10 powerful marketing lessons from Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

I. Building anticipation and engagement

1. Create hype with early access

What Call of Duty did:

A month before D-Day (the actual release date) they announced 2 Beta weekends. Eager gamers could secure their spot by pre-ordering the game to gain access to those beta weekends, with limited maps and options. These betas serve multiple objectives:

• Intel gathering: They are able to gather valuable insights and user feedback into gameplay elements, user interaction and early feedback.
• Rewarding first players: Early adopters pre-order at full price, receiving exclusive gifts like limited edition skins and first-to-play bragging rights.

Email marketing takeaway:

Make sure that you reward your biggest fans and most active subscribers. Give them a reason to keep interacting with you. Implement a VIP program that rewards your most loyal subscribers:

• Offer exclusive early access to sales, events, or new content.
• Deploy teaser email campaigns to build anticipation.
• Use limited-time offers with clear CTAs to drive urgency.
• Incorporate countdown timers in emails or lading pages to boost conversions.

2. Personalise the battlefield: segmentation tactics

What Call of Duty did:

The game appeals to different player types (competitive, casual, etc.), so marketing messages are often tailored to these groups—whether highlighting multiplayer, campaign modes, or special editions. Each gameplay comes with their own characteristics and rewards.

Email marketing takeaway:

Don't treat your subscribers like a faceless horde. Deploy these segmentation tactics:

• Segment your audience based on behavior, demographics, or past interactions.
• Craft personalised email content with distinct tones of voice for each segment.
• Tailor offers and product recommendations to match subscriber interests.

II. Crafting compelling content

3. Influencer warfare: leverage social proof

What Call of Duty did:

The franchise typically partners with influencers, streamers, artists and pro gamers to generate buzz. These digital soldiers create a ripple effect of social proof and free publicity, especially during beta weekends.

Of course influencers are also eager to play the beta weekends, gaining them lots of content and new followers, in turn generating free buzz for Activision.

Email marketing takeaway:

Deploy these social proof tactics in your email campaigns:

• Showcase testimonials, reviews, or influencer content in your newsletters.
• Include case studies or success stories to build credibility.
• Feature user-generated content to foster community engagement.

4. Game on: gamification in email marketing

What Call of Duty did:

Call of Duty employs an intricate system of challenges, rewards, and progression that keeps players in a constant state of "just one more match.” And the more interaction, the more advantage you gain throughout the game.

Email marketing takeaway:

Implement these gamification strategies to boost engagement:

• Offer loyalty points for email opens, clicks, time on list or purchases.
• Run email-based contests or quizzes with exciting prizes.
• Create a tiered reward system for different levels of engagement.

5. The story unfolds: building a narrative

What Call of Duty did:

The franchise always builds an ongoing story that keeps players interested between games, creating an emotional connection to the game’s world and characters.

Every launch comes with a new season of the game. Seasons are themed, multi-week events and challenges that offer new rewards to collect. They can also include new maps, game modes, characters and story campaigns to play. By doing this throughout the year, they keep content fresh: very active players continuously get new stuff to discover. Through these seasons, they are also able to reactivate less active players that otherwise could get discouraged because they’re falling behind in rankings.

Email marketing takeaway:

Use storytelling in your email series that tell your brand’s evolving story to engage readers over time. Whether it’s your brand story, customer testimonials, or a behind-the-scenes look, make your emails more than just promotions—build a narrative that connects with the audience.

Craft a compelling narrative in your email strategy:

• Develop email series that tell your brand's evolving story.
• Use storytelling techniques to make promotional content more engaging.
• Implement themed "seasons" in your email calendar to maintain interest.
• Offer personalised onboarding scenarios for new contacts in your database to introduce them to your brand and communication. Don’t make them drop into your newsletter without any introduction but make sure they first see your best content that is tailored to them specifically.

III. User-centric strategies

6. Feedback loop: showcase user-driven improvements

What Call of Duty did:

We already talked about the 2 beta weekends in our first section. Activision also shows they value the time investment those early users made.

Post-beta, Activision publicly acknowledges user feedback and details upcoming improvements on their blog. This validates player experiences and demonstrates a commitment to community-driven development.

Email marketing takeaway:

Use emails to highlight improvements based on customer feedback. This builds trust and shows you value your audience’s voice. Example: “Thanks to your feedback, we’ve made these exciting improvements!”

Close the feedback loop with your subscribers:

• Consider doing “You spoke we listened” themed email campaigns. You’d be surprised how valuable these can be for your subscribers.
• After a product launch or feature update, send emails explaining what you’ve learned from customer input and how you’re addressing those concerns.
• Share survey results and explain how you're addressing concerns.

IV. Advanced tactics

7. Post-mission briefing: follow-up events

What Call of Duty did:

After beta testing, Call of Duty sometimes holds post-launch events or DLC (downloadable content) drops that keep players engaged.

Email marketing takeaway:

In your email marketing, schedule follow-up events to keep the momentum going after major campaigns:

• Schedule follow-up email series after product launches or big events.
• Organise virtual events, webinars, or exclusive promotions for engaged subscribers.
• Create email-based community challenges to foster ongoing interaction.

8. Clear comms: transparency and honesty

What Call of Duty did:

During betas (like all software ultimately) not everything is perfect, and Call of Duty is transparent about bugs or issues. They proactively communicate what’s being fixed and what you can expect during the beta.

Email marketing takeaway:

Be transparent with your subscribers. If there are issues with a product or service, communicate it openly and let them know how you’re going to address it (don’t do this for typing errors in a previous email though, it’s not that serious).

• Promptly address product issues or service disruptions via email.
• Provide regular updates on improvements and fixes.
• Use empathetic language to acknowledge customer patience and loyalty.

Honesty can strengthen customer trust and brand loyalty. Emails like “Here’s what we’re fixing based on your feedback” or “Thank you for your patience” help manage expectations, build goodwill and reinforce credibility.

9. Gebruikers gegenereerde content: ervaringen van spelers uitlichten

What Call of Duty did:

Players love sharing their in-game experiences, and Call of Duty often encourages this, creating a community-driven marketing engine. You can read a couple of examples of specific user feedback sprinkled throughout the copy of this improvements article.

Before the official game release, Call of Duty runs a countdown to the launch day to build hype. After launch, they often share recaps of community engagement, impressive stats, or gameplay highlights.

Email marketing takeaway:

Harness the power of user-generated content in your emails:

• Feature customer reviews and testimonials.
• Showcase social media posts that highlight your products or services.
• Share real user stories and how customers benefit from your offerings.

10. Bonus tip: easter eggs in email campaigns

How Call of Duty uses hidden content to engage fans.

What Call of Duty did:

The game is renowned for hiding Easter eggs—secret messages, hidden features, or pop culture references (like the Breaking Bad RV) —throughout its virtual world, encouraging exploration and community discussion.

Email marketing takeaway:

Easter eggs, in the context of marketing, are hidden messages, surprises, or hidden features that are strategically placed within a product, service, or marketing campaign.

Add an element of surprise to your email campaigns:

• Hide special offers or exclusive content within your emails.
• Create interactive elements that reveal surprises when clicked.
• Use clever wordplay or hidden messages in your copy to reward attentive readers.

They are designed to capture attention and curiosity and to drive them to engage more. When consumers come across these hidden treasures, it triggers a sense of discovery and excitement.

Conclusion: winning the inbox battle

The strategies employed by Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 aren't just about selling games—they're about creating experiences, fostering community and maintaining long-term engagement. As email marketers, we can learn a great deal from this approach.

By implementing these tactics — from personalised content and early access perks to transparent communication and user-generated content — we can transform our email campaigns from mere promotional tools into valuable, engaging experiences for our subscribers.

Remember, effective email marketing isn't about bombarding your audience with messages. It's about creating meaningful interactions, just as Call of Duty does with its player base. It's about understanding your audience, respecting their time and interests, and consistently delivering value.

As you plan your next email campaign, consider how you can:

1. Build anticipation and reward loyalty
2. Personalise experiences through smart segmentation
3. Create compelling, story-driven content
4. Actively seek and respond to user feedback
5. Maintain engagement through follow-up events and communications

By adopting these strategies, you're not just sending emails — you're creating a community around your brand, fostering loyalty and driving long-term success.