XDefiant made a dazzling first impression on FPS community members, but players are still unsure whether it will have what it takes to compete with the next COD title.
Players often tout upcoming FPS games as the next “COD killer,” but taking down the industry giant has proven to be a tall task. Turbulent launch windows and controversial content strategies held Battlefield 2042 and Halo Infinite back, while smaller projects such as Splitgate failed to take off.
XDefiant is the latest competitor to enter the ring. Ubisoft recruited former COD devs and players to create a fast-paced FPS multiplayer experience. The devs hosted a close beta, and community members labeled it as a “promising competitor.”
Now with open beta and full release coming soon, players wonder if this could finally be a worthy challenger to the seemingly invincible titan.
Can XDefiant take on Call of Duty?
On June 12, at Ubisoft Forward, Executive Producer Mark Rubin announced an XDefiant open beta release window and unveiled a roadmap for the game’s first year. The FPS title is set to launch with 14 maps, 24 weapons, five factions, and multiple familiar game modes.
And then, over a one-year window, Ubisoft plans on adding 12 new maps and weapons to the game. Over one million players participated in the game’s closed beta, and it surpassed Call of Duty in Twitch viewership,
XDefiant’s early success led to Jake Lucky asking FPS fans if it has what it takes to take on COD.
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XDefiant had 1+ million players in their closed beta, and will return for open beta this month, the game is officially expected as soon as this summer…
Can it take on Call of Duty? pic.twitter.com/x5yKNZQVYJ
— Jake Lucky (@JakeSucky) June 12, 2023
Rumors point to a November release date for Modern Warfare 3. Some community members believe a late summer release could be perfect for XDefiant if the leak holds true.
One player responded: “If XDefiant released in the next few months pre-MWIII it could seriously take over.”
A second user added: “With the current state of COD, I personally think Xdefiant has an opportunity to get on top of the competitive field here.”
Not everyone agreed with that sentiment. A third player claimed: “COD is never going to be dethroned… they are just too big to fail… right?”
As for what Rubin thinks, he suggested: “This game will not “kill” Call of Duty. Only Call of Duty can kill Call of Duty. This will be a game for those who want someone else to play that is similar to Call of Duty.”
Players can give XDefiant a try for themselves when the open beta begins on June 21.