Battlefield 6 has officially beaten Call of Duty, but it doesn't quite feel like it

It cannot be denied Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has not been the most successful entry in the franchise. Although it was certainly better reviewed than other “year twos” Call of Duty game Modern Warfare 3 (2023), because it was bolstered by strong multiplayer and Zombies offerings, the player count doesn't reflect that quality. Black Ops 7 has done many things that players have been asking for over the years, like reviving persistent lobbies and toning down skill-based matchmaking, but it seems like many players have never even given the title a chance. Maybe it has to do with generality Call of Duty fatigue, memes about BO7 promotion that scares away casual fans, or the success of the contest—AKA Battlefield 6.

Although it is unclear how much Call of Dutys fall-off can be blamed on Battlefield 6there are bound to be some gamers who have felt content to make EA's shooter their FPS of choice this year. After a very successful beta, Battlefield 6 became the best-selling game of 2025, as the lack of an Xbox Game Pass release like what happened to Cod opened the door to a massive performance. Yet while Battlefield 6 had positive buzz in the run-up to its launch and the first few days of its post-release life, it is now enduring a long wave of negativity on social media platforms like Reddit. And funnily enough, Call of Duty is the opposite. If one were to look at the subreddits for both franchises, they would think so Black Ops 7 was the meeting and BF6 was disappointing – something that could actually make an impact.

Battlefield 6's online atmosphere is shockingly toxic

Image via DICE

While it's undoubtedly true that Reddit is an echo chamber and its users don't speak for the giant casual audience, it's still worth considering the platform when there are so many negative posts that consistently get thousands of upvotes. It is clear that not everyone is happy with Battlefield 6. And to be fair, some of the complaints are valid; netcode issues, battle pass challenges, controversial game mode changes, balancing and a brutal approach to BF6 seasonal events that were seemingly changed at the last minute – all of these areas deserve criticism. But for every valid complaint, there are endless whines about the same “problem”, all of which boil down to personal preference.

It only takes a few seconds to scroll through Battlefield subreddit to find players complaining about cosmetics, BF6s movement, map size and the mere existence of a Battle Royale mode ad nauseam. This is despite BF Studios promising to look at the map size and have changed cosmetics that the community criticized. BF Studios has heard criticism and adapted accordingly, but since launch it feels like there is nothing but negativity going on. Upset players continue to complain about nitpicks and personal disappointments incessantly and fail to celebrate the good aspects of Battlefield 6and anyone who tries to praise the game or push back on so-called issues they personally don't see as a big deal – like skins – gets ostracized and dubbed a shill by the fanbase.

Hating video game subreddits is nothing new; The last of us part 2 has an entire subreddit dedicated to obnoxious players who can't drop a 5 year old story and keep bashing the people who made it. In the same way Marvel's Spider-Man The subreddit became a hub for bashing the sequel, turning minor complaints about falling refrigerators and DIY costumes into major issues that somehow result in a critically acclaimed game being secretly bad. Still, even though this has happened before, it's no less disappointing to see now. Fans of Battlefield 6 have been forced to create new subreddits just to share clips and discuss the game in a healthy way, because all that can be found on the main subreddit is the hot new critique of the week. While constructive criticism is healthy, old fashioned Battlefield fans have been ranting about what they see as problems instead of mentioning them and moving on, and it's gotten tiresome.

What makes it all so strange is that – like the examples above – Battlefield 6 is a critically and commercially successful game that does many things well. And beyond that, a great deal of Battlefield fans have had a negative view of Cod for years. Of course Battlefield the fanbase should celebrate the downfall of a series that has kept its preferred franchise down, as BF6 has managed to do what many once thought was impossible. Instead, it feels like there is no way to do it Battlefield fans happy, as there are rarely nuanced images to be found about the game online. Just a few years ago, you might have expected it Battlefield stroke Call of Duty to be a celebratory moment all over the world, but internet culture has become so critical that it feels like there is no room for joy and positivity anymore.

Call of Duty's positive word-of-mouth is refreshing

Image via Activision

At the same time, the discussion is ongoing Black Ops 7which highlights the opposite side of the spectrum. While the game has done badly enough for Activision to put out a statement promising not to release back-to-back Black Ops or Modern warfare game ever again, the reality is that players who have actually given BO7 a chance tends to favor it. Whenever a negative article is reposted Black Ops 7the responses tend to be filled with phrases like “that's a shame,” “I don't understand why it's doing so badly,” and “I love it, you should give it a shot if you're on the fence.” This positivity will be refreshing to anyone who is tired of the endless Battlefield 6 hate, and the positive word of mouth can only prove to be a big thing going forward. After all, the holiday season is just around the corner, and BO7 could see a noticeable increase in sales given all the praise from fans.

Make no mistake: Black Ops 7 is not a perfect game. Its campaign is indeed deeply flawed and is a far-fetched story Black Ops 2but even then, some players have enjoyed Endgame. Zombies has proven to be a big hit thanks to some visually bold maps and Cursed mode, but it has had its share of frustrating bugs that have affected the main quests on maps like Astra Malorum. And the multiplayer, while having a great map pool, has had the typical balancing issues where some weapons are overpowered. But despite these clear questions, Call of Duty players have chosen to focus on the positive, let all things like Black Ops 7 has fared well offsetting its shortcomings.

The reality is that BO7 is a good game overall; it just has problems like any other game. The exact same logic applies to Battlefield 6because it's also a solid game with flaws, meaning the only difference is in how the communities react. While Black Ops 7 fans call out problems and then move on to appreciate the positives or push others to try the game, a large part of Battlefield 6 player base refuses to see anything but the bad. That's a real shame, because seeing all the toxicity can increase the potential Battlefield fans away from the franchise. There is a fine line between useful criticism and blind hatred, and Battlefield the subreddit certainly leans towards the latter. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why BF6steam player numbers are dwindling, because the community just isn't very fun to interact with unless you join the mob. Ultimately while Battlefield 6 won big statistically this year, it's not winning the optics war, which Call of Duty fans have no problem rolling with the punches.

Released

November 14, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs