5 Video Games That Tried To Copy Call Of Duty

"Call of Duty" has remained on top of the video game industry for nearly two decades. Year after year, there's a new game in the franchise that crushes sale records, garners millions of players returning and new, and leaves little room for any other game in the first-person shooter genre. However, this certainly doesn't mean that other games haven't attempted to horn in and copy what makes "Call of Duty" so popular within the community. While there have certainly been dozens of clones over the years, some took it a step farther and look a little too similar to "Call of Duty" games.  

Naturally, a majority of the "Call of Duty" clones that have popped up are designed by indie developers looking to make something that would resonate with a smaller player base. There have been some cases where AAA developers have tried to take some of the franchise's thunder for their own, though. Today, we'll be taking a look at both sides of the coin and listing five games that did their best to copy "Call of Duty."

The "Battlefield" franchise is the one most frequently compared with "Call of Duty," as they both feature an arcade-style of gameplay and have similar settings. During the early life of "Battlefield," though, the two franchises felt vastly different. The first "Battlefield" games featured large-scale, all-out wars that offered destruction and a more gritty take on the FPS genre. However, when "Battlefield: Bad Company 2" was released, things began to change. 

"Bad Company 2" was a major shifting point for the franchise, as it introduced smaller maps and more fast-paced gameplay, which made it feel more like games like "Black Ops" and "Modern Warfare 2." The game released to critical acclaim in 2010, which is right around the time when several of the best "Call of Duty" games of all-time were made. Of course, the success of "Bad Company 2" came nowhere close to dethroning "Call of Duty" in the FPS genre, even with it feeling more like its competitor than previous entries. Future "Battlefield" games, like "BF3," "BFV," and "BF6," also attempted to implement features similar to "COD," with varying degrees of success.

Perhaps the most infamous "Call of Duty" clone of all-time is Ubisoft's now-defunct "XDefiant." Also an arcade-style FPS set during the modern era, "XDefiant" was designed by former "Call of Duty" developers and aimed to steal some of the player base that had grown tired of Activision's yearly releases. "XDefiant" spent several years in development, went through numerous beta tests, and eventually fully released as a free-to-play title in May 2024. The game looked and felt a lot like older "Call of Duty" games, like "Black Ops 2," and featured a wide number of weapons, modes, and maps in its multiplayer. 

While an initial surge of popularity helped to stabilize the game, there was a growing number of problems that forced some fans to stop playing. The faulty netcode for "XDefiant" was the biggest culprit among a variety of issues, but inconsistent updates as well as lacking broader cosmetics options ultimately led to Ubisoft shutting off the servers for the game. Even being free, "XDefiant" struggled to maintain a decent player base, as it seemingly turned into a game that players stopped playing after they were done waiting for a new Call of Duty to come out. 

Many of the more well-known "Call of Duty" clones attempted to copy the franchise using a modern or futuristic setting, as those tend to be more popular among the fan base. However, "Battalion 1944" decided to go in a completely opposite direction. Released in 2019, "Battalion 1944" was a World War II FPS that attempted to recapture some of the charm and appeal of the early "Call of Duty" games, which were all set during this time period. 

The gameplay in "Battalion 1944" was received fairly well, as it featured fast-paced matches, modern game modes, and some especially satisfying sniper rifles. Unfortunately for fans of the game, the developers struggled to deliver consistent updates. In the end, it failed to compete with the resurgence of "Call of Duty" during the peak of its "Warzone" in 2020. "Battalion 1944" can still be played on PC, where it's now being called "Battalion: Legacy," but it's a shell of its former self.

"Homefront" is one of those clones that became popular initially, but fell off the map once players realized they can get a better experience from any newer "Call of Duty" title. However, "Homefront" can still be played on PC in 2026 after its initial release way back in 2011, and the developers have continued to push out content updates for it. While you'll be hard-pressed to find ongoing multiplayer matches, the single-player campaign in "Homefront" is still worth checking out. 

Of course, the game is going to feel extremely similar to any 2010-era "Call of Duty" title. The setting is 2027 and you're fighting against a military force that has overtaken the United States. The gameplay is certainly nothing groundbreaking, even by 2011 standards, but some of the vehicle combat throughout the campaign provides puddles of excitement. As for the "Homefront" multiplayer experience, it's generic FPS gameplay that is severely outclassed by even the worst "Call of Duty" titles of all-time. 

"Combat Master" might just be the best "Call of Duty" clone on the market in 2026. If you were looking for any ounce of nuance, though, you're better off finding something else to play, as "Combat Master" is nearly a 1:1 copy of modern "COD." Of course, the FPS features unique multiplayer maps, weapons, and movement, but the core of the game is deeply familiar to any "Call of Duty" player.

Just to name a few of the similarities, there's a Battle Pass, loadouts menu with attachments, and all of the modern FPS game modes you've memorized. However, "Combat Master" also has a hint of influence from "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive," as there are butterfly knives and other melee weapons you can obtain. Even with all of these familiar sights, though, "Combat Master" is built to run on any kind of PC hardware, is still being updated in 2026, and features some of the fastest gameplay you'll find in the genre. Copying someone's homework isn't nice, but hey, sometimes it turns out okay.