This fall’s shooter releases were already jam-packed, and Activision just piled on more.
The company revealed that players can jump into Black Ops 6 for free starting October 9, practically overlapping with Battlefield 6’s release a day later.
Players will be able to jump into the full single-player campaign, multiplayer suite, and Zombies content at no cost until October 16.
The only thing missing is Ranked play, which stays locked to paying owners.
What’s Coming to Call of Duty Alongside the Free Trial?
The trial rolls out with Season 6: The Haunting and all its Halloween-inspired extras.
Look out for new multiplayer maps like Gravity, Rig, and Mothball, a Haunted Havoc limited-time Zombies mode, and loads of horror-themed crossovers (think Jason Voorhees, Predator, Chucky skins, and other seasonal bundles).
By tying the free trial to a big seasonal drop, Activision ensures anyone sampling the game gets a taste of the newest toys rather than last year’s leftovers.
Why Did Activision Schedule This Free Week Right Before Battlefield 6?
The Battlefield 6 beta pulled bigger Steam numbers than Call of Duty’s recent trial and has driven impressive pre-order momentum.
To keep players talking about COD, Activision also extended the Black Ops 7 multiplayer beta until October 9.
Fans can wrap up testing next year’s entry and jump straight into a free week of Black Ops 6 right as Battlefield goes live.
It’s a smart way to own the whole launch window with beta buzz, a free week, a new season, and Battlefield’s release in the middle.
How Does This Free Trial Change Activision’s Usual Strategy?
Call of Duty has run free access events before, but they were usually limited to a few multiplayer playlists or short Zombies samples.
This round brings everything, even the full campaign. Reviews from last year praised the Black Ops 6 story for its Cold War-era intrigue and varied mission design.
With Battlefield 6 reportedly struggling to impress with its own campaign AI and mission structure, Activision seems eager to showcase its narrative edge.
Players can try Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 for free from October 9 at 9 AM PT through October 16 at 10 AM PT, with a full week to experience almost all of its content.
The trial provides access to the entire campaign, the complete multiplayer lineup with over 40 maps, and the full Zombies experience, including all six maps and the Directed mode.
The trial drops alongside Season 6: The Haunting so that players can jump into all the latest maps, modes, and seasonal Halloween content from the start.
The only feature left out is Ranked Play, which remains exclusive to paying players.
Will This Strategy Hurt Battlefield 6’s Launch Momentum?
Honestly, this move could make things a little harder for Battlefield 6 right out of the gate — but probably not enough to derail its launch entirely.
The Black Ops 6 free trial runs through Battlefield’s release window to keep Call of Duty visible and give players free content as they decide on EA’s new game.
It’s especially smart to include the full campaign, something Battlefield has historically struggled with. That said, Battlefield 6’s momentum seems strong enough to hold.
Its beta numbers were huge, pre-orders are reportedly solid, and a lot of players who’ve waited years for a proper Battlefield comeback won’t skip launch just because Call of Duty is free for a week.
At most, this tactic might slow down impulse buyers or pull some curious players away for a few days, but it probably won’t stop the core Battlefield audience from showing up on day one.
It feels more like Activision trying to chip away at hype than actually crush it.
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