Summary
With a large majority ofCall of Dutyand FPS fans awaiting a brand-new title to adhere to their wishes and requests, Ubisoft’sXDefiantappears to be the go-to title. While it is important to mention that producers at Ubisoft San Francisco do not intend to be a “COD killer” as many fans may have suggested, it is clear to see that the potential for competition is certainly present.
Despite itsrecent indefinite delayleading to frustration among fans who have been awaiting its release, a plethora of closed beta tests and playtest sessions have allowed fans to see just how different it operates in comparison to the popular Activision franchise.
5No SBMM
If there is anything that fans ofCall of Dutyhave been incredibly frustrated over recent years, is the inclusion of skill-based matchmaking present in the standard multiplayer experience. Given the presence of Ranked Play, it is felt thatSBMM spoils the entire casual playing experience for players, which can often feel like punishment for good performance in each game. While there are benefits to the feature, its nature for the most part inCall of Dutyhas led many players away to look for an alternative.
WithXDefiantnow in the mix coming without SBMM integrated, there is no doubt that fans of the ongoing Activision franchise will be looking to try Ubisoft’s title at launch, as it promises to give players the casual experience they may be searching for.
4Operator Abilities
While fans are accustomed to the killstreaks inCall of Duty, developers at Ubisoft San Francisco have implemented greater importance on operators here giving each faction their own set of abilities. From instant healing, one-shot weapons, and flamethrowers,XDefiantappears to have a lot to offer within this region.
Despite this being much less grounded when it comes to the likes of theModern Warfareseries in terms of what the abilities can do, it is something more unique and ambitious compared to the killstreaks that fans ofCall of Dutyhave used over the years within each installment. Whether this will change with additions along the line of the game’s life cycle is yet to be seen, but this seems to be a great place for developers to start.
3No Tactical Sprint
While Treyarch’sCall of Duty Black Ops Cold Warand many of the developers' previous titles did not come with thetactical sprint feature,Call of Duty’s three recent entries inVanguard,Modern Warfare 2(2022), and the upcomingModern Warfare 3(2023) all contain this gameplay feature.
Some players are against the presence of tactical sprint as some argue that it decreases chances of aiming down sights much quicker when bumping into enemies by surprise, and while it is not a feature that must be used, fans will be happy to seeXDefiantcome without this included. Based on complaints of tactical sprint, its omission in Ubisoft’s IP will allow for quick and efficient movement between sprinting and aiming down sights to be ready to eliminate foes.
2Free Operators From Other Franchises
Despite the high possibility of microtransactions standing as a pivotal factor ofXDefiant, the base operators already present are inspired by Ubisoft’s other franchises. These includeFar Cry,Watchdogs,Splinter Cell, and more, and with Activision’s franchise, many of these operators and skins will be sold as microtransactions as opposed to them coming with the base experience.
With season passes set to release forXDefiant, these are likely to come with new operators or new skins for present ones within each. If Ubisoft can make integrations of skins from other developers such asCapcom’sResident Evil,which was present inThe Division 2in a crossover event, and they were a part of the season passes, this would stand as a huge appeal factor for fans.
1Free To Play
While the arguably most popular game currently for theCall of Dutyfranchise inWarzoneis a free-to-play title, this comes without the standard team deathmatch, domination, hardpoint, and capture modes that most multiplayer games often ship with. For players who are not fans of battle royale modes and alarge open-world map for PvP, this is a title they would avoid in favor of the standardCall of Dutyentries.
WithXDefiant, the experience will be free-to-play across the board, allowing players to take part in every mode and map available. Although this almost guarantees the presence of microtransactions outside of battle passes coming every new season given its free-to-play nature, it still stands as a huge appeal and a pivotal pulling factor for players who are looking for an alternative to theCall of Dutyfranchise. As there is still no release date despite a promised end-of-September toward October release, which has now transitioned to an indefinite delay as aforementioned, fans will be hoping the brand-new FPS title can arrive quicker than expected, and give Sledgehammer the needed competition with their upcomingModern Warfare 3(2023) title.
