In an exciting turn of events for the gaming industry, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 burst onto the scene last month, clinching the title of the best-selling game of November in the U.S. by dollar sales. This achievement continues the franchise’s impressive streak of topping launch month charts for 18 consecutive years. However, the real battle seems to be with its rival, as Battlefield 6 is predicted to dominate the U.S. sales charts by the end of the year.
November’s Bestsellers: The Contenders
According to Circana’s latest report, Black Ops 7 emerged as the top-selling game for November and ranked seventh in year-to-date sales. It trails behind Battlefield 6 holding the No.1 spot, followed by NBA 2K26, Monster Hunter Wilds, Borderlands 4, EA Sports College Football 26, and Madden NFL 26. Despite these titles being available longer, Call of Duty faces a challenge due to its Game Pass launch, which affects its dollar sales on Xbox consoles. The impact on subscription numbers remains unclear.
Notably, Black Ops 7 hasn’t matched the success of its predecessor, Black Ops 6. This is evident in its critical reviews, fan reactions, and European sales figures. Circana reports a double-digit decline in dollar sales for Call of Duty compared to November 2024. Senior director Mat Piscatella noted that Black Ops 7’s dollar sales fell short of Black Ops 6’s previous year performance.
Battlefield 6’s Winning Streak
Piscatella projects that Battlefield 6 is “extremely likely” to finish as the best-selling game of 2025 in the U.S. This isn’t unprecedented, as in 2023, Hogwarts Legacy outperformed Modern Warfare 3, which wasn’t on Game Pass at launch. While Black Ops 6 dominated 2024, only Rockstar’s GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 had previously unseated Call of Duty since Rockband in 2008.
Industry Shifts and Challenges
Given these dynamics, Activision is reportedly contemplating major changes to its release strategy for Call of Duty. Meanwhile, despite Battlefield 6’s stellar launch, an update caused significant technical issues across platforms.
November proved to be unusual, as overall game sales in the U.S. hit a historical low, with reports indicating it was the weakest November since 1995.
Battlefield 6 is projected to secure the title of the best-selling game in the U.S. for 2025, potentially outshining Call of Duty’s longstanding dominance.