Aggressive marketing, free weekends, and discounts of up to 50% have not stopped the player exodus. The peak online count for the Call of Duty launcher (Warzone, Black Ops 6, and 7) on Steam dropped to 52,632 users, pushing the series down to 44th place in the platform's overall rankings.
The decline is especially noticeable when compared to other games. Currently, CoD trails behind VRChat, Dead by Daylight, the aging Team Fortress 2, and new projects like Arc Raiders and Marvel Rivals.
Even the holiday period didn't help: in December, the online count decreased to 43,569 users. This indicates a record-low interest in the series — lower than that of Battlefield 6, which outperformed CoD by more than 50,000 players on Steam during the holidays.
There are several reasons. Players are tired of the series' chosen development course. Treyarch received praise for the Zombies mode, but the co-op campaign and the use of AI to create cosmetics sparked negativity. The return of flashy crossovers, including Fallout, only intensified the frustration of fans waiting for a return to the roots.
Now, hopes are pinned on Infinity Ward, which will attempt to win back the audience in 2026. The task is complicated by competition with GTA 6. For Xbox, the situation is particularly critical: the company is facing not only a drop in console sales but also a crisis with Call of Duty — a key asset from the Activision Blizzard acquisition.