This year is shaping up to be a thrilling head-to-head contest for the FPS genre, as both Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 are set to shake up the fall lineup. It's been nearly four years since Battlefield 6's predecessor, Battlefield 2042, launched to lukewarm reviews, and in that time, Call of Duty has been running laps around the EA-published franchise.
However, just because Call of Duty has maintained an annual release schedule doesn't mean that the Activision-owned series is safe from serious competition. The open beta period for Battlefield 6 was incredibly successful, which could ultimately spell trouble for Black Ops 7. Only time will tell, of course, but when it comes to marketing, Battlefield 6 and Black Ops 7's opposite approaches may determine the fate of the latter.
Battlefield 6 Has Focused on Multiplayer, While Black Ops 7 Has Pushed its Campaign
Grounded Realism Vs. Futuristic Psychological Warfare
So far, the reception to Battlefield 6's trailer has been more positive than the newest Black Ops 7 trailer. There are a variety of reasons why Black Ops 7's trailer feedback has been mixed, but one of the most notable complaints is the game's futuristic slant. When comparing the two trailers, Battlefield 6 is clearly the more grounded option, which continues to ignite discourse among longtime Call of Duty fans who miss the more realistic take that the franchise used to have. Controversial decisions from Activision, like a Nicki Minaj collaboration and the more recent Beavis and Butt-Head skins, have sparked criticism, with many claiming that Call of Duty's multiplayer now feels far more like Fortnite than an actual military shooter.
At this rate, it's unlikely that Black Ops 7's multiplayer will pull back on these wild skins. Of course, it's unclear if Battlefield 6 will feature crazy cosmetics or not, but as of now, the game hasn't hinted at these types of collaborations. Now that Battlefield 6 has showcased an impressive multiplayer mode, the FPS leaves Black Ops 7 with the duty of proving that its campaign is worth the time.
The first weekend of Battlefield 6's open beta boasted 521,000 concurrent players.
Black Ops 7's Campaign Has to Prove its Future-Focused Story is the Right Move
- Black Ops 7 is set in the year 2035.
Granted, Black Ops 7 is only set a decade into the future, but the game envisions a lot of military and tech advancements within that time. Activision has begun to use fascinating marketing campaigns to promote Black Ops 7's campaign. One of the central figures in Black Ops 7 is The Guild, a military tech company that promises to be the key to world peace. This past week, a compelling real-life ad campaign for The Guild drew attention, and while it's a clever way to showcase Black Ops 7, it may not be enough to fully draw people in.
Ultimately, Black Ops 7's vision of 2035 feels far more outlandish than Battlefield 6's modern setting. The former's commentary on the quickly evolving world of tech isn't too far-fetched, but when it comes to the wild platform-based level designs and psychologically-charged hallucination sequences, Black Ops 7 may simply be too experimental for its more hardcore fans.
Black Ops 7's campaign will feature 4-player co-op.
Fall Marks the Return of Battlefield and Call of Duty's Rivalry
- Battlefield 6 launches on October 10.
- Black Ops 7 launched on November 14.
Now that Battlefield 6's open beta is over, all eyes are now on the game's campaign, while Black Ops 7's multiplayer has to go up against the former's powerful first impression. It's going to be a fascinating year for two of the biggest franchises in the FPS genre, and once both are finally here, the question of whether Battlefield 6 or Black Ops 7 reigns supreme will finally be answered.
Battlefield 6
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 90%
- Released
- October 10, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-App Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- Battlefield Studios
- Publisher(s)
- EA
WHERE TO PLAY
