Two Call of Duty games originally released in 2010 and 2012 have sold roughly 11.2 million copies combined on PlayStation since mid-July, generating an estimated US$435 million (£323 million) in sales for Microsoft.

The figures come from Alinea Analytics, an industry data firm, and are independently corroborated by GameSpot's own reporting. Black Ops 2 — originally released in 2012 — accounted for the lion's share, selling an estimated 8.2 million copies and generating about US$325 million. The original Black Ops, from 2010, sold an estimated 3 million copies for roughly US$110 million. (GameSpot, Eurogamer)

Activision, now owned by Microsoft, shadow-dropped the two ports on 9 July — a "shadow drop" being an unannounced release with no marketing build-up. The ports, handled by studio Iron Galaxy, are straight 1080p conversions rather than full remakes, but they carry the complete originals: campaign, multiplayer and Zombies modes intact. Each costs US$40, or US$20 for PlayStation Plus subscribers during a promotional window that runs until 6 August. (Alinea Analytics)

The reason these ports exist at all is a long-standing gap. Sony never made the PlayStation 3 versions of either Black Ops game backwards-compatible on its newer consoles, meaning PlayStation players had no way to play them without the new ports. Xbox players, by contrast, have had access through backwards compatibility for years. (Alinea Analytics)

The audience skews nostalgic. Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliott estimates most buyers are aged 30 to 40 — players who remember the originals from their teens. The data bears that out: 23 percent of port buyers picked up both games, 19 percent were active users of the Call of Duty companion app, and 10 percent also play Rainbow Six Siege. Beyond shooters, these players also gravitate toward EA Sports FC 26 (24 percent), NBA 2K26 (13 percent), Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto 5, Minecraft and Roblox. (Eurogamer)

An overwhelming majority bought on current-generation hardware. For Black Ops 2, 93 percent of sales were on PlayStation 5 and 7 percent on PlayStation 4. The Black Ops 1 port had a nearly identical split — 94 percent PS5, 6 percent PS4. (Eurogamer)

Sony's take is substantial. The platform cut — the 30 percent share a storefront takes from each sale — on the two ports amounts to roughly US$130 million for PlayStation's owner. That figure benefits both companies in the deal: Microsoft collects the publisher's share, while Sony earns the platform fee. (Alinea Analytics)

For context, Alinea estimates the combined revenue from these two decade-old ports roughly matches what Forza Horizon 6 — a brand-new, full-priced racing title — has earned through game sales alone since its release. (Eurogamer)

Activision released the ports in a quiet summer window, well ahead of Modern Warfare 4 in late October and Grand Theft Auto 6 in November — two releases expected to dominate the autumn release calendar. (Alinea Analytics)

Alinea's July data also tracks other titles on PlayStation. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, a refreshed version of the 2013 pirate adventure, sold through an estimated 1.6 million copies on PS5 in July, rising to 1.7 million total and generating US$109 million on the platform — more than its Steam and Xbox sales combined. (Alinea Analytics)

For players who spent their teenage years on these games, the ports are a second chance. For Microsoft and Sony, they are a reminder that a well-timed re-release of a beloved title can rival the earnings of a brand-new one.