Call of Duty Is Pulling Ahead as Battlefield 6 Player Engagement Slips

Call of Duty and Battlefield have long competed for dominance in the FPS space, but new engagement data suggests that the balance may be shifting—at least on consoles. While Battlefield 6 continues to hold a solid player base, Call of Duty’s broader ecosystem appears to be giving it a noticeable edge in overall activity.

🎮 Call of Duty HQ’s Strong Console Presence

Recent U.S. player engagement snapshots indicate that Call of Duty HQ is currently ranked as the second most-played title on both PlayStation and Xbox based on weekly active users. In contrast, Battlefield 6 has slipped slightly, moving from sixth to seventh place during the same period.

This trend suggests that Battlefield 6 may be losing momentum faster than its primary competitor. However, the comparison isn’t entirely straightforward. Call of Duty HQ combines activity from multiple titles, including free-to-play experiences, which makes it difficult to measure how much engagement is coming from any single release.

📉 Battlefield 6’s Recent Dip in Console Activity

Roughly two and a half months after launch, Battlefield 6 appears to have cooled off somewhat in console rankings. While dropping a single spot is not a major red flag, it does indicate that sustaining long-term engagement is becoming more challenging as newer content competes for players’ attention.

That said, Battlefield 6 remaining within the top ten most-played console titles still reflects a healthy and committed player base, especially given the crowded shooter market.

💻 Battlefield 6 Holds the Advantage on Steam

Interestingly, the picture looks different on PC. Steam data shows Battlefield 6 outperforming Call of Duty HQ in concurrent player counts. During late December, Battlefield 6 recorded nearly double the peak Steam players compared to Call of Duty HQ.

Since Call of Duty HQ aggregates multiple games, this suggests that Battlefield 6 may currently be generating stronger standalone engagement on Steam, even if Call of Duty dominates through its broader ecosystem.

🌐 The Ecosystem Gap Still Favors Call of Duty

Even if individual Battlefield titles perform well, Call of Duty’s interconnected ecosystem remains a major advantage. The combination of legacy titles and free-to-play experiences continues to drive consistent engagement across platforms, making it difficult for Battlefield 6 to fully close the gap in total activity.

This cumulative effect means that, despite strong moments on PC, Battlefield still faces an uphill battle in matching Call of Duty’s overall reach.

🚀 Battlefield RedSec Could Shift Momentum

EA and DICE are clearly aware of this challenge. The launch of Battlefield RedSec, a free-to-play battle royale experience with shared progression, represents a strategic move to compete more directly with Call of Duty’s ecosystem approach.

With seasonal updates, playlist changes, and ongoing support, RedSec has the potential to strengthen Battlefield’s long-term engagement and provide a clearer answer to Call of Duty’s dominance in the live-service space.

🧠 Final Thoughts

While Call of Duty currently leads Battlefield 6 in console activity, the rivalry is far from settled. Battlefield continues to show strength on PC, and upcoming ecosystem-focused initiatives like RedSec could significantly influence player engagement in the months ahead. As both franchises evolve, platform-specific performance may become just as important as overall player counts.