For the first time since 2021, two of the biggest FPS franchises in all of gaming — Call of Duty and Battlefield — are going head-to-head with blockbuster autumn releases. The former is hoping to capitalize on the holiday gaming rush with Black Ops 7, while the latter is looking to kick off a roaring comeback for the franchise with Battlefield 6.
Excitement for both games is sky-high, and coming off of widely played multiplayer Open Betas, many are wondering which one is ultimately going to be the better game. With that in mind, my colleague Richard Devine and I decided to sit down and share our thoughts on the matter.
Why you should choose Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
I've been playing games on all platforms for over 30 years, and Call of Duty for over 20 years, and I'm not afraid to criticize even things I enjoy.
I like Call of Duty. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Do I think it's perfect? Absolutely not. Does it fill me with rage? All the time. But I play it a lot, and that's not changing with Battlefield 6 coming out. I'm actually tired of the rhetoric around "this game is so bad bro, you should be playing Battlefield 6." I don't care.
Like every time a new Battlefield comes out, I played the beta, and I didn't enjoy it. It's a recurring pattern. I give it a chance, it does nothing for me, and I never go back. Battlefield 6 and Black Ops 7 both being FPS games is about as close as the two come to being similar.
If you enjoy the core aspects of Call of Duty, that being the fast-paced combat, the ridiculous movement, the compact maps, tons of weapons to customize, camos to grind for, and a constant stream of new content, then stick with it. I don't get on with Battlefield 6's huge maps and massive multiplayer battles. I appreciate them for what they are, but the experience is nothing like Call of Duty.
If you enjoy the core aspects of Call of Duty, that being the fast-paced combat, the ridiculous movement, the compact maps, tons of weapons to customize, camos to grind for, and a constant stream of new content, then stick with it.
Then there's the variety of content. I'm mildly optimistic for the campaign and its promised endgame, though we don't know too much about either yet. But there will be Mastery Camos in the campaign this year, so that's a good sign there'll be a reason to keep dipping in. Zombies is a lot of fun, too, and something I need to give more time to on this year's game.
Ultimately it comes down to this. If you're a Call of Duty player, and that's what you usually play, I just don't think Battlefield 6 is going to be the alternative you think it could be. Play Battlefield 6 if you genuinely want to play it, not because you're hoping it'll scratch your Call of Duty itch. It won't.
It's the thing right now, as it seems to be every year, to dump on the upcoming Call of Duty title. But having spent (apparently) over 24 hours in the Black Ops 7 beta, I'm sold. I mostly enjoyed Black Ops 6, and the new one already feels like an improvement, even if only a small one. The maps we've seen so far are superior, there are some great weapons to play with, and honestly, if you find any joy at all in Call of Duty (it's fine to admit it, don't let the internet gaslight you) then I think you'll still find that in Black Ops 7. — Richard Devine, Managing Editor
Why you should choose Battlefield 6
I've been a fan of Battlefield ever since I first began playing shooter games at a young age, and logged hundreds after hundreds of hours of playtime during the Battlefield 4 and Battlefield 1 years in particular.
Though I do disagree with Richard in the sense that I strongly prefer Battlefield over Call of Duty, I'll also be the first to concur with the points he's made. These two FPS juggernauts are entirely different experiences, so trying to compare the two and determine which one is "better" is difficult — and also rather pointless, honestly.
For me, Battlefield is everything I want out of a multiplayer shooter. It's fast, but not so fast that I struggle to keep up with with the flow of the match and everything going on in front of me. This is an issue I tend to have with Call of Duty, exacerbated by its zippy advanced movement mechanics (yeah, it's probably a skill issue, but it is what it is).
On top of that, its large-scale maps and team sizes, class-based structure, combined arms nature that blends infantry, vehicles, and aircraft, and dynamic environmental destruction all promote teamwork and tactics that interest me greatly.
With Call of Duty, your success lives or dies by your mechanics and how quickly you're able to snap from target to target, beaming them down with gunfire while abusing your movement to dodge as much as possible.
Personally, I've always been more of a position-oriented FPS player than a mechanically gifted one, and so I gravitate strongly to Battlefield's more strategic approach to engagements.
But in Battlefield, you can make significant contributions to your team even if you're not the most skilled player on the sticks. Everything from building cover or destroying it and spotting enemy locations to repairing allied vehicles or painting hostile ones with a laser that helps friendly airstrikes find their mark makes a huge impact.
In fact, it's not uncommon to find medics at the top of a Battlefield scoreboard, racking up thousands of points by keeping their teammates in the fight as they push or defend objectives.
Personally, I've always been more of a position-oriented FPS player than a mechanically gifted one, and so I gravitate strongly to Battlefield's more strategic approach to engagements. I'm in a tank every chance I get, pushing forward and helping my team by providing heavy fire support and soaking up damage and attention before retreating at opportune moments for repairs.
Ultimately, if you're like me and prefer this macro-style of shooter gameplay over Call of Duty's turn-your-brain-off flow, then I believe you'll find Battlefield 6 to be the better game. It's worth noting that it, like Black Ops 7, has many different diverse maps and modes, along with a Portal level editor and custom games creation tool similar to Halo Forge. — Brendan Lowry, Contributor
So, which game should you play?
And now we find ourselves back at the original question. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 or Battlefield 6 — which is better? But as Richard and I have both written about above, the true answer is neither. The more prudent question to ask yourself as a player is which game is better for you?
For me, it's Battlefield 6, as I find more enjoyment in its slower, large-scale battles where there are tons of unique and varied ways to do well and help your team. But for Richard, it's Black Ops 7, as he prefers its frenetic pacing, advanced movement mechanics, and less complicated gameplay flow.
Ultimately, only you can figure out which of these two FPS giants is the right fit for you. Think about the shooters you've played in the past, what they were like, and the things about them you enjoyed the most; do that, and you're sure to make the right call. Or, play both, and enjoy the best of both worlds. — Brendan Lowry, Contributor
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