Fans of first-person shooters can be a passionate bunch, and that’s become painfully evident in the discussion between Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Over the course of many sequels and installments, both of these franchises have staked their claim on the FPS genre, but this year, the fight for supremacy is fiercer than ever.
In the case of Battlefield 6, we have a fallen franchise making its epic return, promising realistic warfare on a huge scale. On the other hand, there’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, a sequel that pushes the series far away from the realm of realism, with a focus on futuristic weaponry and truly odd design choices. But which one is actually better? Instead of plainly telling you which game to buy, we’ve laid out the core differences between Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 to help you make an informed decision on what FPS will suit you better. Let’s dig into these two titans of the FPS genre and try to bridge the gap in this controversial conversation.
War Stories
Although the campaigns of FPS games have been slipping out of favor for quite a while, both Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 offer decently long story modes for you to enjoy. Battlefield 6 is set a couple of years in the future, and sees war waged between a fractured NATO and a private military company called PAX. Across 9 missions, you battle in large-scale conflicts, commandeer military vehicles, and bask in a realistic but explosive adventure. Still, the story itself is a bit by-the-numbers, feeling somewhat derivative of campaigns past. It’s a good time, but don’t expect anything mind-blowing.
Instead of a solo campaign, Black Ops 7 opts for a four-player co-op campaign, with an emphasis on open-world missions. In truth, the campaign feels more like Destiny lite, as enemies have big health bars floating over their heads, and ridiculous bosses punctuate big missions. It’s fun to play, but the story is entirely ridiculous and pretty hard to follow, packed with references to previous Black Ops games in a weird plot that feels closer to fan-fiction than canon. Again, it’s pretty fun to play, but this campaign is a huge departure from the Call of Duty norm that may leave some fans scratching their heads.
Taking the Fight Online
Multiplayer is the be-all-end-all for big-budget FPS games, and thankfully, Battlefield 6 does its fans justice in that regard. Up to 64 players can duke it out in a single multiplayer match, with multiple game modes to check out. There are different classes to choose from, each offering a different gameplay experience, including Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon. Environments are super destructive, vehicles and aircraft can be controlled, and each match feels both hectic and realistic. If you’re looking for a lifelike representation of warfare, Battlefield 6 delivers it in spades.
Meanwhile, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 continues the trend seen in previous games, with an emphasis on smaller maps and matches. Players can create their own loadout, choosing from an abundance of different weapons and upgrades as they level up. “Omni-movement” returns from Black Ops 6, and with an added wall-kick mechanic, it can feel more like Apex Legends at times. If you liked Black Ops 6, you’ll likely enjoy Black Ops 7‘s multiplayer, but those seeking something more realistic will be left annoyed.
Zombies, Battle Royale, and More
Outside of campaigns and competitive multiplayer, both Battlefield 6 and Black Ops 7 offer a few additional modes to check out, though their staying power varies. Once again, Black Ops 7 invites you to slay hordes of the undead in the ever-popular “Zombies” mode, complete with a dedicated quest and sneaky Easter Egg hunt. Zombies remains fun, but this iteration is a bit bloated with content and an intimidating map size. You can also continue your co-op adventures post-campaign with the new “Endgame” mode, with functions like a smaller version of Warzone, but with small challenges and bosses to complete instead of PvP. Though short in the grand scheme of things, I rather enjoyed “Endgame”, even more than the main campaign.
An imaginative extra mode can be found in Battlefield 6 in the form of “Battlefield Portal”. This map creator lets players create their own arenas, while also allowing for mode creation and other logic-heavy custom content. Sure, you’ll run into a fair share of mediocre maps, but there’s a hefty helping of high quality user-generated content here to check out as well. Otherwise, Battlefield 6 throws its hat into the ring with the free-to-play, battle royale mode, “Redsec”, but this is mostly a clone of Call of Duty: Warzone, leaving much to be desired.
Overall, in the clash of Call of Duty vs Battlefield, this year, it completely comes down to the FPS experience you are seeking. If realistic, large-scale battles with lifelike weapons are what you desire, there’s nothing quite like Battlefield 6. For those interested in futuristic, completely absurd shooter mechanics, combined with fast-paced multiplayer, Black Ops 7 is the better choice. In the court of public opinion, Battlefield 6 is the clear winner, but in reality, both games have their strengths and weaknesses. At the very least, you can get a taste of Battlefield 6 for free via Redsec Battle Royale, while Black Ops 7 can be found on Game Pass, providing two unique avenues to check out these games before purchasing them for full price.
