You’ve probably seen the headlines. One site calls it a masterpiece; another user review says it’s the death of the franchise. It’s the classic Call of Duty cycle, but for Black Ops 6 ratings, the divide is actually weirder than usual.
Basically, critics and the people actually buying the game are looking at two different products.
On one hand, professional reviewers at places like IGN and GameSpot handed out 9/10s like candy, praising the "Omnimovement" and the weird, trippy campaign missions. On the other, if you scroll through Steam or Metacritic user scores, you’ll see a sea of yellow and red. It's a "Mixed" bag. People are frustrated. Why the massive gap?
Honestly, it comes down to what you're looking for. If you want a polished spy thriller, it’s there. If you want a functional PC launcher that doesn’t crash every three seconds? That’s where the ratings start to tank.
The Critic Perspective vs. The Reality of the "Mixed" User Score
Critics generally loved this entry. OpenCritic shows a "Mighty" rating with a top critic average sitting around 83, while many outlets pushed it even higher. IGN gave the campaign a 9, calling it a return to form. They loved the variety—one minute you’re in a high-stakes heist, the next you’re essentially playing a horror game.
But user scores? They tell a grittier story.
On Steam, Black Ops 6 ratings hovered in the "Mixed" category shortly after launch, with only about 30-40% of English reviews being positive at certain points. It isn't because the shooting is bad. The shooting is actually fantastic. The problem is the "Call of Duty HQ" ecosystem.
- Always-Online requirements: Even for the single-player campaign.
- Massive install sizes: We’re talking over 100GB just to get through the door.
- Launcher Friction: Having to launch a launcher to launch the game.
Most negative reviews aren't about the gameplay mechanics. They’re about the technical hurdles. People are tired of the bloat. They want to click "Play" and actually play. Instead, they're met with update loops and "Shader Pre-loading" screens that take twenty minutes.
Why the Campaign Ratings are Actually Justified
Let's be real: CoD campaigns have been "meh" for years. Modern Warfare 3 (2023) was a disaster—a glorified DLC. So, when Raven Software actually put effort into the Black Ops 6 story, the ratings reflected that relief.
It’s set in the early 90s. The Gulf War is the backdrop, but the meat of the game is rogue-spy stuff. There’s a mission called "Emergence" that literally feels like BioShock or Control. It’s bizarre. It’s risky. Critics ate it up because it wasn't just "follow the NPC and shoot the red barrels."
There are actual puzzles. You have a safehouse you can upgrade. You can talk to your team. It feels like a real game, not just a three-hour shooting gallery. This is why the Black Ops 6 ratings for the single-player portion are some of the highest we’ve seen in a decade.
Breaking Down the ESRB and PEGI Ratings
If you're a parent or just curious about the "M" for Mature 17+ tag, it’s not just for the bullets. The ESRB was pretty specific this year.
The game earned its rating for:
- Intense Violence: Obviously. It’s a war game.
- Blood and Gore: The "Omnimovement" system makes close-quarters combat more visceral.
- Use of Drugs: There are specific scenes and items involving marijuana, including a "bong-like" attachment for a rifle. No, I’m not kidding.
- Strong Language: The usual f-bombs you'd expect in a gritty military thriller.
PEGI also slapped an 18 rating on it across Europe. It’s not a game for kids, though we all know the lobbies are full of them.
Multiplayer and the "Omnimovement" Gamble
The multiplayer is where the Black Ops 6 ratings get controversial among the hardcore fans. Treyarch introduced "Omnimovement," which basically means you can sprint, slide, and dive in any direction—360 degrees.
It makes the game feel incredibly fast. Like, "I need three energy drinks to keep up" fast.
For younger players or those with high skill levels (the "sweats"), this is a 10/10 feature. It adds a layer of skill expression that wasn't there before. But for the casual player who just wants to relax after work? It can be a nightmare. You’ll see people diving backward through windows while mid-air, headshotting you before you can even ADS.
This "skill gap" is a major reason why user reviews are so polarized. If you can master the movement, you love the game. If you can't, you feel like a target in a practice range.
Is it Actually "The Best CoD in Years"?
If you look at the Black Ops 6 ratings in the context of sales, it’s a monster. It had the biggest launch weekend in franchise history. Being on Game Pass helped tremendously, bringing in millions of players who wouldn't have dropped $70 otherwise.
However, 2025 and 2026 have shown some fatigue. While BO6 was a high point, reports indicate that the following titles have struggled to maintain that momentum. BO6 was an "anomaly" of success fueled by a long development cycle (four years, which is unheard of for CoD).
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Real Talk: The Tech Issues Are Holding It Back
We have to mention the "mostly negative" recent reviews on Steam that pop up periodically. This usually happens after a bad patch or when the servers act up.
A lot of people hate the "Ricochet" anti-cheat because it's kernel-level, and some claim it doesn't even work against the most determined hackers. Others are just mad that they have to delete Red Dead Redemption 2 just to fit a CoD update on their SSD. These are valid complaints that the 9/10 critic scores often gloss over.
Actionable Insights for Potential Players
If you're looking at these Black Ops 6 ratings and wondering if you should jump in, here is the honest breakdown of how to approach it:
- Play it on Game Pass first. Don’t drop the full $70 unless you’re a die-hard. The subscription model is the best way to see if the movement "clicks" for you without the financial sting.
- Clear your hard drive. Seriously. Make sure you have at least 150GB of free space on an NVMe SSD. Running this game on an old HDD will result in stutters that make the game unplayable.
- Don't ignore the Campaign. Even if you're a multiplayer junkie, the campaign is actually the strongest part of the package this year. It's worth the 8-10 hours.
- Check your PC specs. If you're on PC, the "Mixed" ratings are often from people with mid-range rigs struggling with optimization. Ensure your drivers are updated specifically for the BO6 build.
- Expect a learning curve. Don't get discouraged in multiplayer for the first five hours. The movement is a totally different beast compared to Modern Warfare.
The reality is that Black Ops 6 ratings reflect a game that is brilliant in its design but frustrated by its delivery. It is a world-class shooter trapped inside a bloated, corporate launcher. If you can get past the menus and the download sizes, there is a genuinely great game waiting for you.
Check your storage space, update your graphics drivers, and try the Directed Mode in Zombies if the standard round-based stuff feels too overwhelming at first. Just be ready for the "sweats" in the 6v6 lobbies; they aren't taking any prisoners this year.