The gloves are officially off in the perpetual war for first-person shooter supremacy. While many gamers have their sights set on the much-anticipated launch of Battlefield 6 this week, a title being touted as a return to form with a sprinkling of MilSim realism, Activision has executed a tactical flank.

In a move that is less about generosity and more about strategic warfare, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is being handed out entirely for free for a full week. It is very conveniently timed to coincide with its direct competitor's big day.

It looks like the lackluster engagement with the recent Black Ops 7 beta, which felt rather disappointing in the face of Battlefield 6's hype, has prompted Activision’s marketing team to go full nuclear.

If the people won't buy the sequel yet, let's just give them the acclaimed predecessor.

Free Entry into the Black Ops Vault

The timing could not have been better. The Black Ops 6 free trial is dropping Today, October 9, 2025, at 9:00 AM PT, and will go on for a week till Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 10:00 AM PT.

This is NOT a mere piece of the pie. It's the full platter. New players gain access to the entirety of the Call Of Duty experience which includes:

The Single-Player Campaign

It is the entire 8-hour narrative set in the early 90s. Which is a lot, given that the trial runs for a week, one can easily complete the campaign over the weekend.

The Full Multiplayer Suite

All the maps and the new content which includes the game's Halloween update.

Zombies Mode

The famous co-op horror experience you can drop in with your friends.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is considered by many to be one of the better releases by the franchise, especially following the less-than-optimal reception of Modern Warfare 3, this might be a genuine opportunity for newcomers to experience “the good o’ days” of Call of Duty.

A Pincer-Formation Promotional Assault

While the timing is a very obvious ploy to pull the new players away from the much more anticipated Battlefield 6, this strategy serves a secondary, and extremely crucial, purpose: it is to get the sneakers pumped up for Black Ops 7.

With Black Ops 7 slated for a November 14, 2025 release, this free week acts as an essential narrative and mechanical bridge. Both the games were developed at the same time, and the lead narrative producer, Natalie Pohorski has confirmed that BO6 has laid down the groundwork for BO7.

"You get the payoffs, and a lot of the things that we innovated on with Black Ops 6, you're going to see in Black Ops 7, and so it's a great connector." said Natalie Pohorski.

For gamers looking at the sequel, completing the Black Ops 6 campaign will provide the context for the timeline and the mechanics. More importantly, it acts as a risk-free demo. If you enjoy the design and feel of Black Ops 6, which is a title developed by the same teams, then you'll likely enjoy Black Ops 7, essentially letting you try before you buy a highly anticipated (and likely a very costly $70) game.

With the trial conveniently including the Halloween content, players have a perfect week to binge the entire title and decide where their FPS loyalty lies before the Battlefield 6 hype truly settles in. For Activision, it’s a brilliant, if slightly desperate, move to ensure Call of Duty still dominates the conversation, even when Battlefield is making a bid for the crown.

How to Play Call of Duty Black Ops 6 For Free

Want to try Call Of Duty Black Ops 6 before the trial ends? Head to the links down below to your choice of platform!

Head to Steam to try Black Ops 6 on PC

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 on Steam
Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 is signature Black Ops across a cinematic single-player Campaign, a best-in-class Multiplayer experience and with the epic return of Round-Based Zombies.
STEAM

Try Black Ops 6 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 - Cross-Gen Bundle
Includes - Cross-Gen Bundle of Call of Duty® Black Ops 6 -- Includes PS4® and PS5® versions of the game Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty® Black Ops 6. Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops. The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity. In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6. Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps. With additional content still to come, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.
Cross-Gen Bundle

Try Black Ops 6 on Xbox Series X, Series S, and Xbox One

Buy Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 - Cross-Gen Bundle | Xbox
Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 is signature Black Ops across a cinematic single-player Campaign, a best-in-class Multiplayer experience and with the epic return of Round-Based Zombies.
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