Black Ops 6 to Challenge Battlefield 6 with Free Access

The upcoming release of Battlefield 6 has caused enough concern for Activision to offer Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 for free for a limited period. Here’s when you can download it.

Although Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 is expected to outsell Battlefield 6 significantly, there has been more positive attention towards the latter in recent months. This trend started with the beta for EA’s shooter in August and has continued with promises of a ‘gritty, realistic’ experience compared to Call Of Duty’s controversial crossover skins. Additionally, advertisements for Battlefield 6 have directly mocked Activision’s marketing style.

Despite having a strong sales record, Activision appears to be shaken by Battlefield 6, as demonstrated by a free giveaway set to launch just a day before EA’s game. As announced in a blog post promoting Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6’s Halloween event, The Haunting, the entire Black Ops 6 game—including the campaign, multiplayer, and Zombies modes—will be available for free for a full week starting on Thursday, October 9.

When will the Black Ops 6 free trial be released?

The free trial for Black Ops 6 will be available across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC at 5pm BST in the UK on Thursday, October 9. It will remain available until Thursday, October 16 at 6pm BST, which corresponds to 10am PT in the US.

What does the Black Ops 6 free trial include?

In the trial, players will gain access to the full campaign and the complete multiplayer and Zombies suite (excluding Ranked Play). This includes over 40 multiplayer maps, all six Zombies maps, along with the Directed mode, and The Haunting event that launches simultaneously.

The Haunting features several new maps, including Gravity, Rig, and Mothball, as well as a new limited-time mode called Haunted Havoc Zombies.

This is a bold move, considering that the Black Ops 6 campaign can be completed easily within the timeframe, as it only takes around nine hours to finish.

Battlefield 6 is scheduled to launch on Friday, October 10. While this free offer may attract some players, it’s unlikely to draw many people who haven’t already purchased the game. Therefore, it seems like a cost-effective strategy to disrupt Battlefield 6’s launch numbers.

According to a new survey, Activision might have valid reasons to be concerned. Based on Circana’s PlayerPulse, which surveyed 5,100 players, 47% of those intending to buy Battlefield 6 are aged between 18-34, while 32% in the same age group plan to purchase Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7.

This indicates that Battlefield 6 might be attracting a younger audience, which is not good news for Call Of Duty’s long-term success if it wants to maintain its position at the top.

However, these statistics also show that 56% of Battlefield 6 buyers intend to purchase Black Ops 7 as well, while the reverse is much lower, with only 24% of Black Ops 7 buyers planning to get EA’s shooter.

With over a month between Battlefield 6 and Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7, Activision is giving its competitor a significant opportunity to steal the spotlight—or, as seen in previous Battlefield launches, plenty of time to miss out on success.