Since 2006, no shooter has managed to surpass Call of Duty sales dominance in annual sales. While this franchise’s global success is well known, a broader look at its performance—especially in the US market—reveals surprising long‑term trends. According to new data shared by analyst Mat Piscatella from the Circana Institute, Call of Duty continues to hold a record‑breaking position in the shooter genre.
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The History Behind Call of Duty Sales Dominance
Call of Duty’s impact on the global gaming market is not a new discussion, but the scale of Call of Duty sales dominance over nearly two decades is striking. Piscatella reports that the last time another shooter sold more than Call of Duty in a given year was back in 2006, when Gears of War on Xbox 360 outperformed Call of Duty 3. Notably, Gears of War was a third‑person shooter.
The last first‑person shooter to outsell Call of Duty dates even further back—to 2005—when Star Wars: Battlefront 2 launched alongside Call of Duty 2 and managed to take the lead.
Since 2006, one entry in the Call of Duty series has been the best‑selling game in the US in 13 out of the past 16 years. Only three years broke the streak:
- 2013 when GTA V launched alongside Call of Duty: Ghosts
- 2018 when Red Dead Redemption 2 released during Black Ops 4
- 2023 when Hogwarts Legacy coincided with Modern Warfare 3
Black Ops 7’s multiplayer mode continues to drive interest as the 2025 market becomes “more competitive than any point in the last twenty years,” according to Piscatella. Live‑service giants like Fortnite and subscription services such as Game Pass have added more complexity to the competitive landscape.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 faces two major competitors this year: Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders.
The Black Ops 7 campaign has received mixed feedback, prompting the addition of a new update that allows players to skip the entire campaign and jump straight into end‑game content. Although full global sales data has not yet been published, early GSD numbers show that its physical and digital week‑one sales were about 63% lower than Battlefield 6, despite starting strong by topping charts in Europe.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC.
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Conclusion
For nearly two decades, Call of Duty sales dominance has shaped the shooter genre and the entire US gaming market. Despite increasing competition from new releases and live‑service titles, the franchise remains one of the industry’s most consistent top sellers. Whether Black Ops 7 maintains this legacy in the long term remains a key question for 2025 and beyond.
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FAQ
A: In 2006, when Gears of War surpassed Call of Duty 3.
A: Star Wars: Battlefront 2 in 2005.
A: Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders.
A: Early data shows its first‑week sales were 63% lower than Battlefield 6, though it debuted at #1 in Europe.
A: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC.
