Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 smashes October 2024 sales and gives Xbox Game Pass a lift, too

What you need to know

• Analytics group Circana grants insight every month into U.S. video game hardware and software sales.
• Circana reports that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was the best-selling game of October 2024, instantly becoming the third best-selling game of the year in the U.S.
• In addition to high sales, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 boosted Xbox Game Pass due to being included day one.
• PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console of the month, followed by Xbox Series X|S.

We've finally got some answers on one of the most anticipated debuts of 2024.

Treyarch and Raven Software's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was the best-selling game of October 2024 in the U.S, Circana executive director and advisor Mat Piscatella explained on Friday via Bluesky. The latest entry in Activision's annual blockbuster first-person shooter franchise instantly became the third best-selling game of the year, with sales in its first two weeks 23% higher than last year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023).

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is available day one in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, a first for the series since Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. Piscatella notes that non-mobile video game subscription spending for the month rose 16%, largely thanks to Xbox Game Pass.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Treyarch and Raven Software's Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 includes a bevy of new multiplayer maps, the return of round-based zombies, and an action-packed campaign that brings the title of blockbuster back to this franchise in full force.

Buy for Xbox: $69.99 at Best Buy | $69.99 at Amazon
Buy for PlayStation: $69.99 at Best Buy | $69.99 at Amazon
Buy for PC: $69.99 at Steam | $69.99 at Microsoft Store

For console sales, PlayStation 5 took first place in units sold and dollar sales, with Xbox Series X|S consoles second in both categories, while Nintendo Switch stayed in third place. Overall, video game hardware dropped 23% year-over-year, with Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S dropping 38%, 20%, and 18%, respectively.

Below, you'll find more details on the other best-selling games of the month and the year-to-date, though bear in mind this isn't a 100% complete picture, as some publishers and developers choose not to share digital data, such as Focus Entertainment with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.

October 2024 Circana sales charts: Here are the top 20 best-selling games in the U.S.

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
2. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
3. Silent Hill 2 (2024)
4. Undisputed
5. Metaphor: ReFantazio
6. Dragon Age: The Veilguard
7. Super Mario Party Jamboree*
8. Madden NFL 25
9. Sonic x Shadow Generations
10. EA Sports FC 25
11. EA Sports College Football 25
12. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom*
13. Hogwarts Legacy
14. NHL 25
15. Astro Bot
16. Minecraft****
17. NBA 2K25*
18. Life is Strange: Double Exposure
19. Final Fantasy 1-VI Bundle
20. Elden Ring

October 2024 Circana sales charts: Here are the best-selling games of the year so far

1. EA Sports College Football 25
2. Helldivers 2
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
4. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
6. Madden NFL 25
7. EA Sports MVP Bundle
8. Elden Ring
9. Dragon's Dogma 2
10. EA Sports FC 25
11. MLB The Show 24**
12. WWE 2K24***
13. Hogwarts Legacy
14. Grand Theft Auto 5**
15. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
16. Tekken 8
17. NBA 2K24**
18. Minecraft****
19. Madden NFL 24
20. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

*Denotes no digital sales data
**Denotes no digital sales data on Xbox or Nintendo Switch
***Denotes no digital sales data for August through October
****Denotes no digital sales data on Nintendo Switch

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Analysis: The best of both worlds?

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently praised the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, noting that it drove the biggest single-day increase in Xbox Game Pass subscribers ever.

With additional insight from the Circana charts, it's tentatively looking like Microsoft has struck a careful balance. Xbox Game Pass got a significant boost, while unit sales remain strong on PlayStation.

Obviously, the game's legs will be a question, but it's hard for to imagine a way this launch could've gone better for Microsoft and Activision on the software side.

Console hardware remains a problem however, even as last month's results indicated that Xbox Series X is now outselling Xbox Series S. Based on these continual drops, it's not just an issue for Microsoft. I expect the PlayStation 5 Pro to give Sony a leg up in next month's results, but the overall questions just aren't going away.

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