One of video video games’ best rivalries is heating up once more with the launch of Call of Obligation: Black Ops 7. It follows sizzling on the heels of Battlefield 6, which has firmly marked its territory as not only one of 2025’s greatest shooters, however as one of the best Battlefield sport in lots of, a few years. However Call of Obligation proves itself as one of the largest FPS video games on the planet, 12 months in, 12 months out – has Battlefield received what it takes to dethrone Activision’s behemoth this 12 months?
Whereas there’s all the pieces to play for with regards to participant numbers and monetary success, the true query is: What sort of first-person shooter are you trying for? Would you like your multiplayer tight and aggressive, or deeply cinematic? Would you like one thing grounded in actuality, or are you looking for undead hordes to shoot within the face? Call of Obligation and Battlefield have lengthy been pitted in opposition to one another, however this 12 months’s choices are good proof that these video games really supply considerably totally different experiences.
For those who’re contemplating choosing Black Ops 7 or Battlefield 6 as much as gas your end-of-year gaming classes, however are not sure which one is for you, then we’re right here to assist. Let’s check out what every sport affords throughout its suite of modes and work out which aligns together with your preferences.
Multiplayer
The important thing distinction between Call of Obligation and Battlefield is their method to multiplayer. Usually, Call of Obligation focuses on tightly designed, smaller-scale maps that cater to fast-paced fights, and Black Ops 7 isn’t any totally different – at launch it’s going to supply 16 totally different maps for 6v6 matches. Battlefield, then again, is designed round large-scale warfare utilizing a mixture of infantry and automobiles to seize aims. Battlefield 6 options fewer maps – simply 9 at launch – however typically they’re much, a lot bigger than Call of Obligation’s maps. In addition they really feel much less like killing arenas and extra like genuine locations, partially as a result of reality you’ll be able to destroy many of the buildings.
When you can say that the important thing distinction between CoD and BF is small vs large, that’s not strictly true. Black Ops 7 can even launch with two 20v20 “Skirmish” maps for larger-scale battles, and Battlefield 6 options modes just like the 8v8 Squad Deathmatch that happen on smaller sections of its large maps. Equally, it wouldn’t be honest to say that Battlefield is objective-based and Call of Obligation isn’t; whereas TDM is a Call of Obligation staple, its multiplayer suite incorporates an entire host of classic-style goal modes, together with Hardpoint and Domination.
All that stated, Call of Obligation has at all times excelled on the smaller, extra “conventional” FPS expertise, and Battlefield is best for these large-scale, “warfare film” fashion multiplayer matches. For those who’re trying for a fast-moving, extra targeted and intense sport, Black Ops 7 is your ticket. For those who like one thing extra tactically pushed, with clearly-defined class roles, longer matches, and the added spectacle of tanks and helicopters, then Battlefield 6 is the place it’s worthwhile to be.
Marketing campaign
Call of Obligation and Battlefield have regularly delivered story campaigns that really feel very comparable, however this 12 months they each have very totally different focuses. Not solely are they set in distinctly totally different universes – BLOPS goes all trippy sci-fi this 12 months, whereas BF6 retains it grounded with a contemporary warfare method – however Call of Obligation’s marketing campaign has a multiplayer method this 12 months, whereas Battlefield is strictly single-player.
Black Ops 7 has full four-player co-op help for its marketing campaign, turning the usually solo endeavor right into a social expertise. That method is emphasised by the truth that it has an infinitely replayable “Endgame” mode, unlocked after finishing the story. A PvE co-op mode, it’s going to see you and your group full aims within the face of escalating odds.
If it wasn’t already clear that the BLOPS 7 marketing campaign is extra intently associated to the multiplayer facet of Call of Obligation than ever, a brand new unified development system means which you could earn XP in the course of the marketing campaign and endgame in the identical approach you’ll multiplayer. Whereas it is a large shift, it looks as if the “traditional” single-player Call of Obligation marketing campaign will nonetheless be there for those that need it. The missions can nonetheless be accomplished solo, and so they have as soon as once more been designed by Raven Software program, the builders behind final 12 months’s unbelievable Black Ops 6 marketing campaign.
If a extra conventional method to marketing campaign is your desire, then you might have considered trying to try Battlefield 6. Its resolutely single-player story very a lot looks like an old-school COD marketing campaign, with linear missions that principally deal with firefights and destroying aims. It follows a modern-day battle between NATO and the personal navy firm Pax Armata, and could have you unspooling a big conspiracy as you battle by means of places like Croatia and New York. You possibly can anticipate the traditional staples of sniping missions, seashore landings, automobile chases, and explosive set-piece design.
It’s value noting that should you love Battlefield’s huge maps, use of automobiles and destruction, and its clearly outlined class roles, you gained’t discover a lot of that right here. Our marketing campaign assessment was upset in the way it did not adapt the multiplayer’s profitable method for a single-player expertise.
For those who’re trying for a standard marketing campaign expertise, you will discover it in each Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6. For those who’d prefer to play that sort of story in co-op, BLOPS 7 is your greatest (and solely) alternative, however it’s necessary to notice that the setting is a near-future sci-fi, which hasn’t at all times appealed to COD followers. For these occupied with extra “sensible,” up to date warfare, then Battlefield 6 will serve you higher.
Extra Modes
As is custom for Treyarch’s Call of Obligation video games, this 12 months’s Black Ops as soon as once more features a Zombies mode. As soon as a easy bonus PvE sport, Call of Obligation Zombies has massively grown in scale and scope over time, and Black Ops 7 options maybe the collection’ most sturdy providing. Spherical-Based mostly Zombies is the principle one, tasking you and a bunch of mates to outlive zombie hordes spherical after spherical, with the hazard growing every time.
Zombies is understood for its cryptic design, and infrequently it’s worthwhile to clear up obtuse puzzles to progress. A “Directed” model, coming back from Black Ops 6, helps information you thru these aims, whereas a “Cursed” model remixes the sport with concepts from earlier Zombie iterations for a tougher problem. “Survival” duties you with staying alive so long as attainable on a smaller model of the brand new Zombies map, whereas “Useless Ops Arcade 4” sees the return of a prime down, twin-stick shooter mode that was final seen in Black Ops Chilly Warfare.
You gained’t discover any undead monsters in Battlefield 6, however you’ll find Portal – a strong software that lets you create nearly any sort of Battlefield expertise you’ll be able to think about. Best thought of as Battlefield’s reply to Fortnite’s creator islands, the Portal software lets you create model new maps and sport modes, a characteristic that has allowed followers to re-create favorite maps from prior video games, in addition to solely new varieties of multiplayer matches.
Whereas it might appear at first look that, with regards to further modes, that BLOPS 7 is greatest for these trying to play and Battlefield 6 is best for creators, it’s value remembering that non-creatives can nonetheless play Portal creations made by the group, and that they’re simply accessible from Battlefield 6’s predominant menu. As such, BLOPS 7 is one of the best choose for these trying for an arcade-style PvE horror sport, whereas Battlefield 6 is extra suited to individuals who take pleasure in creating or taking part in user-made experiences.
Battle Royale
Technically talking, neither Black Ops 7 nor Battlefield 6 have battle royale modes. That’s as a result of Call of Obligation and Battlefield each have free-to-play battle royale video games, which could be downloaded and performed with out the necessity to purchase BLOPS 7 or BF6. Nevertheless, these modes are intently linked to their “mother or father” video games, and so are value contemplating, too.
Call of Obligation: Warzone is one of the largest battle royale video games on the planet, and is regularly up to date with content material that’s linked to regardless of the present “predominant” Call of Obligation sport is. At the moment that’s Black Ops 6, however we anticipate a plethora of BLOPS 7-themed content material to reach within the coming months, comparable to skins and restricted time modes.
In phrases of expertise, Warzone’s flagship mode is a traditional, large-scale, fight-to-the-last individual/squad standing sport. Extra approachable than PUBG and fewer hero-driven than Apex Legends, it’s nonetheless an thrilling and tense tackle a now-staple concept. Alternate modes, comparable to Resurgence (which permits respawns) and Plunder (the place squads struggle to achieve as a lot money as attainable) makes Warzone a reasonably various suite of free-to-play sport varieties. Importantly, Warzone is a component of Call of Obligation’s unified development, so any XP earned contributes to your general pool collected from each BLOPS 7 mode.
Battlefield REDSEC is the brand new child on the block, and performs an analogous sport to Warzone. It’s additionally a large-scale battle royale with a shrinking circle, however this time there’s these traditional Battlefield parts of automobile warfare and destructible terrain. Our assessment discovered that these concepts maybe didn’t carve out an entire new area of interest for REDSEC’s tackle battle royale, however was rather more smitten by Gauntlet, a model new knockout-style mode that sees squads race in opposition to the clock to finish aims. REDSEC can be supported by the Portal system, and so is one other place the place community-driven creations can doubtlessly thrive.
As these are each free-to-play video games, there’s nothing to lose by downloading and taking part in each of them. For those who’re already locked into the Call of Obligation ecosystem, then Warzone’s unified development system will little doubt be useful in boosting your XP bar. And if the destruction and class-based design of Battlefield is extra your pace, then REDSEC could attraction extra. There’s additionally the modes to contemplate – we’d contemplate Warzone higher for traditional battle royale, and REDSEC higher for its different Gauntlet mode.
It’s additionally value contemplating each Warzone and REDSEC as “tasters” for their mother or father video games. Whereas these battle royales supply very totally different experiences to Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6, they’re constructed on the identical foundations. For those who want the motion and taking pictures techniques of one over the opposite, you then’ll possible discover that’s an excellent check for which of the paid-for video games your greatest click on with.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s Govt Editor of Options.