Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Becomes Free to Play During Battlefield 6’s Launch Week

Activision is opening access to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 for free during Battlefield 6’s launch week, from October 9 through October 16. The limited-time event aligns with EA’s major release, giving players a chance to revisit last year’s entry in the Black Ops series.

During the free access period, players can experience both the Campaign and Multiplayer modes without restrictions. Activision confirmed that the event will include over 40 multiplayer maps and all six Zombies maps, including the Directed Mode. The publisher also added new Halloween-themed content from The Haunting event, featuring the Gravity, Rig, and Mothball multiplayer maps. Players can also try the Haunted Havoc limited-time Zombies mode during the same week.

The timing of this free trial is a clear move to draw attention away from Battlefield 6’s launch window. Black Ops 6 was released nearly a year ago and received mixed reactions, with many players praising its gameplay depth but criticizing its campaign. Despite this, the addition of new modes and content aims to give the game a second wave of engagement before the arrival of its successor.

Activision’s next major title, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, will launch on November 14. Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, the upcoming installment continues the storyline set in Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 6. The new entry is set in 2035, in a world destabilized by geopolitical conflict and psychological warfare. Players will once again follow David Mason and his team as they face a technologically advanced adversary who manipulates fear to control global powers.

Both Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Battlefield 6 will require TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot-enabled systems, similar to their open beta versions. These security measures are designed to ensure stable performance and protect against low-level malware attacks. Players running Windows 11 likely already have these features activated by default.

While Black Ops 6’s campaign didn’t resonate strongly with the community, its multiplayer and Zombies offerings remain popular. Making the game free for a week is likely intended to attract new players and re-engage old ones in the lead-up to Black Ops 7’s release next month. Whether the move will impact Battlefield 6’s launch momentum remains to be seen, but Activision’s timing suggests a deliberate effort to keep the Call of Duty brand in the spotlight during a highly competitive release season.