Activision player count continues to drop since MW2 & Warzone 2 launch

Max Candelarezi
Simon Ghost Riley from Modern Warfare 2 campaign

A new financial report revealed that Call of Duty publisher Activision continue to suffer a hefty loss in the player count department since Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2’s launch.

Following a hectic beginning of 2023 for Activision, which included Microsoft’s acquisition and overcoming various challenges, they now stand at the final hurdle in their battle against the UK CMA.

Despite a substantial revenue surge in the second quarter compared to the first, Activision‘s monthly active player count continues to decline significantly.

According to an official Activision earnings report, the active player count dropped from 98 million in Q1 of 2023 down to 92 million in Q2 of this year.

Between the drop in interest and player disappointment over the current state of Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2, these numbers were to be expected.

After experiencing losses since the start of the year, the number of active players continues to struggle to stay at around 100 million. However, among the extensive player base that Activision successfully retains, Call of Duty takes the lead with 90 million active players, of which, Activision claim that half belong to the COD franchise’s popular mobile game, Call of Duty: Mobile.

While the number of active gamers appears to be holding up for Activision overall, reports have indicated that the company’s financial success is due, in large part, to the mobile gaming sector led by COD Mobile, which accounts for 40% of the company’s revenue, according to an Activision executive.

Activision also took the time to reveal another of the financial successes obtained with the new $30 BlackCell Battle Pass system, available in Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.

They further added that Season 3 of Modern Warfare 2 delivered the “highest micro transactions revenue for the game yet, driven by a strong community response to gameplay enhancements.”

For more Call of Duty, check out the latest news like how classic CoD titles became Xbox Store’s best-sellers and how COD players are threatening to boycott Modern Warfare 3.