impact on the gaming world in the coming months. It will be interesting to observe how the game evolves and how players respond to the changes being implemented by Activision in the face of both opportunity and challenge.
