Activision Offers ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’ Free Amidst Battlefield 6 Launch Concerns
Activision is making the entirety of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 free for a limited time, a move widely interpreted as a direct response to growing anticipation for the upcoming release of Battlefield 6. The strategic giveaway, announced in a recent blog post, aims to bolster player engagement ahead of its rival’s launch and potentially mitigate any gains Battlefield 6 might achieve.
While Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is projected to ultimately outsell Battlefield 6, industry observers have noted a significant surge in positive sentiment surrounding the latter title in recent months. This momentum began with the Battlefield 6 beta in August and has been fueled by promises of a more “gritty, realistic” gameplay experience – a clear contrast to the often-criticized crossover skins featured in recent Call of Duty installments. Advertisements for Battlefield 6 have even directly targeted Activision’s marketing approach, according to reports.
“Activision might be sitting pretty with its sales juggernaut, but it’s clearly been rattled by Battlefield 6,” one analyst stated. This concern is now manifesting in the free giveaway, scheduled to begin one day before Battlefield 6 hits the market.
The free trial of Black Ops 6 – encompassing the campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes – will be available for one week, starting Thursday, October 9. The trial will launch simultaneously across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC at 5pm BST (10am PT in the US) and conclude on Thursday, October 16 at 6pm BST.
Players participating in the trial will have full access to the game’s features, including over 40 multiplayer maps, all six Zombies maps, the Directed mode, and the newly launched Halloween event, “The Haunting.” “The Haunting spans several new maps, including Gravity, Rig, and Mothball, along with a new limited-time mode called Haunted Havoc Zombies,” a company release detailed.
Interestingly, the relatively short campaign – estimated to take around nine hours to complete – can be fully experienced within the trial period. This has led some to suggest the move is less about attracting new players and more about disrupting Battlefield 6’s launch numbers.
However, recent data from Circana’s PlayerPulse survey, which polled 5,100 players, suggests Activision’s concerns may be justified. The survey revealed that 47% of individuals intending to purchase Battlefield 6 fall within the 18-34 age demographic, compared to 32% of those planning to buy Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
According to data shared by Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) on October 7, 2025, Battlefield 6 purchase intenders are 79% male, 47% aged 18-34, 55% play on PC, and 56% also intend to buy Black Ops 7. Conversely, Black Ops 7 purchase intenders are 63% male, 32% aged 18-34, 47% play on PC, and only 24% plan to purchase Battlefield 6.
This indicates Battlefield 6 is attracting a younger audience, a potential long-term challenge for Call of Duty’s market dominance. Despite this, the survey also shows significant crossover appeal: 56% of Battlefield 6 buyers intend to purchase Black Ops 7, while only 24% of Black Ops 7 buyers are considering EA’s shooter.
With over a month separating the launch of Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Activision is providing its competitor with a substantial opportunity to gain traction. Whether Battlefield 6 can capitalize on this window, or ultimately succumb to the established power of the Call of Duty franchise, remains to be seen.
