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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launched on October 25, 2024. Before release, Activision announced a PC preload for October 21 and different October 24 unlock windows by storefront. Its launch-era PC requirements ranged from an 8 GB RAM minimum tier to a 16 GB RAM Competitive / 4K Ultra tier with an RX 6800 XT or RTX 3080 / RTX 4070. The dates below are historical; the requirements table preserves Activision’s published launch specifications.
What the PC launch trailer promoted
The official Call of Duty PC Launch Trailer listing, published October 15, 2024, promoted 4K graphics and ultrawide support, AMD FSR 3.1 at launch, crossplay, and RICOCHET Anti-Cheat. Its description also claimed more than 500 PC customization options. These are publisher statements about the game and its features, not independent performance measurements.
Activision’s October 15 PC launch announcement identified Beenox as the Call of Duty PC lead developer. Treyarch led development in partnership with Raven Software, according to Activision’s Black Ops 6 game page.
When the Black Ops 6 PC preload and launch happened
Call of Duty announced that digital PC pre-orders could preload Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies beginning October 21, 2024, at 9 a.m. PT. The game launched October 25, but PC storefront availability on October 24 varied by platform:
#1 Best Overall
- STANDARD DIGITAL EDITION – Includes Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows devices.
- CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 7 – Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever.
- CAMPAIGN MODE – Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience. Take on high-stakes challenges across a wide spectrum of environments, from the neon-lit rooftops of Japan to the Mediterranean coast, and even into the deepest corners of the human psyche.
- MULTIPLAYER MODE – Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. From futuristic Tokyo vistas to the frozen, unforgiving wilds of Alaska, every environment is brimming with danger and opportunity. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.
- ROUND-BASED ZOMBIES MODE – The nightmare begins where reality ends. Trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether, the crew is thrust into a vast, ever-shifting hellscape. This isn’t just survival. It’s a descent into madness.
| PC storefront | Announced availability |
|---|---|
| Microsoft PC | Regional rollout on October 24, 2024, between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m. PT |
| Battle.net | October 24, 2024, at 9 p.m. PT |
| Steam | October 24, 2024, at 9 p.m. PT |
These were the publisher’s announced 2024 times, not a current preload schedule. Blizzard’s launch-preparation article said preload also applied to purchasers and subscribers to select Game Pass plans. For players with an existing Call of Duty installation, the preload could arrive as an automatic update that included the new interface; players without an install could start the download from their storefront. Warzone was not automatically included in the default Black Ops 6 download on most platforms.
Black Ops 6 PC system requirements
The following are the launch-era specifications Activision published in October 2024. Its later PC System Requirements support page, marked July 2, 2025, explains the intended targets for the tiers. It says Recommended targets 60 FPS in most situations at high settings, Competitive targets high FPS on a high-refresh monitor, and Ultra targets high FPS in 4K. These are stated targets, not independently verified benchmark results.
Rank #2
- The most thrilling multiplayer experience offers tactical, grounded gameplay and player choice
- The biggest Day 1 Zombies offering ever with three full experiences at launch
- In Blackout, Black Ops comes to life in a massive battle royale experience
- System requirement minimum your device must meet all minimum requirements to open this product OS Xbox One, Architecture x64, Recommended your device should meet these requirements for the best experience OS Xbox One Architecture x64
| Tier | CPU | RAM | Graphics card and video memory | Storage and target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or Intel Core i5-6600 | 8 GB | AMD Radeon RX 470, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, or Intel Arc A580; 2 GB VRAM | SSD; 102 GB available at launch |
| Recommended | AMD Ryzen 5 1600X or Intel Core i7-6700K | 12 GB | AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti / RTX 3060; 8 GB VRAM | SSD; 102 GB available at launch; 60 FPS in most situations at high settings, per Activision Support |
| Competitive / 4K Ultra | AMD Ryzen 7 2700X or Intel Core i7-8700K | 16 GB | AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 / RTX 4070; 10 GB VRAM | SSD; 102 GB available at launch; high FPS on a high-refresh monitor for Competitive or high FPS in 4K for Ultra, per Activision Support |
Operating system, storage and compatibility caveats
The October 2024 launch article listed Windows 10 64-bit for Minimum and Windows 10 or 11 64-bit for the other two tiers. Activision Support advises using the latest Windows versions and additionally specifies DirectX 12 compatibility. The support page currently says only Intel and AMD processors with AVX are supported.
- The table describes desktop PCs. Activision warns that laptop GPUs with similar model names may differ or may not be supported; a laptop part should not be assumed equivalent to its desktop-named counterpart.
- Storage can change. The 102 GB figure was the launch listing for Black Ops 6, excluding Warzone. Mandatory updates may require additional space, so keep room beyond the stated launch allocation.
- Driver guidance is time-sensitive. Activision’s support page lists later recommended drivers than the launch article. Check the current support page rather than treating launch-era driver versions as current recommendations.
- Internet is required. Activision listed broadband internet for all launch tiers.
What was included at launch
Activision’s game page lists Campaign, Multiplayer, and Round-Based Zombies. At launch, Multiplayer had 16 maps: 12 core 6v6 maps and four Strike maps playable in 2v2 or 6v6. Zombies launched with two maps. The page lists PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Microsoft PC Store, Steam, Battle.net, Game Pass, and PlayStation 4 among the platforms.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Rank #3
- Wide array of play modes including single player, local multiplayer versus and online co-op and multiplayer
- Seventh installment of the Call of Duty series, based on the live fire conflicts of the Cold War era
- Diverse variety of play setting ranging from urban air and ground combat in SE Asia, to snow combat in Soviet region and jungle combat
- Blending of traditional COD, and new first-person character scenarios designed to both retain the essence of the COD gaming experience and ensure constantly flowing and varied action
- New arsenal of weapons and vehicles tied to the Cold War era, including the SR-71 Blackbird and sighted explosive-tipped crossbows
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