The Steam Anomaly: Why Is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Underperforming on Wishlists?

The pre-launch period for a new Call of Duty entry is typically characterized by overwhelming hype and dominating leaderboard positions. However, for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, the narrative is starkly different. With the official launch date of November 14, 2025, rapidly approaching, industry watchers have noted a significant—and potentially worrying—anomaly: the title is reportedly ranked outside of the top 150 most wishlisted games on Steam. This unprecedented dip in visible consumer anticipation on a major PC platform is forcing a critical examination of the franchise’s current market standing and Activision’s long-term strategy, especially in the context of stiff competition from rivals like Battlefield 6.

While the franchise has historically generated billions in revenue and boasts hundreds of millions of players globally, the PC market—specifically through the Steam storefront—represents a vital, high-volume segment for premium game purchases. The current subdued wishlist performance raises immediate questions:

• Is the fragmented launch strategy still viable?
• Has Game Pass integration diluted PC pre-order and wishlist metrics?
• Is the core Black Ops 7 Multiplayer experience failing to capture pre-release enthusiasm?

This article delves into the potential factors contributing to this trend and analyzes what it could mean for the future of one of gaming’s most valuable franchises, exploring everything from consumer choice to the impact of the new Omnimovement system.

Decoding the Low Wishlist Ranking: Game Pass, Platform Fragmentation, and Competition

The most crucial aspect to consider when analyzing the low Steam wishlist rank is the seismic shift in distribution for this year’s release. For the first time, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is launching day one on Game Pass. This is a monumental factor. For a considerable portion of the PC gaming audience that subscribes to PC Game Pass, adding the game to a Steam wishlist becomes a superfluous action. Why commit to a full-price pre-purchase when the title is available at no extra cost upon release via subscription?

Strong Industry Trend: Subscription Services vs. Direct Sales

The industry is seeing an undeniable pivot toward subscription models. While the move ensures massive day-one player concurrency—a huge advantage for the Black Ops 7 Zombies and Multiplayer modes—it fundamentally alters the metric by which early interest is traditionally measured on the Steam platform. The true gauge of success might shift from Steam’s Top Sellers and Wishlist charts to concurrent player data across both Steam and the Xbox/PC Game Pass ecosystems.

The Shadow of Past PC Strategy

Another significant element is platform fragmentation. Between 2018 and 2022, Activision chose to exclusively release Call of Duty titles on its own proprietary launcher, Battle.net. This move trained a large segment of the core PC audience to purchase and launch the game outside of Steam. While the franchise has returned to Steam, years of ecosystem separation may have created a habitual preference for Battle.net among long-time fans, diminishing the importance of the Steam storefront as the sole indicator of PC interest. Furthermore, many PC gamers still primarily associate the franchise with its free-to-play component, Warzone, which acts as a separate, ongoing entity.

The Rivalry’s Resurgence: Battlefield 6’s Competitive Edge

The competitive landscape has never been more challenging. Reports indicate that the recently released Battlefield 6 has captured considerable attention, with its renewed focus on military realism and large-scale warfare providing a fresh counter-narrative to the increasingly fast-paced, movement-focused gameplay of CoD. The direct competition for high-value PC players seeking a premium first-person shooter experience is intense. While Call of Duty’s historical dominance is unquestioned—the franchise has sold over 500 million copies—even a slight erosion of market share to a revitalized competitor can create a negative news cycle that impacts consumer confidence and pre-order metrics.

Key Metrics to Watch After Launch:

• Peak Concurrent Users (PCU): The total number of players across Steam, Battle.net, and PC Game Pass on launch weekend will be the most accurate reflection of day-one engagement.
• In-Game Transaction Revenue: The true measure of an Activision title’s performance often lies in the post-launch monetization of its live-service content, including the Battle Pass and cosmetic bundles, which are crucial for the high CPC keywords sought by advertisers.
• Review Aggregators (Metacritic/OpenCritic): The critical reception of the refined Omnimovement and new features like wall-jumps will directly influence long-term sales and player retention.

The Core Gameplay Experience: Black Ops 7’s Differentiators

To dismiss Black Ops 7’s potential based solely on one platform’s wishlist ranking would be premature, especially considering the ambitious gameplay changes introduced by developers Treyarch and Raven Software. The new installment is not simply a re-skin; it represents a significant effort to evolve the core mechanics.

Innovation in Movement and Map Design

The introduction of a refined Omnimovement system—allowing for full sprint, slide, and dive in any direction—is the single biggest change to the Multiplayer core. This, coupled with the new ability to perform short wall jumps, increases the skill ceiling and adds a level of verticality previously unseen in the series. Treyarch has confirmed that their new maps are designed specifically to maximize these movement mechanics, ensuring that “every lane needs a purpose.” A successful execution of this high-mobility, fast-paced environment could be a major draw for the competitive player base, fueling long-term engagement and the demand for gaming hardware upgrades.

Expected Core Gameplay Pillars:

• Innovative Campaign Co-Op: The inclusion of a co-operative mode for the cinematic Campaign is a fresh take on the single-player experience, potentially adding substantial replay value.
• Persistent Lobbies: A direct response to community feedback, the return of persistent lobbies is a quality-of-life feature that fosters a stronger sense of community and improves the overall online gaming experience.
• Legendary Zombies Return: The continuation of the legendary round-based Zombies mode is a core pillar of the Black Ops sub-series. Leaks and reveals suggest this mode is receiving a comprehensive overhaul with new systems, promising a deep and engaging experience for a dedicated player base known for its high average session time.

The CPC Factor: High-Value Keywords and Monetization

Activision’s business model is fundamentally sound, relying heavily on in-game purchases. The success of Black Ops 7 is tied less to the number of copies pre-sold on one platform and more to the depth of the live service. High CPC (Cost Per Click) terms like “gaming accessories,” “best gaming PC,” and “gaming monitor” are inherently linked to the performance and longevity of the title. The new features and commitment to regular content—including a promised “most massive Season 01 yet”—are designed to maintain the massive player base required to drive consistent microtransaction revenue.

Conclusion: Wait-and-See for Activision’s Biggest Bet

Is it time for Activision to worry about the low Steam wishlist rank for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7? The short answer is: caution is warranted, but panic is premature. The Steam wishlist is no longer a perfect, isolated predictor of a Call of Duty launch’s success. The combination of the day-one Game Pass inclusion and the years of platform exclusivity on Battle.net fundamentally skew the PC pre-release metrics.

The true test for Black Ops 7 will not be its pre-order rank, but its performance in the weeks following the November 14 release. Key indicators will be: day-one concurrent player counts across all platforms, early sales on consoles (where Game Pass’s effect is less disruptive to traditional sales data), and the critical reception of the core gameplay, especially the high-mobility Multiplayer. If the final product delivers a tight, compelling experience with a wealth of content, the low Steam wishlist rank will be seen as a mere distribution artifact, not a harbinger of failure. However, a lackluster launch would amplify this metric, turning a small anomaly into a major narrative crisis for the billion-dollar franchise.

Strongest Takeaway for Industry Observers: The marketplace for first-person shooter games has evolved. Subscriptions are cannibalizing traditional pre-sales metrics, and the competition is fierce. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a high-stakes bet that its core innovation will win out over rival offerings, regardless of an early misfire on a single distribution platform’s popularity chart. The world of professional gaming and the future of high-end PC gaming are watching.