Call of Duty remains one of the most significant video game franchises globally, topping sales charts year after year. However, CoD: Black Ops 6 launched in a unique context, drawing attention to the franchise's rise in popularity on Xbox.
Following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard King by Microsoft in 2023, fans questioned the future of the military franchise. Phil Spencer and his team clarified that exclusivity was off the table, leaving the pressing question of whether future titles would debut on Xbox Game Pass on day one.
After much speculation and debate, Microsoft confirmed that CoD: Black Ops 6 would be the first in the series to launch directly on its popular subscription service. This bold move seems to be paying off.
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Call of Duty Player Count on Xbox Increases by Over 150% Following Black Ops 6 Release
After a long wait, the latest installment in the franchise debuted on October 25. As promised, active Xbox Game Pass members can download and play it at no additional cost. While analysts believe that its Game Pass availability may impact sales, they also suggest it could boost subscriber numbers.
For the past few years, games in the series have been housed under Call of Duty HQ, a platform that integrates multiple franchise entries: Modern Warfare II, Modern Warfare III, Warzone, and now Black Ops 6. This integration makes it challenging to gauge player counts for each individual game.
However, data from TrueAchievements reveals that following the launch of this latest title, primarily developed by Treyarch, the popularity of the franchise's launcher surged significantly on Microsoft consoles.
After analyzing a sample of 2.4 million Xbox accounts, TrueAchievements found that Call of Duty HQ saw a 156% increase in player count following the late-week launch of CoD: Black Ops 6. This allowed it to rise to the top of the most popular games on these platforms, with its day-one debut on Xbox Game Pass allowing a wider audience to enjoy it.
It’s worth noting, however, that it’s difficult to confirm if this spike in player base came solely from Black Ops 6, though it’s fair to assume it was the primary driver. For comparison, Call of Duty HQ recorded only a 33% increase following the release of Modern Warfare III in 2023.
So, tell us, were you one of the many who enjoyed the new game through Xbox Game Pass? Let us know in the comments.
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