XBOX CEO Asha Sharma has made a bold claim about one of gaming’s biggest franchises, suggesting that Call of Duty has grown so large that it now surpasses even the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The statement came during a wide-ranging interview with Entertainment Weekly, which recently featured XBOX on its first gaming-focused cover story in more than two decades. The discussion covered everything from game development and studio investments to the growing success of film and television adaptations based on video game franchises.

And that’s where Sharma delivered one of the interview’s most attention-grabbing comments.

Video Game Adaptations Are Bigger Than Ever

The conversation focused heavily on how gaming franchises are increasingly expanding beyond consoles and PCs into movies and television.

Over the last few years, adaptations such as Fallout, The Last of Us, Sonic the Hedgehog, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie have demonstrated that gaming properties can achieve enormous success outside the industry itself.

Several XBOX leaders participated in the discussion, including Todd Howard, Matt Booty, and Asha Sharma.

Booty spoke enthusiastically about the upcoming Gears of War movie adaptation, while Infinity Ward narrative director Mark Grigsby shared his excitement about Call of Duty’s own journey into film and television.

“I love movies. I love video games. The fact that I’m working on a franchise that is working on a movie now is one of my greatest dreams.”

Todd Howard also confirmed that the hugely successful Fallout television series will continue exploring new stories that move beyond the events depicted in Bethesda’s games.

Meanwhile, XBOX recently announced that Sea of Thieves is also being adapted into a feature film.

“Call Of Duty Is Bigger Than The MCU”

As the conversation shifted toward the future of entertainment crossovers, Sharma pointed to several recent successes connected to XBOX-owned franchises.

She highlighted the success of Fallout on Amazon, the continued popularity of Minecraft, and growing interest from Hollywood studios looking to collaborate with gaming publishers.

Then came the headline-making statement.

“If you think about it, we’ve got the number two show of all time on Amazon (Fallout), Minecraft was top five in 2025, Call of Duty is bigger than the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

It’s an enormous claim—and one that immediately sparked debate among fans.

Is Call Of Duty Actually Bigger Than Marvel?

The answer largely depends on how you define “bigger.”

From a revenue perspective, there is at least some argument to support Sharma’s statement.

Industry estimates have suggested that the Call of Duty franchise has generated more than $30 billion in lifetime revenue since its debut in 2003.

Meanwhile, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has reportedly earned around $31 billion at the global box office since Iron Man launched the franchise in 2008.

Those figures place the two entertainment giants surprisingly close together.

However, comparing a video game franchise spanning more than two decades to a film franchise with dozens of blockbuster movies isn’t exactly straightforward.

Marvel dominates global cinema, merchandise, streaming, and popular culture, while Call of Duty remains one of the most successful gaming franchises ever created.

Depending on the metric used—revenue, audience size, cultural impact, or engagement—different answers emerge.

XBOX Continues Expanding Beyond Gaming

Regardless of whether Call of Duty is truly larger than the MCU, Sharma’s comments highlight a broader trend within Microsoft’s gaming strategy.

XBOX is increasingly positioning its biggest franchises as multimedia brands rather than simply video games.

Between Fallout, Minecraft, Sea of Thieves, Halo, Gears of War, and Call of Duty, Microsoft now controls some of the most recognizable entertainment properties in the world.

As Hollywood continues searching for successful gaming adaptations, it’s likely that many more XBOX franchises will make the jump to film and television in the years ahead.

Whether any of them can rival Marvel’s dominance remains to be seen—but according to Asha Sharma, Call of Duty may already be there.