Nadeshot reignites aim assist debate: ‘CoD wouldn’t still exist if it wasn’t for console’

The seasons are changing, so that must mean it’s time for the age-old Call of Duty debate about controller aim assist vs. mouse and keyboard.

It seems like the topic is unearthed every few months in the CoD community, and the clock has struck 12 again, this time with the legendary Nadeshot chiming in on the discussion to offer his own opinion on the subject.

Aim assist in CoD is often ragged on by PC players for how strong it is, especially when losing a gunfight to a player when they see the aim assist trigger on the killcam. But for Nadeshot, it’s less about how you feel about aim assist and accepting that console CoD has shaped the series and gaming ecosystem.

“Call of Duty wouldn’t still exist today if it wasn’t for console,” Nadeshot said in a Twitter/X post on April 26. “Most games people love and cherish today wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for consoles. Love or hate what controllers and aim assist have done to gaming, the worlds we play in would be VERY different without them.”

Nadeshot’s post was in reply to a “CoD hot take” post that said “Call of Duty was originally meant for PC, not console.” While correct, because CoD began as a PC-exclusive in 2003, the franchise skyrocketed to new heights when it transitioned to console, especially with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in 2007.

Since then, CoD has definitely catered more to the console experience than PC, although that’s changed in recent years with more dedicated support for the PC players than perhaps a decade ago or so. Still, CoD is hugely popular on console to this day and a big-time revenue stream for Activision.

Now, though, with crossplay a prevalent feature, CoD players on console often come up against PC players on mouse and keyboard, and the rage fills social media timelines everywhere.

But regardless of how you or any other player may feel about aim assist, it’s clear that CoD being a huge game on console won’t be changing any time soon.