Black Ops 6 Player Count Drops Significantly After Record-Breaking Launch

Despite launching with massive momentum, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is struggling to keep players engaged just months after release. The game had a blockbuster debut in October 2024, making history as the first Call of Duty title to launch on Xbox Game Pass from day one. It broke franchise records and attracted tens of millions of players. But new data suggests that initial hype may be fading fast.

A Surprising Downturn for a Record-Setting Title

Black Ops 6 was released across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and its Game Pass launch gave it a major head start. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella even confirmed that it has broke records for both day-one engagement and new Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

According to Ampere Analysis, however, that explosive start hasn’t translated into long-term retention. The data shows that while 33.7 million people played Black Ops 6 in 2024. The franchise’s monthly active player count is steadily declining. In March 2023, Call of Duty had 22.4 million active users; by March 2025. However the number had dropped to just 20.6 million — and that includes all titles, not just Black Ops 6.

What’s Causing the Drop-Off?

There could be several reasons for this slide:

• Game Pass churn: Many players may have simply tried Black Ops 6 through Game Pass and moved on to other games within the service.

• Cheating and security issues: Both Warzone and Black Ops 6 have been plagued with cheaters, frustrating casual and competitive players alike.

• Microtransactions backlash: Ongoing criticism around overpriced cosmetics and monetization models may be wearing on player goodwill.

• Franchise fatigue: Even with solid reviews, players may be experiencing burnout after years of yearly CoD entries.

Still Better Than Modern Warfare 3

It’s not all doom and gloom. Despite the current drop-off, BO6 still outperformed Modern Warfare 3 (2023) significantly, drawing 13 million more players. The difference? MW3 had no day-one Game Pass presence and was widely panned for its underwhelming single-player campaign.

What’s Next for Call of Duty?

It remains to be seen how Activision and Microsoft will respond to the retention issue. With Black Ops 6 still actively supported and new seasonal content likely on the horizon, there’s hope for a rebound. However, keeping long-term engagement strong in a Game Pass world is proving to be a serious challenge.

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