Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Hits Record Player Count After Historic 90% Steam Discount

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) saw its player count surge to 57,959 concurrent users on Steam after a rare 90 percent discount dropped its price to just £4.99, surpassing the combined player numbers of recent Call of Duty releases on the platform and even overtaking Battlefield 6’s current player base.

The 2019 reboot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has reclaimed attention in the FPS genre, achieving an unprecedented 24-hour peak of 57,959 concurrent players on Steam following a 90 percent price cut during the spring sale. This discount, which reduced the game to £4.99, stands out as the deepest ever for the franchise on Valve’s platform, as most Call of Duty titles traditionally receive discounts no greater than 75 percent.

For context, 2012’s Black Ops 2 is only marked down by 67 percent (£13.19) in the same event, revealing the uniqueness of Activision’s pricing decision. The game’s explosive return has propelled its player count above the combined total of several recent Call of Duty titles grouped on Steam, including the Call of Duty HQ app, which currently houses Black Ops 7, Black Ops 6, and other recent releases, with a joint 24-hour peak of 50,325 players.

A Historic Discount Drives Player Resurgence

Call of Duty games are known for rarely exceeding a 75 percent discount, even years after release. This spring, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s price was slashed by an extraordinary 90 percent, to £4.99 on Steam. In comparison:

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019): 90% off, £4.99
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012): 67% off, £13.19

Fran Ruiz, contributing to Eurogamer, observed, “For reference, Call of Duty games rarely go above 75 percent off, no matter how old they are. A good current example is 2012’s Black Ops 2, which is only at 67% (down to £13.19) during the same sale.” The deep discount is particularly surprising given that Modern Warfare 2019 is not integrated within the new Call of Duty HQ app, a hub that consolidates access to the latest titles in the franchise. According to the source, “Activision considers the first of the new Modern Warfare games ‘obsolete,’ yet here we are.”

Steam Player Numbers: Modern Warfare Outpaces Recent Entries and Battlefield 6

Structured Data Snapshot (Steam 24-hour player peaks, March 2026):

• Modern Warfare (2019): 57,959 players
• Call of Duty HQ App (Black Ops 7, Black Ops 6, more): 50,325 players (combined)
• Battlefield 6: Lower current active player count than Modern Warfare, but higher all-time 24-hour peak

This surge is exclusive to PC on Steam; console numbers aren’t reflected in these figures. The data underscores a disruption in player preferences, with the report stating, “the 2019 release had a 24-hour peak (at the time of writing) of 57,959 players. Meanwhile, the Call of Duty app that includes last year’s Black Ops 7, Black Ops 6, and more has ‘only’ cracked 50,325.”

The resurgence comes despite “Call of Duty’s popularity being lower than Xbox and Activision would like following BO7’s so-so reviews and player reception,” yet Black Ops 7 “remained one of 2025’s top-grossing game releases.” As for the wider FPS landscape, the article notes, “If you ask around, you’ll be told Battlefield 6 was last year’s military FPS king, but that game is also battling its own demons now that the post-launch honeymoon is over. At least right now, Modern Warfare has overtaken the concurrent player count of EA’s latest (though BF6’s 24-hour peak is higher), as well.”

Reasons Behind the Discount and Future Implications

Market speculation points to a strategic move by Activision. The timing of such a deep discount, especially for a title considered by the publisher to be “obsolete,” raises questions. As highlighted, “The fact several recent CoD games are all grouped together on Steam also makes it easier to see how big Modern Warfare is right now versus the rest of the FPS roster.”

Industry sources signal that the unprecedented price cut could be a prelude to revitalising the franchise’s fanbase ahead of Modern Warfare 4, rumoured to be 2026’s primary Call of Duty release. The analysis suggests, “The current rumours say MW4 will be 2026’s Call of Duty, so maybe the play here is getting as many newcomers as possible interested in the beginning of this new continuity before marketing goes all-out again and Xbox and Activision try to recover lost ground this fall.”

For players and industry observers, this event marks a significant moment: a discontinued Call of Duty entry dominating contemporary shooter charts, not through innovation, but by breaking decades-long publisher pricing habits and capitalising on franchise nostalgia.

Key Facts Summary

• Modern Warfare (2019) Steam 24-hour player peak: 57,959
• Call of Duty HQ App (Black Ops 7, 6, etc) combined 24-hour peak: 50,325
• Battlefield 6’s concurrent players are currently behind Modern Warfare (2019)
• Modern Warfare (2019), 90% off (£4.99), rare for the series
• Black Ops 2 (2012), 67% off (£13.19), sale same period
• Modern Warfare is not included in the Call of Duty HQ app
• Upcoming: Modern Warfare 4 rumoured for 2026

If the trend continues or is replicated in future sales, the established dynamics of the FPS market could shift further, especially as the franchise prepares for its next chapter.