Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 experienced a huge decline in player numbers a month after its release on Steam. So what’s the reason for this? Let’s see together.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6has suffered a massive loss of players since its launch in November 2024. While the number of players on Steam reached 148,000 new users during the launch period, 145,000 of this number abandoned the game by December. This is attributed to Activision’s microtransaction-focused strategies and deficiencies in anti-cheat systems. In particular, the fact that the new content was focused on income rather than game mechanics caused criticism from the players.
Why Is Call of Duty Losing Players?
One of the main reasons for this decline in Black Ops 6 was Activision’s lack of anti-cheat. While the RICOCHET team acknowledged that there were serious problems with the anti-cheat infrastructure, players complained about the prevalence of cheats. However, the Event Pass, which came with the Call of Duty x Squid Game 2 event added to the game, became the focus of micropayment criticism. Already full of payment options such as Battle Pass and Black Cell, the game has further alienated players by adding a new paid tier.
This strategy was met with similar reactions to the criticisms of Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2. CharlieIntel, known in the gaming world, expressed his dissatisfaction by saying, “I thought lessons would be learned from Modern Warfare 2, but the same mistakes are being repeated.” Players feel that Activision is not listening to community feedback.
Black Ops 6’s player churn shows how Activision’s revenue-focused approach is resonating with the gaming community. Cheating issues and excessive microtransaction systems negatively affect players’ gaming experience. This may require Activision to make changes to its future content strategy.
Although the Call of Duty series is a brand that has gained the trust of players in the past, what happened with Black Ops 6 could be alarming for the future of the series. Players expect a fairer gaming experience and a responsive approach to community demands.