Xbox Analysts Say Call of Duty Underperformed in the Worst Year Possible Why Black Ops 7 is Struggling During a Competitive Boom in FPS Gaming

Xbox Analysts Say Call of Duty Underperformed in the Worst Year Possible

Call of Duty has reigned over the FPS world for more than 20 years. But 2025 isn’t going as planned for the iconic franchise — and analysts argue Xbox “dropped the ball” in a year where the competition has never been stronger.

🎯 A Tough Launch in a Tougher Year

Black Ops 7 arrived on November 14 across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC with major momentum. One month later, its Season 1 update fully integrated the experience with Warzone — always a major booster for player counts.

Despite that, early data shows a noticeable dip in traction:

Steam peak: ~100,000 concurrent players at launch
Lower daily active users year-over-year
Slower community reception compared to 2024’s Black Ops 6

The one big bright spot: the game topped the PSN download charts in November, beating out ARC Raiders and Battlefield 6. Still, analysts note that doesn’t necessarily reflect strong engagement — just strong initial downloads.

📉 “Underperforming” Despite Chart Success

Finance and industry experts say the franchise is struggling behind the scenes. According to leading analysts:

2025 has seen community burnout
Creative choices haven’t clicked with longtime fans
Competition has surged past expectations
Microsoft’s business strategy is hurting full-price revenue

September was reportedly one of the lowest points in years for Call of Duty HQ app activity — a clear signal of a shrinking player base.

🚀 Rival Shooters Are Having a Breakout Year

2025 is stacked with hits — and many are filling the space Call of Duty used to dominate alone.

Key competitors raising the bar:

Battlefield 6 smashed franchise records with 747,000+ concurrent Steam players
ARC Raiders became an extraction-shooter hit and a Game Awards nominee
Fortnite continues to dominate attention with massive crossover events

With so many new or revitalized shooters capturing mindshare, Black Ops 7 isn’t standing out the way past COD entries have.

💥 Creative Decisions Frustrated Fans

Cosmetics and gameplay direction also played a role in declining excitement.
Fans complained throughout 2024 about:

Over-the-top, Fortnite-style character skins
The abandoned “Carry Forward” push that clashed with Black Ops identity
A feeling of less innovation year after year

Though Activision course-corrected late by grounding Black Ops 7 more in realism, the damage to player sentiment may already have been done.

🟩 Game Pass Impacting Revenue?

One of the analysts’ strongest claims: Xbox Game Pass may be hurting Call of Duty’s bottom line.

Putting Black Ops 7 on Game Pass day-one:

Decreases traditional full-price sales on Xbox and PC
Trades purchase revenue for subscription bumps
Reportedly cost the series hundreds of millions with last year’s BO6 release

While it improves service value, it risks the long-term stability of the franchise’s premium model.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Black Ops 7 isn’t a failure — but it’s launching into a year where even a “good” Call of Duty isn’t enough. Between fan fatigue, fierce rivals, and business decisions that limit revenue, Xbox and Activision are learning that the franchise’s dominance can’t be taken for granted anymore.

The big question:
Can 2026 deliver the innovation fans are demanding… before competition pulls further ahead?