XDefiant release date speculation, latest news, and gameplay details

Wondering about the XDefiant release date? If you’ve been looking forward to this 6v6 arena shooter from Ubisoft, you may have tried out its fast-paced gameplay during its public test session. With characters that draw from the studio’s rich back catalog, its objective-based gameplay wasn’t perfect but it looked promising for both casual and competitive FPS fans. Read on for everything we know so far about the game and its features.

For more XDefiant news, check out the latest news of its delay and its focus on current-gen consoles. Bringing in characters from beloved IPs like Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and Splinter Cell gives the game a fresh identity in a crowded F2P market.

XDefiant release date window

Based on Ubisoft’s earning report, XDefiant is scheduled to release in Q4 of the current financial year, meaning that it should be released before March 31, 2024. Players spotted Ubisoft Rewards featuring XDefiant gear in February 2024, lending even more credibility to this rumor. Its first Season appears to be themed around Rainbow Six Siege based on other leaks.

On September 11, 2023, Ubisoft had noted that the game had failed a QA test for major platforms. It had to be delayed after the Public Test Session where “inconsistencies in the game experience” had to be addressed “prior to launching our Preseason.” This was announced by Ubisoft in a statement on October 9, 2023. The first submission to console makers Sony and Microsoft failed, pushing the release date further. 

After this information from September 11, 2023, we got an update a month later from the XDefiant developers that the game was delayed once more. Since then, XDefiant executive producer Mark Rubin has been the sole point of contact with his latest post on X (formerly Twitter) on January 27, 2024, noting that “things are going well.” Earlier posts mention a “new Party System” that has been through “rigorous testing and bug fixing.” On November 1, 2023, he noted that the delay was caused by frame spikes due to anti-cheat software.

XDefiant seasonal roadmap

XDefiant is expected to start with a preseason before jumping to Season 1. Expect four factions, 14 maps, five game modes, and 24 weapons to pick from. An additional faction can be unlocked in-game. These can further be augmented with 44 attachments. Players can expect new seasons to arrive once every three months along the usual battle pass setup with cosmetics and events.

XDefiant Season 1 release date estimate

Expect the first season of XDefiant to arrive six weeks after its preseason. Based on its roadmap, we can expect new seasons to feature new weapons, maps, battle passes, and modes. This is on top of the preseason content that will arrive at launch. And with the rumors pointing to the first season being Rainbow Six-themed, expect the other seasons to draw from Ubisoft’s library of franchises too.

Will XDefiant have a Prestige system

While this hasn’t been confirmed, Mark Rubin shared a poll on X (formerly Twitter) on whether players preferred the classic 10 or new level format. 71.5% of its voters picked the classic 10 format while 28.5% preferred adding new levels every season. And while XDefiant will use a “Welcome Playlist” with SBMM for players under level 25, this approach will not be present in casual matches according to Mark Rubin. 

When did the XDefiant open beta happen

The first XDefiant open beta was announced during Ubisoft Forward for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. It happened in June 2023 and several other tests took place later. A Public Test Session happened between September 28 and September 29, 2023. We got to try out the game and had a positive experience with its modes and factions.

XDefiant gameplay

While it pits teams of 6 against each other, XDefient can be played in casual modes too. There’s a ranked option for players looking to sweat it out against the very best. Thanks to factions that draw from Far Cry, The Division, and Splinter Cell, expect fans to flock towards the free-to-play title. Their unique abilities mean that the meta will take a while to determine, especially when the developers will add balance changes to the game with time.

An attachment system lets you refine your weapons further. And this will come in handy as you take down enemies across multiple modes and maps. These maps are clearly inspired by Ubisoft franchises as well. During our short hands-on with the game, the game ran surprisingly well. This is good news for players who may have an older system but want to get in on the action. Gunplay felt tight and while balance changes will even out overpowered weapons, the game certainly looks promising.

All XDefiant maps

Here are all the confirmed maps in XDefiant so far and what game modes are playable on them:

• Arena – Domination, Occupy
• Attica Heights – Domination, Occupy
• DUMBO – Domination, Occupy
• Echelon HQ – Domination, Occupy
• Emporium – Domination, Occupy
• Liberty – Domination, Occupy
• Mayday – Domination, Occupy
• Nudleplex – Domination, Occupy
• Pueblito – Domination, Occupy
• Showtime – Domination, Occupy
• Meltdown – Escort, Zone
• Midway – Escort, Zone
• Times Square – Escort, Zone
• Zoo – Escort, Zone

XDefiant game modes explained

Here are all the game modes that you can expect to play in XDefiant:

• Escort – Players are tasked with escorting a robot to the delivery zone within a time limit while an opposing team will be tasked with preventing this. A team needs to win all three rounds to deliver the package. But run down the clock once and the defenders win.
• Zone Control – Capture zones over three rounds as attackers or defend them until the clock runs out as the defending team.
• Domination – Two teams fight over three zones. Control more zones at the same time to earn more points per tick. The first team to earn 750 points wins.
• Occupy – Capture a zone and retain it to earn points. This zone shifts with time and the first team to 250 points wins.
• Hot Shot – Like Call of Duty’s Kill Confirmed, players drop tokens on death. And if a player picks up many tokens, their movement and damage are enhanced until death. Earn the most points as a team to win.

All XDefiant factions

Here’s a list of all the five factions in XDefiant at launch:

• Libertad – This Far Cry faction focuses on healing skills. Their skills are:
  • El Remedio (launch healing gas canisters)
  • BioVida Boost (healing wave that boosts total health and grants health regen)
  • Espiritu de Libertad (passive health regen)
  • Medico Supremo (healing backpack).
• Phantoms – These ex-Ghost Recon members have defensive skills and lethal weapons. Here are their skills:
  • Mag Barrier (blocks enemy fire and grenades)
  • Blitz Shield (riot shield)
  • Hardened (passive health boost)
  • Aegis (gain spherical plasma shield and electro-scattergun combo)
• Echelon – These Splinter Cell spies focus on stealth and misdirection. Here are their skills:
  • Digital Ghillie Suit (turn invisible)
  • Intel Suit (share nearby enemy locations)
  • Low Profile (passive that hides you from enemy minimaps)
  • Sonar Goggles (reveal enemies and get Third Echelon 5.7 pistol)
• Cleaners – These sanitation experts from The Division focus on fire-based attacks. Check out their abilities:
  • Firebomb (Molotov cocktail)
  • Incinerator Drone (drone that spreads napalm in a line)
  • Incendiary Rounds (passive that gives bullets fire damage at the cost of range)
  • Purifier (flamethrower)
• DedSec – This Watch Dogs faction focuses on hacking and deploying drones in combat. Here are their abilities:
  • Hijack (hack enemy deployments)
  • SpiderBot (hugs nearest enemy’s face to stun them)
  • Fabricator (passive that prints new gadgets)
  • Lockout (disable enemy HUD, minimap, and abilities)

That covers everything we know about XDefiant’s release date and upcoming content. Stay tuned for more information as we near the game’s launch.

XDefiant release date speculation FAQs

What is the cost of XDefiant?

XDefiant is a free-to-play title.

Will XDefiant have a battle pass?

Yes, the game does have a battle pass system to earn rewards.