Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was the 2024 release of the famous series. The series has spanned through every decade and dipped into the future, but no matter what the game is, one thing is consistent: fans love it. Even with the yearly release, sales continue to stay strong and dominate sales in the United States. 2024 was no different. After numbers from December came in this week, the latest installment of the series was crowned as the best-selling video game in the U.S. last year.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Dominates 2024
The sales numbers are courtesy of Circana data, which tracks sales of the digital downloads of all the games. Since 2008, Call of Duty has been a frequent member of the top spot in terms of sales. Only three games have ever usurped the game as the top-selling game of the year. Most recently, Hogwarts Legacy took the top spot in 2023. The open-world game based on the Harry Potter franchise took the world by storm in 2023. Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption II were the other two games that garnered massive numbers and beat out the Infinity Ward product.
In 2024, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 held off some strong competition for the top spot. EA Sports College Football 25 was number two and was the best-selling sports game in U.S. history. Fans of the series had been eager for a new installment of the franchise as the last version was released all the way back in 2014. The top 20 is full of many famous franchises. Here is the full list via IGN.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- EA Sports College Football 25
- Helldivers II
- Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
- NBA 2K25*
- Madden NFL 25
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)
- EA Sports FC 25
- Elden Ring
- EA Sports MVP Bundle
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Dragon’s Dogma II
- WWE 2K24*
- MLB: The Show 24*
- Grand Theft Auto V*
- Minecraft*
- Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
- Tekken 8
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- NBA 2K24*
* Indicates that some or all digital sales are not included in Circana’s data. Some publishers, including Nintendo and Take-Two, do not share certain digital data for this report.
Competition In 2025
Call of Duty will have some competition in 2025. While nothing has been announced, many believe Grand Theft Auto VI will be released this year. If that happens, expect it to take the top-selling spot this year. Fans have been waiting for years, and it is one of the most popular franchises of all time. While Call of Duty won’t be absent from the standings, it will be difficult to take down the behemoth that is Grand Theft Auto.
What these numbers show is how engrained the franchise is in the video game culture. Even with yearly releases, the series shows no signs of slowing down. They are continuing to innovate, with new modes like WarZone and Zombies keeping fans coming back for more. These new modes also help introduce new players to the game. The developers have not been shy about trying to innovate whenever possible and bring back previous versions to tap into the nostalgia that so many gamers have.
Final Thoughts
The sales numbers released in December showed some interesting trends in the video game world. PC games were up 13% in December, showing a shift in how many gamers are choosing to play their games. The first-person shooter reigned supreme in 2024. What was the biggest surprise for you in the top 20?
