Former Call of Duty executive Greg Reisdorf believes that with the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, Call of Duty: Warzone may struggle to retain its player base. The former multiplayer creative director at Sledgehammer Games predicts that free-to-play games like Warzone, which cater to a mature player base, could seriously struggle to compete with the online component of GTA 6.

Former Call of Duty executive: GTA 6 could be a big problem for Warzone

Rockstar’s highly anticipated game is set to launch on November 19, 2026, after several delays. If there are no further delays, the end of 2026 will be an exciting time for many players. Since its initial announcement, the game has become one of the most anticipated titles in the industry. Both trailers have garnered millions of views and are among the most-watched trailers of all time. GTA 6 won the Most Anticipated Game award at The Game Awards 2025.

In an interview with esportsbets, Reisdorf assessed the impact of GTA 6 on the industry. The former Call of Duty boss focused on the potential impact of the game’s online component on free-to-play games. According to Reisdorf, games like Warzone could be in trouble when a new version of GTA Online is released.

The developer highlighted Rockstar’s approach to delivering new content by listening to its community. “The nice thing about Rockstar is that they’re saying, ‘We’re going to launch some events, but we’re also going to let our community do some things and we’re going to work with them,'” he said.

Interestingly, Reisdorf made a distinction between mature games like Warzone and games like Roblox and Fortnite. He believes Roblox and Fortnite might be better off because they cater to a “different audience.” However, games like Warzone are attracting a similar audience to Rockstar’s next game.

This becomes even more significant considering the number of players likely to play GTA 6. According to some analysts’ predictions, the game could generate $7.6 billion in revenue within 60 days of its release. With such a large fanbase, the overlap in player base between some free-to-play games and GTA 6 could be significant.

It will be interesting to see what strategies these games will employ to mitigate the impact of GTA 6. Before the latest GTA 6 delay, some developers deliberately announced release dates that would distance them from Rockstar’s game. Games with already established fanbases, like Warzone, could host more in-game events or offer more rewards to attract players back. Alternatively, they could wait to weather the initial wave of popularity and hope their player base doesn’t suffer too much.

Even though GTA 6 is still about a year away from release, speculation about the game continues. In particular, discussions about the game’s cost persist. Former Rockstar North Technical Director Obbe Vermeij recently weighed in on the GTA 6 price debate. Despite rumors that the game might cost $100, Vermeij reportedly believes it will be a “normally priced game.” He thinks the company can still generate net profit through features like an online mode after release.

Ultimately, players will have to wait to see what the price of GTA 6 will be. While many fans will buy the game regardless of the price, pricing could affect how many copies are sold. This could also determine the game’s impact on Warzone and other free-to-play games.

So, what do you think about how the release of GTA 6 will affect other games? Will you continue playing free-to-play games like Warzone?