Battlefield 6 storms PC, but Call of Duty still dominates consoles, Circana data shows
Battlefield 6 may be off to a roaring start, but it hasn’t toppled Call of Duty where it matters most for many players: on consoles. Fresh figures shared by Circana for the week ending October 18 indicate that Call of Duty HQ remains one of the most-played titles on PlayStation and Xbox in the U.S., while Battlefield 6 sits a few spots lower despite its blockbuster launch.
According to analyst Mat Piscatella, Call of Duty HQ ranked second overall in console active users, trailing only Fortnite. Battlefield 6 debuted in seventh on PlayStation and sixth on Xbox for the same period, which includes its first days on the market. That gap underscores how strong Call of Duty’s console footprint still is, even as Battlefield celebrates headline-grabbing wins on PC.
Battlefield 6 has already set sales records and posted higher peak concurrent players on Steam than any Call of Duty entry. On Circana’s Steam charts across the U.S. and Canada, it claimed the top spot, reflecting DICE’s resurgent momentum with PC gamers. The launch of the free-to-play Battlefield RedSec is also poised to fuel that surge, putting it in more direct competition with Warzone on PC.
One wrinkle in the console race is the structure of Call of Duty HQ itself. The hub app serves as a launcher for multiple titles and currently houses Black Ops 6 and Warzone, even after the removal of Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3. With Black Ops 7 arriving November 14, the franchise is about to get another jolt of activity that could keep its console engagement elevated. And while many players gripe about the HQ’s large downloads and clunky interface, the unified ecosystem remains a powerful advantage: it keeps players cycling through modes and releases with minimal friction.
There are signs of headwinds for the next Call of Duty, including weaker pre-orders and lower open beta participation for Black Ops 7 compared to past entries. Even so, Battlefield doesn’t yet wield the same sprawling, always-on network of titles and integrations that have made Call of Duty such a fixture on PlayStation and Xbox dashboards. Rumors of annualized releases continue to swirl around the franchise, suggesting Activision will keep feeding that ecosystem to retain engagement.
What to watch next:
– Whether Battlefield 6’s PC dominance endures as Black Ops 7 launches
– If Battlefield RedSec can pull more console players and chip away at Warzone’s base
– How the console active user rankings shift after November 14
– Whether Battlefield can translate its Steam momentum into sustained console gains
Bottom line: Battlefield 6 is winning big on PC and building real momentum, but on consoles, Call of Duty’s entrenched hub, steady content cadence, and massive player network still give it the edge—for now.
