Felister Moraa 
ApeX Clan has been part of the French Call of Duty scene for over a decade, building a close-knit community known for its selective recruitment, loyal members, and competitive spirit. While clans have gradually disappeared from other major Call of Duty communities, ApeX Clan has continued to thrive by operating as more than a gaming team. It remains a family shaped by shared history, national pride, and a genuine love for the franchise.
In this interview, Julien, the leader of ApeX Clan, discusses what sets French Call of Duty players apart, how Warzone changed the multiplayer community, and why franchise fatigue has caused players to lose interest. We also talk about fair play and the systems built to protect it, Black Ops 7, the growing anticipation surrounding Modern Warfare 4, and what Activision must do to win players back. Finally, Julien reflects on the clan’s future and why staying independent may be the secret behind its longevity.
Julien leads ApeX Clan, the French Call of Duty clan and content team he joined at its start in 2015 and has run since taking over from its founder. The clan publishes on YouTube and TikTok.
More Than a Clan
Q: Before we start, could you introduce yourself and explain how your role within ApeX Clan has changed over the years?
Julien: As a player, I joined ApeX Clan right at its beginning in 2015. Then in 2019 I started to help the leader run things, and at one point he decided to let go and gave me the reins. Since then I’ve been leading all operations mostly alone, with some external creatives who help me from time to time.
Q: Which game cost ApeX Clan the most players, and what changed within the clan after its release?
Julien: Warzone, by far. It changed everything for us. Many players and viewers left multiplayer for Warzone and never came back.
Q: Why have clans remained important in France while communities in the US and UK shifted towards individual streamers?
Julien: We survived because we aren’t just a clan - we’re a family. We began running the clan in 2014, more than 12 years ago, and almost every member comes from that era. We don’t recruit just anyone, and it shows.
Q: You said you “don’t just recruit anyone.” What does someone have to demonstrate before you consider them ApeX Clan material? Have you rejected players before because they did not fit the clan?
Julien: We rejected many players before joining, and even after, it has always been a challenge to get in but also to stay in. Being an ApeX Clan player is not just about getting recruited - many players got in and were forgotten right away. When a player really makes history as an ApeX Clan player, then they will always be remembered as someone from ApeX Clan, even years later. The hardest part is being remembered, not getting inside the team.
“The hardest part is being remembered, not getting inside the team”
The French Call of Duty Identity
Q: What separates French Call of Duty players from the rest of Europe, and what do outsiders misunderstand about the community?
Julien: What separates us, I think, is how much French players back each other up, even on stuff they know nothing about. Being French is enough. People outside France often read that as arrogance, like we think we're better, but it's not that. We're just really unified, and we want to win as a country, not just as individual players.
Q: Black Ops 1 and 2 landed natively on PS5 on July 9, and on your own channel, videos about a 2012 game have been outperforming your Black Ops 7 coverage. What are your viewers telling you when they click on a thirteen-year-old Call of Duty instead of the current one?
Julien: Everybody loves these games. We recognized the interest early when the rumors started because every piece of content about them performed very well. It has been a blessing for us. Our viewers are playing them as if they were new releases. They ask for settings, the best class setups, and anything else that could improve their gameplay. We help them, as always.
Q: Did any ApeX Clan players leave Call of Duty for Battlefield 6?
Julien: Nobody left for Battlefield, and Battlefield 6 didn’t perform particularly well over the long term. Our players simply played less Call of Duty that year.
Q: When top-tier Call of Duty returned to France, did the crowd prove the French scene was finally being taken seriously despite Gentle Mates’ home exit?
Julien: The French crowd and Gentle Mates’ team are two different subjects. The enthusiasm of the French crowd is genuinely unmatched, and I think most players around the world would agree. Gentle Mates didn’t win in France, but they still played very well. It is only a matter of time before they win something at home.
Q: How do you hope MW4’s Paris map will compare with Resistance from MW3?
Julien: Resistance from MW3 in 2011 was one of the best maps in that game. It is the only Call of Duty map based in France that I can remember. Let’s hope MW4’s French map is just as good.
Crossplay and Competitive Integrity
Q: What prompted ApeX Clan to begin examining suspicious gameplay publicly?
Julien: To be fair, we don’t do that many gameplay investigations. We only did it when we really wanted the community to be aware of certain things. Everything changed when crossplay was enabled in 2019. Now everyone can be a suspect, when this wasn’t the case before.
Q: When reviewing suspicious gameplay, what convinces you a run isn’t legitimate, and what do viewers often mistake for proof?
Julien: Most people are looking at the wrong things. For example, many people think that streamers are playing unfairly by looking at another screen when, in reality, streamers are just looking at their chat. The basic analysis involves trying to explain every in-game decision logically. When too many things cannot be explained, there’s probably an issue. But there’s a whole world between suspecting someone and demonstrating it, and sometimes viewers will jump to conclusions way too early.
“There’s a whole world between suspecting someone and demonstrating it”
What Modern Warfare 4 Needs to Get Right
Q: MW4 removes hip-fire bloom, meaning shots land exactly where players aim. For a clan built around playing on the highest level, does that raise the skill ceiling or flatten it?
Julien: It’s difficult to judge before playing. My first thought was that it could flatten the skill gap, but extreme hip-fire bloom wasn’t increasing the skill gap either. Let’s play the game and see.
Q: You’ve said you'd rather wait and play before judging the hip-fire change. Does MW4’s map-focused movement make a better competitive game than Black Ops 7’s raw speed? And which style suits ApeX Clan?
Julien: I believe that raw speed and being movement-free is always the best for competition, but that’s only my opinion. For our clan, as long as it’s not dead slow, then it’s alright. Having very different movements every year is what we’re looking for as a content creation team.
Q: Black Ops 7 finished 2025 as the fifth best-selling game in the US, Call of Duty's worst year-end ranking since 2008, while Battlefield 6 finished first. A decade into running ApeX Clan: What does Modern Warfare 4 need to get right by October 23 to win back the French Call of Duty community?
Julien: Doing back-to-back Call of Duty games like they did with MW2 and MW3 and then BO6 and BO7 was a catastrophic idea. MW3 and BO7 are really great Call of Duty games, but the franchise fatigue is real. They were just released at the worst possible time. They don't need the best game to sell well. They just need something new that differs from the previous game; otherwise, nobody will be interested.
“The franchise fatigue is real; they were just released at the worst possible time”
Q: You’ve argued that franchise fatigue and not necessarily poor quality is what hurt MW3 and Black Ops 7. Would releasing a new Call of Duty every two years better serve the community?
Julien: Every two years can be awesome, but the game and its content need to be on point, and I don’t really trust them for that…
Q: In your video Les 5 gros problèmes de MW4, which concern is the most serious?
Julien: I think that SBMM is the main topic; it could really ruin the game for everyone.
The Future of ApeX Clan
Q: What does the next version of ApeX Clan look like?
Julien: Without investors, I don’t think that ApeX Clan will really step up, and maybe it’s for the best. I like the way we are doing things, and I think that people are watching us because we operate this way.
