Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently announced that the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has broken records, making it the biggest release in the franchise’s history. This news came during the company’s Q1 FY2025 financial earnings report, where Microsoft reported a significant increase in gaming revenue, with Xbox content and services revenue up by 61 percent year-over-year. However, Xbox hardware revenue saw a decline of 29 percent year-over-year.
The success of Black Ops 6 was attributed to Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which has been beneficial for investors and gamers alike. Despite a slight decrease in physical sales in the UK compared to previous titles, the game saw a record number of day one players and Game Pass subscriber adds. This launch was a crucial test for Microsoft’s subscription service strategy following the acquisition.
In addition to the record-breaking numbers, Black Ops 6 also attracted the highest number of opening weekend PC players in the franchise’s history, with unit sales on PlayStation and Steam up by 60 percent year-over-year. Developer Treyarch echoed these achievements, stating that the game had the highest number of total players, hours played, and total matches played during a three-day opening weekend.
While the game has received positive feedback from critics like Eurogamer’s Chris Tapsell, who praised its campaign for being “nonsensical, but surprisingly intimate,” the verdict on the multiplayer component is still pending. Overall, the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has proven to be a major success and has set a new standard for the franchise.