It’s been a long time since Call of Duty and Battlefield went head-to-head. The early 2010s saw both shooter franchises at the height of their popularity, and arguably, at the peak of their quality. Both franchises fell from grace somewhat in the early 2020s thanks to entries like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 2042, but things are picking back up quickly. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is set to build on Black Ops 6‘s great foundations. Battlefield 6 could be the return to form the franchise needs. And depending on release dates, it might start to feel like old times.
Neither Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 nor Battlefield 6 have confirmed release dates just yet, but if recent rumors are to be believed, both are likely to drop before the end of 2025. If that comes to fruition, then the competition will be fierce, and Black Ops 7 might have already gained the advantage in one key area.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Is Beating Battlefield 6 to the Punch With its Marketing
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Has Started Marketing Itself Already
Call of Duty has been announcing its games earlier and earlier every year, and that’s the case again with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Unveiled during the Xbox June Showcase, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 delivered an impressive debut trailer that oozed with intrigue and high-budget presentation. Though the trailer’s spot at the end of the showcase might have felt a little anticlimactic for some, the trailer itself was a strong first step in a presumably long marketing campaign.
Activision has already got the ball rolling, and it’s given it another push already. Just a few days ago, the “cordisdie” YouTube channel reemerged after 13 years. Long-time Call of Duty fans will remember the channel’s one prior video, an 8-second clip of a blank screen that had a voiceover of Black Ops 2 villain Raul Menendez whispering, “Come my friends. It is not too late to seek a new world.”
Menendez is back over a decade later, this time taking center stage in a 15-second clip titled “The Lesson.” This exceptionally brief teaser has Menendez stating “2025 was just the beginning. A necessary first step. Once again, you shall know fear.” This carries forward the mind-bending themes laid out in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7‘s debut trailer, and if it’s anything like previous Black Ops marketing campaigns, fans can expect plenty more of these cryptic teasers before the game’s launch.
Battlefield 6, on the other hand, has just one official screenshot so far. According to EA, a full reveal of the next Battlefield is meant to occur before the end of summer, and when that happens, EA is bound to go above and beyond with its marketing. But right now, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7‘s marketing campaign is off to a very strong start, and it could be tricky for Battlefield to catch up.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s Marketing Is Leaning Into Nostalgia
Another vital element of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7‘s marketing is that it’s leaning into nostalgia, while promising something new. Black Ops 7‘s reveal trailer confirmed the return of Black Ops 2‘s David Mason and Raul Menendez, and the recent 14-second teaser has revived a YouTube channel that’s been dormant for over a decade. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 fans are already all-in, and there’s presumably more where that came from.
When it’s eventually revealed in full, Battlefield 6 will probably take a similar approach. But rather than show past series characters, Battlefield 6‘s marketing will likely focus on the triumphant return of long-requested features like improved environmental destruction and more grounded movement and gunplay. Leaning into two different types of nostalgia could be the best way to separate Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6.