Call of Duty, one of the world’s most profitable game franchises, experienced a historic drop in sales last year. The revelation came to light through Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard, in legal documents filed in January 2026. Kotick stated that sales of the first-person shooter series fell by over 60% in 2025 compared to the previous year. This information emerges in the context of a lawsuit filed by shareholders against the company, where the executive defends the sale of Activision to Microsoft for $69 billion as the right decision in the face of the looming problems.
The main reason for this steep decline, according to Kotick’s defense, is a combination of factors that shook the market. The release of new titles in the franchise directly on the Xbox Game Pass subscription service allegedly “cannibalized” sales of physical and digital units, as many players prefer to pay a monthly fee of around R$ 100 to access the game, rather than buying it for prices that can reach R$ 350. Additionally, strong competition from other games in the genre, such as the resurgent Battlefield series, and a general slowdown in console sales completed the challenging scenario for Call of Duty.
Contestations and the Future of the Franchise
Microsoft, however, contests part of this narrative. The company stated that “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” was the biggest launch in the franchise’s history, although it did not release concrete sales data nor comment on the performance of its successor, “Black Ops 7”. Critics also point out that Kotick did not present solid evidence to corroborate the specific 60% drop figure. Despite the alarming tone, there are prospects for recovery. Rumors indicate that the series may arrive on the future Nintendo Switch 2 console sooner than expected, which would expand its reach and could offset some of the impact caused by Game Pass.
Thus, Microsoft’s strategy seems to be increasingly turning towards a service and subscription-focused model, prioritizing recurring revenue over individual sales. This move reflects a changing era for AAA games, where even giants like Call of Duty must adapt to new market realities. The franchise, once considered untouchable, now navigates turbulent waters, and the future of its premium releases is in question.
