NetEase Games' newly revealed first-person shooter, ECC: Redline, is drawing significant attention and sparking accusations of being a "rip-off" of Activision's Call of Duty: Warzone. Despite the controversy, some Call of Duty players express a willingness to try the game, seeing it as a potential alternative to fill a perceived void.
NetEase describes ECC: Redline as a "self-developed extreme-sports tactical shooter." Since its reveal, comparisons to Warzone have been rampant, with players pointing out numerous similarities. Observers note that the guns' appearance, recoil, and handling feel familiar. Beyond the core gunplay, elements such as the user interface and sound effects are also being scrutinized for their resemblance to Call of Duty's established aesthetic. Even the visual effect of the first-person camera blurring when dropping from heights has been cited as a familiar characteristic to fans of Warzone and similar titles.
Online commentary reflects this sentiment. "Warzone + Delta Force + Blood Strike = ECC: Redline," one YouTube comment stated. On Reddit, users have called it a "1-to-1 rip" of Warzone, with one remarking, "Literally the first thing that popped into my head was wow they have no shame, straight copied COD even down to the UI and emblems etc."
These accusations come as the Call of Duty franchise itself has faced evolving player sentiment since Warzone's 2019 launch. The battle royale's popularity has fluctuated, with many fans reminiscing about its early days, particularly its original map, Verdansk. Activision's efforts to recapture that magic, including the return of Verdansk, have not entirely appeased these nostalgic players.
Some Call of Duty fans, however, are intrigued by ECC: Redline. They suggest that if NetEase's shooter offers polished gameplay, good servers, and community responsiveness, it could compel Activision to innovate. "If ECC: Redline actually has good servers, movement, AND listens to its community… COD might finally have to start trying again," one user posted on X. Another commented, "Close enough, welcome back OG Warzone," adding that the NetEase game "looks better tbh."
This is not the first time NetEase has faced scrutiny for games drawing comparisons to established titles. Marvel Rivals, a hero shooter, also drew comparisons to Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch upon its 2024 launch. More notably, NetEase faced a lawsuit from Riot Games over its tactical shooter Hyper Front, which was alleged to be a Valorant clone.
ECC: Redline is slated to be free-to-play and currently has no release date. Meanwhile, Call of Duty is preparing for further updates with the upcoming launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 later this month.