CoD players impressed by “promising competitor” XDefiant: “Why can’t CoD do this?”

Shay Robson
Characters from Call of Duty and XDefiant

The Call of Duty community has a debate brewing, sparked after a promising CoD competitor, XDefiant, has impressed some players.

For quite some time, Call of Duty and Warzone have been shadowed by a cloud of disappointment. Players have long taken issue with some of the latest updates, particularly over pressing issues that they argue make the game unenjoyable.

However, a new game is on the horizon. Despite it being in its early stages, Ubisoft’s upcoming XDefiant has already impressed the CoD community, with some labeling it as a “promising competitor.”

CoD community impressed with Ubisoft’s XDefiant

XDefiant is Ubisoft’s free-to-play arena shooter, bringing together the Tom Clancy universe. The game was first announced in 2021 and is now finally entering its closed beta testing.

Several content creators have already gotten access to the beta, and they’re certainly impressed by what they’ve seen thus far.

KARNAGE Clan’s CEO Landon claims that XDefiant is already a promising competitor to Call of Duty. Listing the slew of features the game delivers — many of which CoD fans have wanted for years — has got the community excited.

“It seems like they’re going to have strong communication with consistent changes based on community feedback,” said Landon.

“We genuinely need a Call of Duty competitor, especially with the state COD is in right now. It’s good to have competition and I’m excited about what XDefiant has to offer.”

Players have already discovered how to slide cancel using the game’s movement mechanics, which has got fans reminiscing about the controversial feature that was once prevalent in older Call of Duty titles.

According to CoD YouTuber Rara, XDefiant delivers where CoD doesn’t. “Bro what the f**k. Why can’t CoD do this?! xDefiant lays it all out. I’m streaming this all week. Skrew cod,” he said.

On the other hand, some aren’t hopeful for the new FPS’ future past its initial hype. “Kinda seems like another Splitgate scenario like last year to me. Not denying it’s what the community wanted but without Call of Duty in the title it seems it’s just gonna be another rinse and repeat,” one player wrote.

It’s not the first time Ubisoft has tried making its mark in the competitive FPS genre. However, it may be time for a new title to finally dethrone Call of Duty.

The full game is likely to be released at some point in 2023, but if you’re struggling to wait till then, players can try their luck and sign up for a chance to play through the closed beta.

About The Author

Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, Shay Robson is a Journalist for Dexerto. Typically, you'll see Shay tackling the entertainment news, writing about your favorite Twitch streamers and influencers. But, as a passionate esports fan, you'll also catch him covering League of Legends and Valorant when he gets the chance. Contact: shay.robson@dexerto.com