Activision just threw a grenade into EA’s big week, and it’s not exactly subtle. The timing? Suspicious. The benefit? A free Call of Duty game for a full week. The message? Pretty clear: if you’re thinking about checking out Battlefield 6, you might want to take a detour through Black Ops first.
The two franchises are ramping up their next major releases this fall. Battlefield 6 looks like it might land slightly before Black Ops 7, but Activision isn’t waiting to make moves. Starting from October 9 and running to October 16, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be completely free to play. That entire week overlaps with the launch window for Battlefield 6, which drops on October 10 depending on your time zone.
Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Free Trial
Activision confirmed that players will get full access to the Black Ops 6 Campaign, the entire Multiplayer suite, and Zombies mode. Ranked Play is the only feature that remains locked. Everything else? Free. You get the full experience without paying anything during that window.
The free trial starts at 9 AM Pacific Time on October 9 and ends at 10 AM Pacific Time on October 16. That is seven days of content for anyone curious, catching up, or just waiting for the next title.
Why October 9 Is a Key Date
The free week doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. It syncs up with two big moments in the Call of Duty schedule. October 9 is also the launch of Season 6 for Black Ops 6, the game’s final seasonal content before Black Ops 7 arrives. It includes new weapons, maps, and updates under a Halloween-themed event titled “The Haunting.”
That same day, at the exact same time, the open beta for Black Ops 7 ends. So players finishing the BO7 preview can immediately jump into a free week of BO6.
It creates a seamless handoff that keeps fans inside the franchise ecosystem. Instead of waiting for the next paid game, they get something for free right now. And it happens to be during Battlefield 6’s launch window.
Steam Numbers and FPS Competition
The rivalry is not just tradition. It’s backed by numbers. During the open beta periods, Battlefield 6 pulled ahead on Steam with over 521,000 concurrent players. Call of Duty trailed slightly at 491,000. That margin is not massive, but it’s enough to matter.
Activision wants to close that gap and maybe flip it. Giving players a full-featured, limited-time offer at the exact moment the competition is launching makes sense. If someone is still deciding which shooter to stick with, this kind of move could tip the balance.
Here’s our deep dive into Battlefield 6 Beta.
What Players Get
For players, the deal is simple. You get:
- Full Black Ops 6 campaign with all missions
- Access to the full multiplayer suite, minus Ranked Play
- Zombies mode with the current map rotation
- New seasonal content with “The Haunting” event
- No cost to play from October 9 to October 16
Call of Duty and Battlefield Face Off Again
This is not the first time Call of Duty and Battlefield have gone head to head. Two major franchises are trying to win your attention, and they are doing it by offering more content and better deals.
If you are into shooters, this week might be one of the best times to try both games. One is brand new, and the other is temporarily free. Take advantage of the timing, play what you can, and decide for yourself which franchise earns your time.
Source:
- https://gamingbolt.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-free-trial-starts-today-includes-full-campaign-access