Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has emerged as a surprisingly popular title on the PlayStation 5, surpassing more recent installments like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone in the United States according to a new PlayStation update. The data, which allows players to see the most popular games in their region, places Black Ops 2 at number nine on the PS5 popularity list.
The list is otherwise dominated by major live-service games and recent releases, including Fortnite, Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto 5, NBA 2K27, Marvel Rivals, Rainbow 6 Siege, MLB The Show 26, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and Marvel's Wolverine. Notably absent from the top rankings is the Call of Duty HQ app, which encompasses Black Ops 6, Black Ops 7, and Warzone.
This resurgence in popularity for Black Ops 2 follows Activision's release of ports for Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 earlier this summer. These titles, originally launched over a decade ago on the PlayStation 3, were unexpectedly re-released and quickly climbed sales charts. The enduring appeal of Black Ops 2 now seems to extend to player engagement on current-generation consoles.
Commentators suggest this trend could indicate player fatigue with the modern Call of Duty offerings, particularly after the perceived underperformance of Black Ops 7 in both sales and player reception. Fans may be turning to older, critically acclaimed titles while awaiting future releases such as Modern Warfare 4. However, the imminent launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 presents a significant competitive challenge for any upcoming Call of Duty titles aiming to capture player attention.
Meanwhile, developer Treyarch has signaled a potential shift away from the Black Ops franchise, expressing a desire to create something "new" and "something that nobody's ever experienced before." While this could manifest within a future Black Ops game, it may also suggest a move towards a new sub-franchise for Call of Duty to distance itself from the established series' legacy.