EA and Battlefield Studios’ upcoming first-person shooter, Battlefield 6, reportedly has around 1.7 million pre-orders on Steam, and is expected to sell 5 million copies in its launch week.
According to a report from The Game Business, data from market intelligence and analytics tracker Ampere estimates around 1.7 million Battlefield 6 pre-orders on Steam alone. Early forecasts predict 5 million copies to be sold within the game’s first week on the market.
While the Battlefield franchise has had plenty of success since its beginning in 2002, it has consistently trailed Call of Duty when it comes to mainstream dominance. Data from Circana shows that it ranks #16 among the biggest game franchise in US history, while Call of Duty firmly leads the way at #1, holding the title of best-selling franchise in the country for 16 consecutive years. Even Battlefield 1, the series’ strongest launch, was outpaced by Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare in 2016. Subsequent entries, including Battlefield V and Battlefield 2042, have failed to gain traction.
The Battlefield 6 Beta appears to have been a major turning point. Estimates from Ampere and Newzoo place the total beta participant count between 22 and 25 million, with peak daily users surpassing 10 million, double the figures seen during the Battlefield 2042 Beta. On Steam, the game has already accumulated over 2.4 million wishlists, three times the amount seen for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
Ampere also examined gaming patterns of existing Call of Duty players who also played the Battlefield 6 Beta in July, 2025, and whether they went back to Call of Duty afterwards. Based on its calculations, 29% on Xbox, 24% on PlayStation, and 48% on Steam didn’t return to Call of Duty. As such, the analytics tracker estimates that Battlefield 6 will be a bigger hurdle for Call of Duty on Steam than on consoles this year.
Despite the early indications, analyst Joost van Dreunen cautioned against assuming a long-term power shift. Call of Duty’s annual release cycle, diehard fanbase, and availability on Xbox Game Pass give it plenty of staying power. Moreover, the two franchises offer distinct experiences, with Battlefield focusing on large-scale, vehicle-heavy battles while Call of Duty being known for its fast-paced, close-quarters combat.
