Former CoD world champions face off in XDefiant to showcase esports potential

Can XDefiant capture the attention of CoD esports fans?

XDefiant faction troops run and gun at each other in an open field.
Image via Ubisoft

It’s still hard to believe that XDefiant is finally releasing, but the game is now less than two weeks away and FPS players are chomping at the bit to hop online for some fun matches.

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In the days leading up to the release of XDefiant, Ubisoft has been showcasing the game as a competitive title featuring FPS pros such as Crimsix and ACHES. And today’s new match features two more former teammates from a Call of Duty world championship team.

XDefiant character holding a weapon and aiming at an opponent off screen.
Watch some of the best duke it out. Image via Ubisoft

Team TeePee played against Team Karma in the latest round of games, marking a showdown of teammates from the world championship team in Call of Duty: Ghosts way back in 2014.

The matchup also included well-known CoD names such as current CDL pro Attach and former pros like Parasite, Apathy, SpaceLy, Lacefield, and John, so it’s pretty clear what kind of audience XDefiant is aiming to catch on with.

The matchup features XDefiant modes Escort where teams must escort a robot payload through the map, Occupy, which is similar to CoD’s Hardpoint, Domination with its three flags to hold, and Zone Control, which has points that unlock as the attackers advance.

The XDefiant YouTube channel has an entire playlist of the matches, so we won’t spoil who wins for you. But it’s definitely worth checking out to see what kind of potential the Ubisoft FPS has when it comes competition and esports, and it seems like there may be an audience for it if the game catches on with a big community.

Basically, if you’ve played CoD or other FPS titles like Overwatch or Battlefield, you’ll understand how the game modes work. That works in XDefiant’s favor when it comes to a spectator esport since it’s simple to understand.

XDefiant releases on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on May 21.

Author
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Scott Duwe
Senior Staff Writer & Call of Duty lead. Professional writer for over 10 years. Lover of all things Marvel, Destiny 2, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and more. Previous bylines include PC Gamer, Red Bull Esports, Fanbyte, and Esports Nation. DogDad to corgis Yogi and Mickey, sports fan (NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Rangers, NY Knicks), Paramore fanatic, cardio enthusiast.