Call of Duty players called out Activision for announcing a Modern Warfare 2 free access weekend right in the middle of XDefiant’s open beta.
A group of former COD devs and players helped develop XDefiant, inevitably leading to comparisons between the two traditional multiplayer offerings.
Tensions rose as XDefiant made a strong first impression during its initial closed beta, surpassing Call of Duty in Twitch viewership. FaZe Jev went one step further, claiming that XDefiant’s worst map is better than any COD map in years.
Despite glowing reviews, some FPS community members remained skeptical of a new game actually standing a chance against the industry giant. Those same skeptics had a change of heart when Activision announced a free MW2 trial period during XDefiant’s open beta.
MW2 free access trial coincidently aligns with XDefiant open beta
On June 20, Activision announced MW2 multiplayer free access starting on June 22. The trial gives players access to the COD 4 map remake of Showdown and a long list of other maps and game modes.
It just so happens that XDefiant’s open beta runs from June 21 to June 23. Ubisoft Executive Producer Mark Rubin previously addressed comparisons between XDefiant and COD.
“XDefiant is a love letter to the arcade arena shooter! Is it a CoD killer? Pfft…I have no idea. We’re just trying to make a game that people can love for a long time.”
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Community members weren’t as passive with their thoughts on a battle between the two games.
Multiplayer Free Access for MWII this weekend. pic.twitter.com/WYZvJEpw0R
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) June 20, 2023
One player claimed: “Right after the XDefiant beta…coincidence? I think not. You can tell how scared they are.”
A second user responded: “This is clearly a way to get people from playing XDefiant.”
Other players shared their interest in jumping ship and playing XDefiant instead. “Same weekend as the XDefiant beta, which feels more like COD than COD. Nice try.”
If you are curious about XDefiant’s open beta, make sure to check out our guide on how to sign up.