Summary

  • Ubisoft may be considering ending support for XDefiant after Season 4, according to a leaker.
  • A new rumor suggests that Ubisoft is holding internal playtests to get new feedback on XDefiant.
  • Previous rumors suggested that the game's player count is declining rapidly, but XDefiant's executive producer says that's not the case.

A new rumor suggests that Ubisoft is considering ending support for XDefiant after the game's fourth season, with in-house test sessions supposedly being held by the studio's research team to get new feedback on the shooter. XDefiant is currently in its second season, which launched on September 25 with a new faction, weapons, maps, modes, and much more.

Prior to its launch, XDefiant was crowned by first-person shooter fans as a potential "COD killer." While the game's executive producer, Mark Rubin, is a Call of Duty veteran who has worked on some of the series' most iconic titles, he has previously stated that he has "no idea" if XDefiant is a Call of Duty killer and that the studio is simply creating a love letter to the arcade arena shooter that "people can love for a long time." Unfortunately, rumors suggest XDefiant's player count is falling rapidly, with insiders now stating that the end could be near.

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Call of Duty Players Accuse XDefiant of Copying Modern Warfare 2 Map

Call of Duty players are taking shots at a new XDefiant map, claiming it is copying a controversial multiplayer map from Modern Warfare 2.

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Although Rubin has since come out and denied reports that XDefiant is dying, leaker and insider Shaun Weber has taken to Twitter on October 14 to share some damning news about the shooter. The leaker's post claims that Ubisoft's research team is actively asking their playtesters to host an in-house test session to receive new feedback for XDefiant. Weber then said that multiple sources have confirmed to them that it's possible support for XDefiant will come to an end after Season 4 if the game's player count doesn't start to improve.

Rumor Suggests XDefiant Is in Danger

As Ubisoft and leakers continue to go back and forth on whether or not the end really is near for XDefiant, there's no way to know for sure what the future holds past Season 4. The good news is that Ubisoft has already released its full year-one roadmap for XDefiant, confirming that the shooter will continue to receive new content, including more new factions, weapons, maps, battle passes, limited-time modes, and much more. The game's second major content update introduced a new faction known as the Highwaymen, each of which features a ruthless arsenal of makeshift weaponry and is themed around Far Cry New Dawn.

While Ubisoft has promised XDefiant's first year will be filled with new content and four seasons in total, the studio is also continuing to address XDefiant's frustrating hit registration and netcode issues. As part of the Season 2 blog post, Ubisoft said that ongoing improvements have made hit registration better, but that the studio "still have a ways to go" and has even employed new specialist engineers to help work on the issue. It's unclear why XDefiant's player count is supposedly falling, but continued improvements to the game's controversial hit registration could aid in bringing players back to the shooter.

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XDefiant Tag Page Cover Art

XDefiant
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FPS
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Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 70 /100 Critics Rec: 51%
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Released
May 21, 2024
ESRB
T For Teen due to Mild Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Ubisoft San Francisco
Publisher(s)
Ubisoft
Engine
Snowdrop
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
PC, PS5 & Xbox Series X|S
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XDefiant is a free-to-play, first-person online arena shooter where you compete in fast-paced clashes. With cross-play available at launch, you will be able to play with friends on a variety of platforms.

Season 1 introduces the Team Rainbow operators of GS-Kommando leveraging their counter-terrorism training to disrupt their enemies. They can deploy electrified barbed wire for area denial, counter incoming enemy devices with their Active Defense System, and dazzle multiple foes with flash charges mounted on their G52-Tactical Shield.

While GS-Kommando operators pride themselves on using non-lethal force whenever possible, they are as capable on the battlefield as any spec ops group.

Customized Loadouts: Choose from a large arsenal of weapons, attachments, and devices to optimize the way you play. Combine any weapon with any faction, and unlock new options as you play to perfect your playstyle.

Factions: Factions are drawn from iconic Ubisoft worlds and represent distinct classes, each with unique abilities and ultras. Choose any character from any faction to assemble your team of six players. Change your faction at any point during play to adapt to your strategy.

Maps, Modes, and Mayhem: Play in a diverse range of 14 maps at launch across several different arena and linear modes including Zone Control, Escort, Occupy, and more. Fight in casual matches or climb the tiers in competitive ranked mode.

Genre(s)
FPS
PS Plus Availability
N/A
OpenCritic Rating
Fair