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xQc explains why he’ll never play games professionally again after competing in Overwatch League During a Fortnite session with randoms, former Overwatch pro xQc explained why he won’t play professionally in any video game ever again. Before xQc was the streaming titan he is today, the Canadian gamer made a name for himself in the professional Overwatch circle. Playing pro Overwatch from 2016 until 2019, xQc was as polarizing then as he is today on Twitch. Leaving professional gaming behind, xQc took to Twitch to become a variety streamer. Pioneering platform trends such as the “Master Chef Meta” and dominating the charts in views, he has become one of the largest creators on Twitch by far. Although his fans enjoy whatever he decides to do when he streams, many wonder if he will ever go pro again. While playing Fortnite on March 22, that question was answered. xQc will never go pro again While playing Fortnite, one of xQc’s teammates asked, “If you could go pro in any game right now, what game would you go pro in?” Without hesitation, xQc replied, “None. Why would I go pro in any game?” He then delved into all the negative aspects of playing games professionally. “To do what? To scrim all day playing the game that I love making it a job again? Sit there and sweat my balls off doing VOD review for three hours, argue with my dumb teammates for another two hours, and then go to bed depressed.” He went on to ask the player if they planned to go pro, and advised they stay in school and have a solid plan B before attempting a career in esports. xQc then turned to his chat and stated, “No, I didn’t need a plan B. ‘Cause I’m a world class entertainer, juicer, insane gameplay leader, crusher at gaming, Twitch superstar worldwide crazy.” For more xQc, check out when his long-awaited Twitch subathon is taking place.

xQc explains why aim assist in some esports is “anti-competitive” Former Overwatch pro and popular Twitch streamer Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel explained why he thinks esports that allow aim assist aren’t competitive. Aim assist is intended to make it easier to aim for players using a controller on PC or console, but more and more esports figures are saying it gives controller users an unfair advantage. xQc commented on aim assist in the Halo: Master Chief Collection earlier in December, saying that players who used controllers definitely had an advantage in matches thanks to the feature. Now the former esports pro has accused games that combine controller and keyboard player-bases ruin any possibility of actual competitive play. “Doesn’t matter what game, having players that have a literal robot (aim-assist) in the same lobby as players who don’t is flat out anti-competitive,” Felix said on Twitter. “I will never understand “esports” that allow both simultaneously. Having a robot react for you puts you ~170ms+ ahead at all times.” Doesn’t matter what game, having players that have a literal robot (aim-assist) in the same lobby as players who don’t is flat out anti competitive. I will never understand “”esports”” that allow both simultaneously. Having a robot react for you puts you ~170ms+ ahead at all times — xQc (@xQc) December 23, 2019 After another Twitter user said out PC players often have more powerful hardware than those on console, so complaining about aim assist was an “interesting take”, xQc clarified his position. “You don’t understand,” Felix explained. “You cannot quantify exactly how much better the hardware is on average and try to compensate with a set amount of automated inputs that works for both casual and top tier players.” Finishing with a great xQc-ism, the star streamer said aim assist is “like going in a car race with an ATV but putting spaceship rockets on it.” You don’t understand. You cannot quantify exactly how much better the hardware is on average and try to compensate with a set amount of automated inputs that works for both casual and top tier players. It’s like going in a car race with a atv but putting spaceship rockets on it — xQc (@xQc) December 23, 2019 xQc isn’t the only one to speak out about aim assist either, Fortnite World Cup champ Bugha was stunned after witnessing what the controller aim assist was capable of the in the popular battle royale game. Complaints about aim assist in Fortnite are nothing new either, earlier in 2019 Fortnite star Tuner ‘tfue’ Tenney said he “had less respect” for players who used controllers on PC after trying it for himself. Publishers, including Epic Games, haven’t given indication at the time of writing that they’re going to change the system. So, for now, the controller vs. mouse and keyboard debate continues to rage on.

xQc completely loses it after hilarious glitch sabotages WWE 2K22 opponent Twitch: xQcOW / 2K SportsTwitch streamer Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel completely lost it while playing WWE 2K22 after a hilarious glitch sabotaged his opponent’s leg. As one of Twitch’s most-watched streamers, xQc knows no bounds. From sitting on his chair reacting to funny videos and clips to hours of gameplay in Elden Ring that he himself deemed “worth it,” the French Canadian streamer knows how to create entertainment. This can be credited in large part to his willingness of exploring a variety of titles on his streams that create tons of memorable moments. A trend that continued when the streamer had a hilarious glitch sabotage his WWE 2K22 opponent. xQc loses it after glitch sabotages his WWE 2K22 opponent Known for its uncanny glitches and bugs, the WWE series is one that many video game fans and wrestling aficionados alike can enjoy. That could be why xQc decided to give WWE 2K22 a whirl – putting him front and center of the chaos. During a stream on March 12, xQc started laughing uncontrollably as the other player in the ring got his leg stuck inside a wall that allowed for the streamer to take full advantage. xQc and his Twitch chat were relishing the bizarre WWE fail as he kept beating his opponent with an immovable leg to no end. “Yo my leg, yo my leg, yo, yo,” xQc’s opponent laughed. “Yo, let me out. Yo, let me out.” It remained that way until xQc looked like he got tired of taking advantage of the situation, allowing for his opponent to eventually break free. But it didn’t take long for the streamer to get back into action once it was all said and done. No matter if he’s just minding his own business on GTA RP or if he’s going through hilarious a hilarious glitch in WWE 2K22, moments like these are what attract so many viewers to xQc’s stream.

xQc almost breaks his hand raging at Lies of P’s “easiest” boss Kick: xQc/Round 8xQc gave us an all too human moment in a game about puppets. The player of games got caught up in the tilt during his Lies of P stream and caused himself a minor injury. Lies of P has left early access and is now available to gamers everywhere. The Pinnochio-inspired Soulslike has been a major surprise in a year stacked with hits. Taking heavy inspiration from FromSoftware titles like Bloodborne and Sekiro, Lies of P is one of the most competent imitations of the formula to date. Our own four-star review says as much while praising the unique mechanics that allow it to stand apart from its inspirations. xQc had to give it a go for himself but hit an early wall… and his furniture. After struggling against one of Lies of P’s early bosses, his rage got the better of him and he punched his phone with a sickening crack. In the clip, xQc faces down Lies of P’s second major boss; the Scrapped Watchman. After numerous failed attempts, the streamer was still being battered thanks to the game’s punishing difficulty. Eventually, the fight broke down poor xQc, and in an expletive-laden fit of rage, he unleashed a full-force punch into the phone sitting on his desk. Letting out a howl of agony the streamer explained to his viewers “I just punched my phone and it punched back”. Interestingly enough, folks in xQc’s chat are calling the Scrapped Watchman “one of the easiest bosses in the game”. This is because it introduces the game’s NPC summon mechanic and taking an AI companion into the fight can trivialize this boss. xQc stated in his first encounter with the Scrapped Watchmen that he was too good for the mechanic. “No, I’m not gonna use summons. That’s cheap as f**k,” he said before settling in for the 50-minute grind. Fortunately, xQc was later able to overcome the boss with no assistance from the AI companion, or his chat. All with an apparent hand injury no less. Impressive stuff. If you want to play Lies of P without getting so mad that you start punching things, we’ve got heaps of guides to get you started. These are sure to come in handy for newcomers and Soulslike veterans looking to get acquainted with Round 8’s take on the genre. How long is Lies of P? Main story length & completionist run | Lies of P trophies & achievements | Does Lies of P have an easy mode? | Does Lies of P have multiplayer? | How to level up in Lies of P | What does Gold Coin Fruit do? | How to respec in Lies of P | How to get more Wishstones in Lies of P | How to summon support to fight bosses in Lies of P

Xenoblade Chronicles 3: DLC release date, trailers, gameplay, & everything we know NintendoWe’ve got all the information on Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and its upcoming DLC expansions right here including a release date, trailer, and gameplay. After 2020’s remake of the original Xenoblade Chronicles game, fans of the Xeno franchise can dive right back in with Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Revealed in February 2022’s Nintendo Direct, developers Monolith Soft have promised “a brand-new story that ties together the futures of the worlds depicted in Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2.” Here’s everything we know about the third installment, along with its upcoming DLC, including release dates, gameplay trailer, and platforms. We’ll also cover how the next chapter in the series will connect to the previous two entries. Contents Xenoblade Chronicles 3 & DLC release dates Nintendo confirmed that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 wouldrelease on July 29, 2022. This was a whole month earlier than originally expected which was great news for fans of the series. Step into the vast world of Aionios in #XenobladeChronicles3 sooner than expected, now coming to #NintendoSwitch on 7/29! Check out the latest trailer to learn more about the game’s story, characters, and strategic battle system, where you can team up with up to 7 characters! pic.twitter.com/u1SuQaOwpk — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 19, 2022 Furthermore, as announced during a February 8 Nintendo Direct, we know for certain Challenge Battle Mode will launch on February 15, 2023. After that, fans can expect the Wave 4 DLC later in 2023. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Story & gameplay A direct sequel to both of its predecessors, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 brings players to Aionios, a world of war between the technological Keves and the magic-wielding Agnus. Protagonists include Noah, a Keves soldier, who battles enemies in real-time combat alongside five other party members. These characters can be customized with new classes, but also combine in pairs to form Ouroboros, unlocking new moves. Trailers You can see 20 minutes of gameplay footage here: Check out the announcement below: A two-minute trailer for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 dropped on February 9 as part of the first Nintendo Direct of 2022. If you missed it, you can rewatch the trailer above. In the trailer, Nintendo showcased the characters, some of which look quite similar to two fan favorites from previous entries, Nia and Melia. It also gives a little inkling of the story, continuing that war-torn beat but with a twist. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 DLC Expansion Pass During the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 direct presentation on June 22, 2022, Nintendo announced a DLC expansion pack that will include four waves of extra content that won’t be available to purchase individually. The pass is priced at $29.99 / £26.99, and the first wave of DLC was released alongside the base game on July 29, 2022, featuring some outfit color variant cosmetics, as well as a handful of helpful in-game items. The second wave of DLC released on October 13, 2022, and featured a brand new hero character, Ino, who is a mechanical warrior. Players will be able to add Ino to their party after completing her hero quest. Challenge battles are also locked in for a February 15 release and will feature consecutive waves of powerful enemies to defeat, which will be rewarded with valuable accessories and special outfits. Beyond that, a new story scenario has been revealed for Volume 4 but no exact release date has been confirmed just yet. Here’s a sneak peek of the new story scenario coming in Volume 4 of the #XenobladeChronicles3 Expansion Pass later this year. pic.twitter.com/swJ2u29z0T — Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) February 8, 2023 So, that’s everything we know about Xenoblade Chronicles 3. For more information on upcoming games, check out some of our below guides: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 | Assassin’s Creed Infinity | Hollow Knight Silksong

How to watch Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Direct: Stream date & what to expect Nintendo will host a Direct presentation for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in the coming days; here’s everything Xenoblade Chronicles fans should know ahead of the broadcast. Developer Monolith Soft and publisher Nintendo unveiled Xenoblade Chronicles 3 during a Nintendo Direct this past February. The companies initially scheduled the new title for a September 2022 release on the Switch. In April, however, the publisher pushed the due date up by about two months, announcing plans to unleash the next Xenoblade adventure on Friday, July 29. Since Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s release is just a little over a month away, Nintendo will soon share even more details about the eagerly-anticipated action RPG. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Direct presentation: Stream & date Those interested in checking out the Xenoblade Chronicles-dedicated Direct when it airs can read the full details right here. The Xenoblade Chronicles 3 broadcast goes live this week Wednesday, June 22 at 7:00 AM PT, Nintendo of America noted in the following Twitter post. Tune in on 6/22 at 7am PT for a livestreamed #XenobladeChronicles3 Direct presentation featuring roughly 20 minutes of information about the upcoming RPG adventure for #NintendoSwitch. pic.twitter.com/x3pRs0EYRA — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 20, 2022 While the above social media announcement from Nintendo of America does not outline specifics, the Direct will presumably air via the company’s official YouTube channel. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Direct presentation: What to expect Nintendo has already set expectations, informing Xenoblade faithful that the forthcoming Direct will run approximately 20 minutes in length. Admittedly, the development crew at Monolith Soft has already offered a treasure trove of details about Xenoblade Chronicles 3, from its characters and new Interlink System to the battle mechanics and story-related information. And news concerning the Special Edition dropped earlier this month. All of the above begs the question of what else is left to unveil for the title. Fortunately, the wait to find out will not last long.

XDefiant’s Team Deathmatch finally gets official release date UbisoftXDefiant is looking to bring even more of what people love about Call of Duty with the addition of Team Deathmatch coming in the near future. While the game had much of the same systems and mechanics as Activision’s popular series, it was missing one typical game mode that people are used to seeing in titles like this. As a result, it became a much-requested addition. However, that is changing after the devs have announced that Team Deathmatch is coming to XDefiant on June 21. What has two words, no objectives, and has been a frequent community request for many moons? — XDefiant (@PlayXDefiant) June 18, 2024 Jump into Team Deathmatch this Friday, June 21st at 10AM PT. pic.twitter.com/QV4gTeK6dy The announcement was made on the official XDefiant X/Twitter account: “What has two words, no objectives, and has been a frequent community request for many moons?” Team Deathmatch is a staple of the Call of Duty series, pitting players against each other with no other goal than to kill more of their opponents than their opponents can kill of their team. It has been something that XDefiant fans have been asking for since its release in May, and now they can be excited to jump into the mode soon. The response from the community is excitement, as one user responds to the announcement, calling it a “Massive W.” Even fans of the objective-based modes are excited, as one XDefiant fan says: “Exciting! This will make gun grinding more fun without having to worry to much on objective.” This announcement comes soon after the first reveal of Season 1, which looks to add even more on July 2. It’s a big moment as XDefiant continues to grow to lure in as much of that Call of Duty playerbase as possible. Bringing in an iconic mode like Team Deathmatch is a sure way to do just that.

XDefiant’s hit registration is so bad players think it will “kill” the game UbisoftXDefiant has been finally released and its hit registration is already getting a lot of hate. Players have been frustrated by it and they think XDefiant’s poor hit registration will “kill” the game. The word hit registration is mostly applicable to first-person shooter games. In simple terms, it means how accurately a bullet gets registered on an enemy player after being fired by a player’s weapon. A server processes the input from players’ game clients and a better and faster processing always leads to better hit registration, which many prefer. Some players even believe that the hit registration issues could spell disaster for XDefiant’s longevity, claiming that it’s a problem they’ve failed to address since the 2023 beta tests. “They’ve had forever to fix these issues. They were in the alpha and beta, which people disliked back then, and were promptly ignored to rush out the game,” said one player. Others echoed this issue and commented, “They have had a year to breathe.” Much of the community thinks fixing hit registration “needs to be the first priority” for the devs. “Even beyond just making the game frustrating to play, it also makes discussions about balance really difficult, because you can’t tell how something is actually supposed to work,” one player explained. Players feel the positives of XDefiant get “overshadowed” by this negative aspect, especially if the game’s core mechanic “is shipped atrociously.” The fact that some players are dying despite being behind a wall “for more than a second” has convinced them that XDefiant’s hit registration issue needs fixing as soon as possible. The May 24 patch update, however, does address a netcode problem. It says, “That issue where you’d get hitmarkers on an enemy as they killed you, but their health bar still appeared full to you? The health bar display was wrong – you did damage them. Should be fixed now.” On May 24, Mark Rubin, XDefiant’s Executive Producer, acknowledged the issue and confirmed: “It’s something we are working on.”

XDefiant Year 1 roadmap: Weapons, new maps, Factions, Seasons, more UbisoftUbisoft has unveiled the XDefiant roadmap, giving players a look into the new Seasons, new maps, weapons, and Factions. So, here’s everything we know about XDefiant Year 1 so far. XDefiant finally released on May 21, 2024 following several open betas in 2023. Ubisoft’s free-to-play FPS has garnered comparisons to CoD, with both casual and competitive FPS players have praising the game for its fluid movement system and snappy gunplay. While it still may be early days for XDefiant, many fans will be wondering what Ubisoft’s plans are for the game. Fortunately, Ubisoft has unveiled the XDefiant roadmap, which has given us an early look into what kinds of content we can expect to see in Year 1. Content XDefiant seasons & battle pass The first year of XDefiant will feature four distinct seasons, each presenting its own unique theme and content. With each new season, a fresh Faction will be introduced to the game, accompanied by new additions including maps and weapons. Additionally, a unique battle pass will be rolled out with each season. Comprising of 90 tiers, this battle pass will offer a variety of exciting items, like new cosmetics and more. New Factions There will be four Factions released in the first four seasons of XDEfiant. While not much is known about these Factions, Ubisoft has announced the codenames for them, which can be found below: Ruby – Buzz – Orchard – Horde – We’ll be sure to update these sections as soon as we hear more information, so bookmark this page and check back regularly for more Faction updates. New weapons & maps Every season of XDefiant will feature the addition of three new weapons and three maps. This will help keep things feeling fresh for players, while also providing new content that further switches up the game’s meta. XDefiant pre-season content XDefiant has launched with a Preseason Battle Pass ahead of the start of Season 1, which does not yet have a release date. This Battle Pass has 50 tiers of rewards including weapon and character skins, boosters, animations, and emojis. A handful of the rewards are free, including the MDR assault rifle. You can purchase the Premium Battle Pass for 700 XCoins (1,200 XCoins if you want 12 tier skips), which will cost you between $10 and $15. So, there you have it, that’s the XDefiant Year 1 Roadmap. For more on the game, check out the guides below: All XDefiant maps and game modes | XDefiant system requirements: Minimum & recommended PC specs | How to get XDefiant Twitch drops | Will XDefiant feature a battle royale mode? | Does XDefiant have SBMM?

Best modes for leveling up weapons in XDefiant UbisoftLeveling up XDefiant’s arsenal of weapons already feels like a slog, so here’s a rundown on the best modes for ranking up. Since the game’s launch, XDefiant players have agreed that increasing weapon ranks takes far too long. Activating Weapon XP Boosters obtained from the Battle Pass, Ubisoft Connect rewards, and store bundles represent the quickest way to level up. The Double XP Weekend that Ubisoft hosted days after release constituted another big help. However, events like this won’t go live too often, leaving many to wonder how else they can accelerate the arguably grueling leveling process. There are a couple of modes that can increase the pace, especially for XDefiant players capable of landing lots of kills in a match. What’s the best mode for weapon leveling in XDefiant? The only way to level up guns, even with XP boosters, is through kills and assists. Most modes in XDefiant require users to engage in objectives that can distract from taking out enemies. As such, Hot Shot is the ideal mode for players trying to level up their weapons faster, given that it doesn’t feature any objectives outside of dispatching enemy players. The mode pits two teams against each other as both attempt to earn the most points in a set amount of time. Points are rewarded whenever a player dispatches an enemy and collects a bounty – the user who holds the most bounties at once gets labeled the “Hot Shot.” Again, since the goal revolves around racking up as many kills as possible, Hot Shot is the best mode for weapon leveling. There’s also a case to be made for XDefiant’s Escort mode offering a good chance at quickly leveling weapons. Escort’s lone objective tasks players with moving a payload from one end of the map to the other, meaning everyone in the match will have their attention focused in the same general spot. This creates lots of engagement between teams, opening up more opportunities for easy kills. For more on XDefiant’s wide variety of weapons, be sure to check out recommended loadouts for guns such as the 93R sidearm, ACR 6.8, and the RPK-74.

XDefiant is finally getting a major rework for weapon XP UbisoftFeedback from the June 18 update has prompted XDefiant developer Ubisoft to announce a rework that will speed up weapon XP leveling and introduce more Mastery changes. Progression has been a thorn in the side of the burgeoning XDefiant community since launch. In particular, players have resented the grind attached to weapon XP and Mastery levels. The June 18 patch issued a few adjustments in this regard, speeding up weapon leveling on Primary guns with the requirements decreasing from 3,500 to 3,000 XP. Secondary weapon requirements dropped from 1,500 to 1,000 XP. However, Weapon Mastery levels were increased, making players work harder and longer for XDefiant’s Bronze, Silver, and Gold skin unlocks. That led to backlash from the community, forcing developers to reconsider their approach to weapon leveling across the board. As a result, refinements that speed up the processes behind weapon XP and Mastery levels will go live soon. The official XDefiant Twitter/X account confirmed as much on June 21, noting that earning weapon XP will soon happen twice as fast. On Primary weapons, increasing ranks will require 1,500 XP instead of 3,000. For Secondary guns, ranking up will happen after 500 XP as opposed to the current 1,000. Developers have not specified when XDefiant players can expect these much-coveted weapon XP changes to go live. Executive Producer Mark Rubin offered more insight into the previous tweaks and the forthcoming update on his personal social media page. “The levels that you need to get to unlock a mastery skin are staying the same but the net effect is that this will revert the change we made but keep the 14% speed increase. “This will mean that unlocking attachments will be super fast but the grind for Gold will be 14% faster than what it was before the recent patch. It also means that everyone will get a big bump in their current level.” Rubin further noted that because Weapon Mastery is XDefiant’s “main grind,” the team feared players would finish the grind too quickly, thus making “skins feel less special and rewarding.” This explains the divisive June 18 update, though Rubin admits it was bad form to overhaul the system after players had already invested time toward progression. “What we should have done is keep our focus on the new grinds and challenges that we are working on,” he added. As of writing, it’s unclear if the new changes will arrive before XDefiant Season 1 begins on July 2.

XDefiant: All Mastery camos & how to unlock them UbisoftXDefiant features several Mastery camos that allow players to customize the look of their favorite weapons; here’s how to unlock them. By grinding in XDefiant, players can claim six different Weapon Mastery Skins that alter the primary color of guns. The first Mastery reward comes in Bronze, the second in Silver, and a Gold camo constitutes the third prize when the game initially launched. As of Season 1, XDefiant also added Mastery rewards in the form of Titanium Violet, Azure, and Prisma. The good news is that the challenges attached to each unlock are fairly simple, especially when compared to Call of Duty’s Weapon Mastery system. However, those interested in claiming all six camos will have their work cut out since unlocking the Titanium Prisma skin demands a lengthy grind. Here’s what players must do to unlock all of XDefiant’s Mastery skins. How to claim every Mastery camo in XDefiant Increasing weapon levels is the only way to unlock Mastery skins, which players achieve bit by bit when killing opponents in matches. Every kill guarantees 100 XP towards a weapon level, with each level progressing after users earn 3,500 XP. Notably, activating boosters is a good way to speed up the leveling grind. The weapon levels required for all three camos are as follows: Bronze – Get to weapon level 100 to unlock. – Silver – Get to weapon level 150 to unlock. – Gold – Get to weapon level 200 to unlock. – Titanium Violet – Get to weapon level 300 to unlock. – Titanium Azure – Get to weapon level 350 to unlock. – Titanium Prisma – Get to weapon level 400 to unlock. – XDefiant players can track Mastery camo progress for their weapon of choice by following these steps: From the main menu, go to ‘Loadouts’ and click on the ‘Custom Loadout’ option. – Scroll down and hit the selected weapon’s ‘Edit Attachment’ box. – Tab over to the ‘Mastery’ section and the progress bar will appear in the far-right corner. – For more on the weapons in XDefiant, check out our loadout guides for guns such as the M16A4, AK-47, and the M4A1. Details concerning the Season 1 Battle Pass are also worth reading up on when getting into the thick of things.

How to get XDefiant Twitch drops: Exclusive Season 1 rewards UbisoftUbisoft’s newest team-based FPS, XDefiant, is full steam ahead with its first full season, and to celebrate, a raft of Twitch drops are up for grabs. Just by watching your favorite streams during Season 1, you can get your hands on all manner of exclusive rewards, here’s how. Following its Pre-Season phase, XDefiant Season 1 is now in full swing with new maps, modes, weapons, ranked play, and a jam-packed Battle Pass for fans to chip away at. There’s plenty in-game to keep you hooked, but there’s also plenty out of the game itself you can enjoy as well. XDefiant Twitch drops are a focal point throughout Season 1, with seven exclusive rewards on offer. Here’s how it all works. How to get XDefiant Twitch drops To get XDefiant drops, you need to connect your Ubisoft account to your Twitch account. You can do this by following these steps: Go to your Twitch account settings – Go to connections – Scroll down to find the Ubisoft connections and click Connect – Log into your Ubisoft account – From there, your Ubisoft account will be connected to your Twitch account. To get drops you will simply need to watch an XDefiant stream with drops enabled for a certain amount of hours to receive rewards. All XDefiant Season 1 Twitch drop rewards Seven exclusive rewards are available through Twitch drops during Season 1 of XDefiant, ranging from XP Boosters to dazzling weapon and character skins. Below is the full breakdown on every reward and how they’re all earned. Beyond the six rewards listed above, there’s also a bonus Twitch Quest reward throughout Season 1. By gifting two Twitch subscriptions on any XDefiant stream with drops enabled, you’ll unlock the Viral Character Skin for Green. As with any live-service game, Twitch drops are set to rotate in and out with each passing season. Therefore, you can expect to see plenty more new XDefiant rewards on offer through Twitch in the coming months, and we’ll keep you up to speed right here with all the latest.

XDefiant system requirements: Minimum & recommended PC specs UbisoftXDefiant is on the verge of its release, so here are the minimum and recommended system requirements needed to run the game at different resolutions. XDefiant, Ubisoft’s latest 6v6 team-based FPS game that is coined to be a “Call of Duty killer” will finally be released on May 21, 2024. Both players and content creators across the globe have praised the game, with many believing it could be a potential competitor to Call of Duty. Being completely free-to-play, XDefiant has caught a lot of attention ever since multiple test sessions took place. If you’re wondering what XDefiant’s system requirements look like, here’s everything you need to know. Contents XDefiant minimum requirements These are the minimum requirements to run XDefiant on PC smoothly, at 1080p60fps low graphic preset: OS: Windows 10 – Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3100／Intel i3-10105F – Memory: 8 GB RAM (dual-channel) – GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5500XT 4GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB / Intel ARC A380 6GB – DirectX: Versions 11 and 12 – Storage: 35 GB – XDefiant recommended requirements XDefiant’s recommended requirements allow you to play the game without any hiccups at 1080p60fps but with a higher graphic preset: OS: Windows 10 – Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 3100／Intel i3-10105F – Memory: 16 GB RAM (running dual-channel mode) – GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5500XT 8GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / Intel ARC A750 8GB – DirectX: Versions 11 and 12 – Storage: 35 GB – XDefiant 2K requirements If you take it up a notch and play the game at 1440p60fps, here are the recommended requirements for a higher graphic preset: OS: Windows 10 or 11 (64bit versions) – Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600／Intel Core i5-10400 – Memory: 16 GB RAM (running dual-channel mode) – GPU: AMD RX 5600XT 6GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 2060 6GB / Intel ARC A770 16GB – DirectX: Versions 11 and 12 – Storage: 35 GB – XDefiant Ultra requirements (4K) And to play XDefiant at 4K or 2160p60fps, here are the recommended requirements: OS: Windows 10 or 11 (64bit versions) – Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X／Intel Core i7-9700K – Memory: 16 GB RAM (running dual-channel mode) – GPU: AMD RX 6800XT 16GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3080 10GB – DirectX: Versions 11 and 12 – Storage: 35 GB – XDefiant will also have widescreen support as well as NVIDIA Reflex support for low latency gameplay. While an HDD would suffice, Ubisoft recommends an SSD for the best experience. An SSD ensures minimal loading times. XDefiant preview | All XDefiant Factions and their abilities | XDefiant: Gameplay, platforms & everything we know | Will XDefiant feature a battle royale mode? | Is XDefiant crossplay?

XDefiant producer responds to calls for Steam release UbisoftXDefiant’s developer Mark Rubin has addressed the community’s ongoing call for an official Steam release. Like a few other big-name publishers, Ubisoft releases PC versions of its titles on a proprietary launcher – Ubisoft Connect. As such, several Ubisoft games skipped the Steam storefront. The publisher returned to Steam in late 2022, though, launching Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Anno 1800, and Roller Champions on the PC platform in December of that year. But what about the likes of XDefiant? Executive Producer Mark Rubin previously said Steam isn’t on the docket right now, but didn’t rule out a possible release in the future. There is still hope for an XDefiant Steam launch As of writing, XDefiant lacks a firm due date, yet fans are especially curious about whether it will be a Ubisoft Connect exclusive. Executive Producer Mark Rubin recently responded to one such question, telling a Twitter user that it will launch exclusively on UbiConnect. Prospective players shouldn’t give up hope, though. According to Rubin, a Steam version is “something [the team is] talking about as a possibility for later.” A screenshot of the exchange features below: Mark Rubin’s comment about a potential XDefiant Steam release comes just a day after the developer shared a news update regarding the multiplayer title. In a Twitter post on his personal account, Rubin noted the team will share “more specific news in the next couple of weeks as we get ready for launch.” The producer also informed fans that issues affecting the netcode have been addressed. In addition, the crew managed to implement a brand-new Party System that’s currently undergoing “rigorous testing and bug fixing” as everyone prepares for XDefiant’s launch.

XDefiant: How to counter DedSec’s Spiderbot ability UbisoftDedSec’s Spiderbot in XDefiant has proven difficult to dodge even for skilled players; here’s how to counter its attack. The Spiderbot counts as one of the DedSec faction’s Active abilities. Similar to the Combat Spiderbot in Watch Dogs: Legion, players can deploy the robot arachnid to track down and attack nearby targets. Upon finding its prey, the bot will jump up, face-hug the enemy, and stun them long enough for the DedSec operative to swoop in with an attack of their own. It’s proven so effective that some XDefiant users are already calling on the developers to nerf the ability. Fortunately, there is a way for players to defend themselves against the tiny robot’s shocking assault. How to keep the Spiderbots away Because Spiderbots move so quickly, it can be difficult to react in time to their oncoming attack. Players who spot them in advance can try shooting or throwing grenades but, again, they move a little too fast. The best response is to counter Spiderbots with a melee attack as they jump in the air. Admittedly, this, too, requires perfect timing, yet those who master the method should have no problem fending off the mechanical critters. XDefiant’s default settings have the melee button mapped to Circle on PS5, B on Xbox Series consoles, and V on the keyboard. While this won’t always feel like a surefire technique, it should go a long way in beating back the sometimes overwhelming Spiderbot attacks in XDefiant. For more, check out our guides on how to unlock the DedSec faction and access all characters in the game, as well as weapon guides for the likes of the M60 LMG, MK 20 SSR, and the Double-Barrel Shotgun.

How to slide cancel in XDefiant UbisoftLike several other online shooters, XDefiant features a slide cancel move that lets players gain extra momentum. Here’s how it works. Alongside having the best weapons, and ideal loadouts as you play XDefiant, it’s important to nail your movement on the battlefield if you want to stay alive. Slide canceling offers a great movement advantage to players who can nail it just right. Initiating the move involves a rapid combination of inputs that halt the slide animation shortly after a player launches into it. If successful, the cancel tactic culminates in smoother motions, making it difficult for enemy players to track their targets. Given how popular the maneuver is in games like Warzone and Modern Warfare 3, it’s no surprise that Ubisoft’s arena shooter boasts a similar feature. Here’s a breakdown of how to slide cancel. How does slide canceling work in XDefiant? To successfully initiate a slide cancel, players must slide during a sprint, and then press the jump button. Hitting jump cancels out XDefiant’s slide animation, launching the player character midair with a minor speed boost. Performing the move on PS5 merely requires players to hit Circle and X. On Xbox platforms, it’s the X and A inputs. And, finally, PC players can initiate slide canceling by pressing Shift and Space Bar. There’s no limit to how often players can slide cancel, either. So those who want to bounce around the arena with quick bursts of speed should have no problem pulling this off. Timing is everything, though, meaning that nailing repeated slide cancels back to back may require a bit of practice. For more XDefiant, make sure to stay up-to-date with the game’s server status, and Twitch Drops. Knowing what Faction to join, and how to unlock all the Faction characters will also enhance your experience in the FPS.

XDefiant skins don’t justify their price according to players UbisoftXDefiant players are not happy with the price tags of various in-game skins, claiming the cosmetics don’t justify their price. Ubisoft’s latest title, XDefiant, is totally free-to-play, but this means it’s bound to have microtransactions. At the time of writing, XDefiant is in its Pre-Season phase. It comes with a 50-tier battlepass that costs $7 which most players deem fine, but are dissatisfied with the “unreasonable” pricing of other bundles and cosmetics. Sharing their discontentment on the game’s subreddit, a player said Ubisoft will “shoot themselves in the a** with monetization like this.” “I’m a sucker for bundles and cosmetics, but I also want to get a good value for what I’m paying for,” the player continued. Others agreed that the skins look pretty underwhelming. One commented: “The skins are dogs**t. The weapon skins are ok, but the operator ones? Nothing but reskins, no new mesh in any way.” Another player said they had no intention of spending their money on the “goody outfits.” Because you play XDefiant in first-person, players “care” even less, as the skins are not visible during gameplay. A part of the community is not happy with the Pre-Season battlepass content either, arguing the devs “REALLY need to hire some good designers” for the Season 1 battlepass. A player compared XDefiant to The Finals’ “S-tier” cosmetics, as Embark Studios’ rival shooter allows you to “change every piece of your outfit individually” and “the gun skins are great.” While most gun skins cost money, you can unlock Mastery camos for free by completing challenges, and they’re well worth the time and effort.

XDefiant servers down? Server status, maintenance & outage updates UbisoftAre the XDefiant servers down? Find out everything you need to know about the XDefiant server status and when maintenance will begin. The XDefiant servers sometimes need to be taken offline for routine maintenance or to roll out fresh updates. While the game’s server downtime is an infrequent event, there can be instances where some problems prevent players from playing matches. This can be frustrating for players who are eager to jump into the game and perfect their FPS skills. Luckily, our XDefiant server status hub provides all the necessary information regarding future maintenance, server-related issues, and updates from the developers. Are XDefiant servers down? The XDefiant servers were reported to be offline on May 21, 2024, which has stopped players from logging into the game. XDefiant was launched on the same day and has witnessed players running into issues where they’re not finding matches. While recent updates have aimed to target these connection troubles and progression hitches, the game’s servers have yet to come back online. Right now, there is currently no word as to when the XDefiant servers will return to normal. However, Mark Rubin, Executive Producer at Ubisoft, has expressed awareness of the server disruptions and said they’re “working on it.” XDefiant server status To stay up-to-date on the status of the XDefiant servers, be sure to bookmark this article and check back here if you have any issues. Additionally, you can also head over to the game’s official Twitter page, to receive real-time updates on XDefiant servers. You can alternatively monitor the game’s server status by visiting the Ubisoft Support website. This site offers more in-depth insights into the game’s server performance as well as providing in-game support. All XDefiant maps and game modes | XDefiant system requirements: Minimum & recommended PC specs | How to get XDefiant Twitch drops | Will XDefiant feature a battle royale mode? | Does XDefiant have SBMM?

XDefiant Season 2: Release date & everything else we know UbisoftXDefiant Season 2 is next on the calendar, with new maps, weapons, and more all dropping. Here is everything you need to know about XDefiant Season 2 ahead of its release. Ubisoft’s new shooter XDefiant is now in full swing, the title dropped in May 2024, and has already established a solid player base. With Ranked Play having recently been added to the game, XDefiant is quickly beginning to add many of the classic game modes players have come to expect from an FPS. However, the game is not without issues, players recently slammed the devs for the continued presence of a recoil bug that they promised to fix months ago. The first official season of the game is now in focus though details for Season 2 already trickling in. New modes, weapons, maps, characters, and more are all already locked in for the upcoming season. For those eager to know everything included in XDefiant Season 2, continue reading for all the details. XDefiant Season 2 release date Season 2 of XDefiant will release on Wednesday, September 24, 2024. This will mark several months since the launch of the first season, giving the developers at Ubisoft plenty of time to make significant updates and prepare new content for Season 2. XDefiant Season 2 content: What will be added? While the full details of XDefiant Season 2 are yet to be released, the official roadmap for the remainder of 2024 indicates that multiple new weapons, maps, and more will be added to the game when Season 2 goes live. This includes the following content: Three weapons – Three maps – New Faction (Codename Buzz) – New modes – Battle Pass with 90 Tiers – Weapon adjustments – In regard to the new Faction, recent leaks covered by Dexerto tease what the next group to join XDefiant could be. Now, we have some further leaks hinting at exactly what to expect. XDefiant Season 2 leaked Faction: The Highwaymen The Highwaymen from Far Cry: New Dawn is reportedly set to join XDefiant in Season 2, according to the game’s most prominent leaker. A Grenade Launcher, a Turret, and a Buzzsaw are among their leaked arsenal. Once again, it’s expected the new characters will be unlockable directly in-game, much like Season 1’s Faction from Rainbow Six: Siege. You’ll just need a set amount of XP, and you’ll be able to get your hands on the new additions and their abilities. More Mastery camos are on the way The very same XDefiant leaker has also suggested three more weapon Master camos are on the way for XDefiant’s Season 2 update. Similar to how Season 1 introduced three new tiers, Season 2 looks set to do the same. The leaked tiers are as follows: Liquid revealed obsidian – Liquid static obsidian – Liquid revealed animated obsidian – XDefiant season 2 will drop on Wednesday, September 24, 2024. Be sure to check back in with this article as we update it with all the latest details.

XDefiant Season 1 will launch fan-favorite R6 map and Faction UbisoftUbisoft Forward 2024 gave us a first glimpse into XDefiant Season 1 and the reveal includes a fan-favorite map and Faction from Rainbow Six Siege. The new Faction in XDefiant Season 1 will be known as GSK. This includes three Operators from the GSG 9 organization from Rainbow 6, namely Blitz, Jäger, and IQ. Jäger’s ADS was shown in the trailer at Ubisoft Forward, which means the character from the Faction will have it as one of his primary devices. In R6, an ADS can intercept and shut off projectiles, and it’s expected to work similarly in XDefiant as well. You can also play as Blitz, the shield Operator in the Faction and you’d be able to flash enemies using his device – just the way it works in Rainbow 6. One of the three maps in XDefiant Season 1 includes Clubhouse, based in Hannover, Germany. In the trailer, we got to see three iconic locations on the map and this is where most of the action will take place. Season 1 begins on July 2, 2024, after the preseason is complete, and will last for a total of three months. Each month we’ll get a new map. The other two maps for Season 1 include Daytona and Rockefeller. We will also get three new weapons in the upcoming season, along with Capture the Flag game mode. In Preseason, Ranked mode is in trials but that gets changed with new ranks and progression where you can exclusive rewards at the end of the season. There will be seven ranks in total to climb. You can watch the entire reveal on July 1 via an XDebrief episode on Ubisoft’s YouTube. In that video, they’ll give us a detailed overview of upcoming features, the Season 1 Battle Pass, and a lot more.

XDefiant Season 1 patch notes: New Mastery Camos, weapons, Battle Pass changes, more UbisoftXDefiant’s Season 1 patch notes include tweaks to Battle Pass and Match Bonus XP rewards, a few nerfs, and new content. Season 1 of XDefiant arrives July 2 with a ton of new content. Fans will get their hands on the new GSK Faction from Rainbow Six Siege, access to Clubhouse from the Rainbox Six franchise, and a new Battle Pass full of weapons and rewards. Battle Pass and Match Bonus XP will see some tweaking, with Battle Pass tier thresholds being reduced, and players receiving more XP for completing a match although victory and draw gains have also been reduced. There are also a few nerfs, such as an increased cooldown to the Echelon Intel Suit and Phantoms’ Mag Barrier (from 30 to 40 seconds). XDefiant Season 1 update patch notes Three new weapons join XDefiant’s Season 1 – the LVOA-C assault rifle, the Sawed-Off shotgun secondary, and the L115 sniper rifle – with each unlocked through the Battle Pass. Season 1’s patch also includes three new Mastery Camos, crash fixes, and more. Here are the full details on XDefiant’s Y1S1.0 patch, courtesy of Ubisoft. Gameplay Changed the expiration timing of activated Boosters so their lifespan counts down only during match time, when you’re actually playing, rather than all the time, like when you’re folding laundry or whatever. – Lowered the XP threshold for each Battle Pass tier to give Battle Pass progression a little more pep. – Tuned Match Bonus XP rewards: MVP and Victory went from 2,000 to 1,000 XP. Draw went from 1,000 to 500. Completion doubled from 2,000 to 4,000 to encourage player stick-to-itiveness. – Answered a community ask to add a headshot icon to the Killfeed because it feels good to rub it in. – Factions Added the GSK faction and their no-nonsense announcer: HQ. These elite Team Rainbow operators from Germany’s Border Protection Command specialize in crowd control and securing territory. 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 ultra. Call them Grenzschutzkommando because it’s fun and also accurate. – – Increased the cooldown of Echelon’s Intel Suit from 30 to 40 seconds. – Tuned the cooldown of the Phantoms’ Mag Barrier from 30 to 40 seconds. Mag Barrier hit points were also reduced from 500 to 400. – The Phantoms’ AEGIS now takes damage from EMP grenades (lob six to put it out of commission). – DedSec Hijack cooldown decreased from 28 seconds (plus the remaining duration of the hacked skill) to 20 seconds (plus the remaining duration of the hacked skill). For example, let’s say a Mag Barrier has 7 seconds left and gets hacked: The cooldown becomes 20 plus 7 seconds. Failed Hijack cooldown, meanwhile, decreases from 8 to 5 seconds. – – DedSec’s Spiderbot cooldown increased from 25 to 40 seconds. – Adjusted Spiderbot behavior so multiple Spiderbots won’t attempt to hug the same face, nor will Spiderbots continue to ignore faces they’ve hugged multiple recent times. Some give and take from the Spiderbot kingdom. – Decreased the cooldown of Libertad’s BioVida Boost from 25 to 20 seconds. – Fixed Libertad’s Medico Supremo so it will no longer disappear after the deploying player respawns as a different faction. – Maps Added the new Clubhouse map, a two-story hangout popular with international operators. Ideal for firefights in the short- to mid-range. Home to game modes Domination, Occupy, Hot Shot, and the new CTF. – Game Modes Added Capture the Flag, hereafter referred to as CTF. For the uninitiated: You take the enemy’s flag from their base and bring it back to your own, while protecting your team’s flag. CTF is available on a variety of maps. – Weapons Improved the hit flinch penalty incurred when being shot with a sniper rifle equipped. These changes are intended to refine the behavior of hit flinch, prevent instances where the camera would move off the target with the first hit and back onto the target with the second, and improve the experience for players sensitive to wild camera movements. Here’s the nitty-gritty: The speed of the hit flinch camera transition has been increased by 25 percent. – The camera will now always kick upward rather than up or down at random. – The amount the camera will kick left or right has been increased by 3 times. – – – These changes are intended to refine the behavior of hit flinch, prevent instances where the camera would move off the target with the first hit and back onto the target with the second, and improve the experience for players sensitive to wild camera movements. Here’s the nitty-gritty: – Added the L115 sniper rifle, which is not quite as heavy as the TAC-50 and has faster handling, although it deals slightly less damage and is not as effective at penetrating cover. – Added the LVOA-C, a snazzy customized rifle similar to the M4A1. It has a much faster rate of fire than the M4A1, but with that comes more recoil and less range. It also has slightly longer reload and equip times. – Added the Sawed-Off secondary weapon. This close-range version of the double-barreled shotgun packs a big boom for its size. Imagine carrying a primary weapon in your secondary slot and that’s this. – Added new Mastery skins: Titanium Violet (unlocked at Weapon Level 300), Titanium Azure (unlocked at 350), and Titanium Prisma (unlocked at 400). – Fixed weapons and optics shake in first-person view while using ADS. – Devices Added a new and improved visual effect for the flash grenade (replacing the previous effect, which was…intense). The new effect is less retina-searing but still appropriately disorientating. – Removed an exploit where players could respawn with multiple devices after fiddling with the “Copy Loadout” option in the lobby, so nice try. – Social Added the Creator Code program, which allows players to choose a creator to receive commissions from their XCoin purchases at no additional cost. Choose “Support a Creator” from the store to see a list of eligible creators. – Players were able to create a party with enemy players and voice chat during matches despite being on opposing teams, which seemed shady so that’s fixed. – Disabled whispers in text chat. – Audio Tweaked the mix of in-game voices and sound effects for volume and clarity. – Miscellaneous Players who participated in the Closed Beta were supposed to keep Kersey’s Dungaree skin. They didn’t but now they do. – Fixed Challenge-tracking issues with Ubisoft Connect. – Graphical and audio fixes, various. – Additional crash fixes. –

XDefiant Season 1 release date, maps, Ranked Play & GSK Faction UbisoftSeason 1 of XDefiant was finally revealed at Ubisoft Forward 2024. Here’s when the upcoming Season officially begins and all the upcoming content including a new Faction, maps, and Ranked play. XDefiant Season 1 will kick things off with a fan-favorite Rainbow 6 map and Faction, followed by more content over the rest of the period. While the game’s preseason included a lot of content, even more is coming soon. Publisher Ubisoft has already laid out a Year 1 roadmap for XDefiant, which will consist of four seasons. Based on the roadmap, each season will introduce a brand-new faction, three weapons, three maps, and a 90-tier Battle Pass. Once the preseason draws to a close, Season 1 will follow in its stead. Here’s everything we know about XDefiant Season 1 so far. XDefiant Season 1 release date Season 1 of XDefiant will launch on July 2, 2024. July 2 will mark six weeks since XDefiant’s pre-season launch, and the first seasonal update will go live on that day. Season 1 Battle Pass A 90-tier premium Battle Pass will be available during Season 1, however, Ubisoft has yet to detail the rewards that will feature in it. It’s worth noting that the game’s Preseason Battle Pass included character and weapon skins, weapons & weapon XP boosters, hero animations, emoji packs, and the in-game currency XCoins, so we can likely expect similar content for the new Pass. GSK Faction Season 1 will include the introduction of the new playable Faction – THE GSK from Rainbow Six Siege. You’ll be able to play as 3 Operators from Siege with the GSK – namely Blitz, Jäger, and IQ. New Maps Three new maps will be available in XDefiant Season 1. These are: Clubhouse – Daytona – Rockefeller – You can find teaser images of each map in the gallery below: Capture the Flag A Capture the Flag mode will be introduced in Season 1 of XDefiant. While details are currently scarce, we can assume it will play out in a similar vein as in other FPS titles like Overwatch. Ranked Play Finally, the upcoming season will also mark the full release of Ranked Play with multiple tiers for players to climb, along with a Top 500 rank. Even more details about Season 1 are set to be revealed on July 1, 2024, in an XDebrief presentation on Ubisoft’s YouTube channel. That’s everything you need to know about XDefiant Season 1. Be sure to check out the best controller settings and best PC settings to get an upper hand in the game. You can also stay updated by checking XDefiant’s current server status, and how to unlock all Faction characters.

XDefiant Season 1 Battle Pass: All tiers & rewards UbisoftXDefiant Season 1 is now in focus and we’ve got you covered with a full rundown on the new Battle Pass. From dazzling skins to devastating weapons, here’s everything included in the free and premium reward tracks. After a few weeks of Pre-Season action upon release, XDefiant’s first full season is now upon us. Season 1 brings a raft of new weapons, maps, modes, and of course, plenty of cosmetics to boot. Beyond a number of ranked play rewards, the main source of new character and weapon skins is through the Season 1 Battle Pass. With 90 tiers to progress through, there’s plenty to get your hands on. So to get you up to speed, here’s a full breakdown of the XDefiant Season 1 Battle Pass including its cost and a look at the rewards on offer. XDefiant Season 1 Battle Pass price The XDefiant Season 1 Battle Pass costs 700 XCoins, the game’s virtual currency. The smallest purchasable bundle costs $9.99 USD and provides 1,000 XCoins total. However, you can also earn plenty of XCoins by playing the game. If you were grinding during the Pre-Season, odds are you’ve earned a decent amount of XCoins already. Just by playing and progressing through a good chunk of a Battle Pass, you can earn up to 1,300 XCoins to help towards purchasing the next. XDefiant Season 1 Battle Pass start and end date XDefiant’s Season 1 Battle Pass started on July 2 and will end on September 24, 2024. This gives players about three months to grind their way through the 90 tiers of available content. New weapons in XDefiant Season 1 Battle Pass Three brand-new weapons are available as part of XDefiant’s Season 1 Battle Pass. They are the Sawed-Off Shotgun secondary, the LVOA-C Assault Rifle, and the L115 Sniper Rifle. All three weapons are available for free, with only cosmetic rewards locked behind the premium track of the Battle Pass. Below are the tiers you can find each of the three weapons: Sawed-Off Shotgun: Tier 80 – LVOA-C Assault Rifle: Tier 20 – L115 Sniper Rifle: Tier 50 – New skins & cosmetics in XDefiant Season 1 Battle Pass Beyond new additions to the arsenal, it wouldn’t be a Battle Pass without some shiny new cosmetics too. Of course, XDefiant Season 1 ticks that box. Topping the bill is a Legendary skin for new character Stark. The Thunderbolt Legendary emits lightning, ensuring it’s one of the most flashy skins on any map. There’s also the Power Washer skin line, covering both weapons and characters with water-gun-style visuals. Not to mention the Spectra skin line with cosmetics for Kaptan, Iselda, Green, and more, providing a blueish skeletal design unlike anything else in the game today. On top of the skins, there’s plenty more filling out the 90-tier Battle Pass. Animations, XP Boosts, XCoins, Player Cards, and Emoji Sets can all be found throughout the Season 1 Battle Pass. All tiers & rewards in XDefiant Season 1 Battle Pass XDefiant’s Season 1 Battle Pass has 90 levels for players to grind, with many a character and weapon skin, XP boosters, emotes, and even XCoins. Below is a list of all the levels and their rewards:

XDefiant: Release date, time, platforms, gameplay & more UbisoftXDefiant is the new team-based shooter from Ubisoft and here’s everything we know, including its release date, time, preload details, and more. After Rainbow Six Siege, XDefiant is the latest 6v6 team-based FPS with a ton of game modes and maps to choose from. It also comes with a loadout system (a set of primary and secondary weapons along with some utility gadgets like stun and frag grenades), functioning similarly to the Call of Duty series. The game was first introduced in July 2021 and it made a strong first impression on the COD community, with some labeling it as a “promising competitor.” After several test sessions, XDefiant is finally set to release, and here’s everything you need to know about the shooter. Contents XDefiant release date and time – What platforms will XDefiant be on? – XDefiant trailer & gameplay details – XDefiant release date and time XDefiant will be released on May 21, 2024, at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET / 6 pm BST. The game will start with a 6-week Preseason content, and a new Season will be released every three months. You can start preloading starting May 16 at the times listed above. What platforms will XDefiant be on? XDefiant will be available for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Ubisoft Connect. Previously, Ubisoft stated that their FPS title would be launching on previous-gen consoles. However, on May 2, they announced that they’ve “made the decision to focus only on current-gen consoles to keep a consistent standard of quality for the game.” Trailer & gameplay details Former Call of Duty devs and pro players helped create XDefiant. As such, the fast-paced FPS feels a lot like COD in many ways. The game will feature 14 maps and 5 game modes at launch. Rubin, XDefiant’s Executive Producer, unveiled a roadmap with much more content scheduled in the pipeline. In the game’s first year, Ubisoft plans on adding 4 new Factions, 12 new maps, and weapons, which will be spread across four seasons. Every character will have access to the standard assortment of lethal and tactical equipment and can choose their own primary and secondary weapons, along with attachments to complete their loadout. You’ll even be able to tweak it on the fly after respawning. However, unique abilities also charge over time. From Echelon’s Digital Ghillie Suit which makes them nearly invisible to Libertad’s BioVida Boost which self-heals itself, various classes have access to their own set of tools that will continue to recharge over time and you can use them several times in a single match. Utilities like grenades or flashes won’t charge over time. You will only get another batch of gadgets only after getting eliminated. XDefiant will also feature a 4v4 Ranked game mode. It’s an upcoming feature and at launch, the playlist is only limited to 4v4 versions of Domination, Occupy, Escort, and Zone Control. All XDefiant Factions | XDefiant system requirements | Will XDefiant feature a battle royale mode? | Is XDefiant crossplay? Cross-platform for PlayStation, Xbox & PC

XDefiant Ranked Play: Maps, modes, more UbisoftRanked Play is a huge draw for FPS games and with XDefiant, Ubisoft is looking to keep competitive players hooked. Read on for everything you need to know about the competitive mode. XDefiant is the latest FPS title from Ubisoft, looking to be more of a COD-like shooter compared to the tactically designed Rainbow Six Siege. Like fellow FPS titles, XDefiant will have various game modes to test your prowess against. One of those modes is Ranked Play, a competitive gauntlet for players to test their skills against the best of the best. Does Ranked Play have a launch date in XDefiant? XDefiant’s Ranked Play is not available at launch, however, Ranked [Trial Run] is in its place. This gives fans a look into what they can expect when the full experience arrives in Season 1, as confirmed by Ubisoft during the Ubisoft Forward showcase. Ubisoft mentioned Season 1 news will go live on July 1, a day before the season launches. We’ll keep this space updated with new info as it becomes clear. Maps & modes Since Ranked Play isn’t available yet, we don’t have the full details of what to expect regarding maps and modes. However, as mentioned, Ranked Play [Trial Run] gives fans a glimpse of what to expect. This mode includes 4v4 versions of Domination, Occupy, Escort, and Zone Control. Expect the final version of Ranked to mirror the Trial Run, although the map pool is unknown. Here’s what maps are currently in the game: XDefiant Maps Arena – Attica Heights – Dumbo – Echelon HQ – Emporium – Liberty – Mayday – Meltdown – Midway – Nudleplex – Pueblito – Showtime – Times Square – Zoo – That’s everything you need to know about Ranked Play in XDefiant. Be sure to check out the best controller settings and best PC settings to get an upper hand in the game. You can even take a look at the various weapons and factions to unlock.

XDefiant Ranked Play: Rewards, divisions, modes, & how it works UbisoftXDefiant’s Ranked Play mode is finally upon us with seven divisions to grind through, a Top 500 leaderboard for bragging rights, alongside a range of exclusive cosmetic rewards. Here’s the full rundown. Following on from a brief Pre-Season period, XDefiant Season 1 is now in focus. While powerful new weapons, flashy characters, and of course, a Battle Pass all top the bill, Season 1 also marks the debut of the game’s Ranked Mode. The most hardcore FPS players are able to jump into the 4v4 playlist, sweating it out in a more competitive environment than casual play. In doing so, you can climb the ranks, unlock exclusive rewards, and even push for a spot among the Top 500 best players in the world. So before you jump in, here’s the full rundown on how XDefiant’s Ranked Mode works. Contents: How XDefiant’s Ranked Mode works Ranked Mode in XDefiant serves as the competitive counterpart to casual play. It’s here where wins truly matter and so does your performance. By playing well, racking up kills, damage, objective time, and most importantly, victories, you’ll be gradually improving your Skill Rating. The higher your Skill Rating, the tougher the matches. There are seven divisions in total, ranging from Bronze all the way up to Legends, more on that below. Teams are able to queue together as full squads of four up to the Diamond rank. This is possible so long as no individual player has a Skill Rating 15 levels outside of the squad’s average. When you reach Diamond, you’re only able to queue alone or as part of a Duo. XDefiant Ranked Mode divisions XDefiant’s Ranked Mode offers up seven distinct tiers. Each has 10 levels to progress through in order to advance through to the next division. The full breakdown is as follows: Bronze – Silver – Gold – Ruby – Emerald – Diamond – Legends – While reaching the Legends division is no small feat in its own right, the grind doesn’t stop there. XDefiant’s Ranked Mode also boasts a Top 500 leaderboard, encouraging the very best players in the world to continue improving their Skill Rating. For Season 1, this Top 500 leaderboard isn’t visible in-game, only through occasional developer blog posts. XDefiant Ranked Mode game types Four game types were playable in XDefiant’s Ranked mode at launch, with one more joining the mix at the end of July, 2024. They are as follows: Occupy – Domination – Zone Control – Escort – Capture The Flag – While Escort functions exactly the same as in casual play, the other three modes have some slight rule changes to make them more viable in a competitive setting. With Occupy, zones no longer rotate in a randomized order. In Ranked Play, zones rotate in a predetermined pattern, meaning your team can get two steps ahead and plan around the next zone if you’re wise enough. With Domination, the game time has been extended somewhat. Teams now have five minutes on each side before swapping over. This is to help avoid any discourse about favorable sides of any given map. Last but not least, Zone Control lets defenders rewind capture progress to the nearest quarter of the circle. If the attacking team is to capture a chunk of the objective, they’re really going to have to earn it. It’s worth mentioning that newly arriving mode Capture The Flag (CTF) also joined Ranked Mode a few weeks after its arrival in casual playlists. Furthermore, with Bomb, XDefiant’s answer to Call of Duty’s Search and Destroy game mode, arriving in Season 1, there’s no doubt that mode will join the Ranked mix when all the kinks have been ironed out. All exclusive XDefiant Season 1 Ranked Mode rewards With each Season, XDefiant’s Ranked Mode is set to offer up a batch of exclusive rewards. These cosmetics won’t be unlockable in any other way, nor will they be purchaseable. For Season 1, while a number of character and weapon skins, all stemming from the Paintball cosmetic line, are available at various ranks, one sits atop them all. If you finish Season 1 in the Top 500, you’ll nab an exclusive weapon skin with a color-changing effect applied to really stand out in your future lobbies. Below is the full list of Ranked rewards in XDefiant Season 1: Paintballer Gloss rare player card – Bronze – Paintballer rare Seleste skin – Silver – Paintballer rare M4A1 skin – Gold – Paintballer rare Green skin – Ruby – Paintballer rare L115 skin – Emerald – Paintballer rare Kaptan skin – Diamond – Paintballer epic MP7 skin – Legends – Ranked mode went live on July 3 but with each new season comes a raft of new exclusive rewards. We’ll be sure to update you here with each passing season.

XDefiant players blast Ranked mode as “hilarious train wreck” UbisoftThe XDefiant community has dubbed the new Ranked mode a “train wreck” due to its wide array of issues and Phantoms meta. XDefiant’s eagerly-anticipated Ranked mode launched on July 2 alongside Season 1, providing a competitive 4v4 playlist that tests the performance of the most skilled players. The higher a user’s Skill Rating, the more challenging each match will become. While this tantalizing premise kept the community patiently waiting for weeks, players haven’t received its arrival all that well. Within a day of release, one Reddit user dubbed the mode a “hilarious train wreck.” Their post specifically called out the lack of a penalty for quitters, games starting without full lobbies, and the absence of solo matchmaking. The fact there’s no input-based matchmaking hasn’t done XDefiant’s Ranked mode any favors, either. Players have shared similar thoughts on Twitter/X. Twitch streamer reaperreapz said they won’t revisit Ranked until Ubisoft limits Factions because “[4] phantoms camping a shield isn’t fun.” Another user lamented, “The Meta in Ranked XDefiant is literally 3-4 Phantoms… this is getting ridiculous.” Fortunately, Ubisoft developers have confirmed plans to iterate on the mode. During the XDebrief for Season 1, Systems Designer Patrick Price called Ranked a “top priority,” so players can expect it to continuously evolve as the seasons go on. Price also said the development team plans on closely watching community feedback to ensure the mode receives adjustments accordingly. In addition, it’s worth noting future seasons will launch with a Ranked Practice phase similar to the preseason’s trial run. Ranks won’t be turned on during this seven-day period, but players will still get to play through the modes and rulesets. How feedback from future Practice runs may be implemented into XDefiant’s Ranked remains to be seen.

XDefiant devs unlock all weapons and attachments due to progression issues UbisoftAmid progression issues in the closed beta, XDefiant developers have unlocked all weapons and attachments for players to test out. Ubisoft launched XDefiant’s closed beta on Thursday, April 13, on PC and consoles; the session will come to a close on Sunday, April 23. Thus far, the new FPS experience has attracted quite a bit of attention. The beta dominated the Twitch charts at launch, for example, and managed to pull in more viewers than Call of Duty. It hasn’t been without its fair share of hiccups, though. Most notably, XDefiant is currently battling progression-related troubles, which developers have addressed in a manner that benefits beta players. XDefiant combats progression issues by unlocking all weapons A glitch preventing users from playing the progression challenges required to unlock weapons has somewhat minimized the fun of XDefiant. Ubisoft is aware of the ongoing issue and has already started investigating it. In the meantime, developers opted to unlock all weapons and attachments for players to explore at their leisure. The team announced as much in the following post on XDefiant‘s official Twitter account: Shortly after sharing the above news, Ubisoft deployed an Xbox patch to tackle connection errors. At that time, XDefiant’s progression issues had yet to be resolved. Further updates on the matter haven’t surfaced as of writing, but hopefully, a proper fix goes live before the closed beta ends in a few days. These troubles aside, the XDefiant beta is pretty robust in terms of available content. It features 14 different maps, five playable factions inspired by popular Ubisoft properties, and several game modes such as Domination and Zone Control.

XDefiant preview: Is it the right place, right time to dethrone Call of Duty? Ubisoft is entering the competitive FPS space again with XDefiant, this time taking a shot at Call of Duty and other competitive arena games. We spent two hours with the game recently, and here is what we thought. For as long as Call of Duty has been a massive multiplayer hit, it has had many games trying to dethrone it at the top of gaming charts. The series has felt like a goliath ever since 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, which helped sculpt the modern gaming landscape. Games like Medalof Honor: Warfighter and Insurgency have taken shots at Call of Duty’s top spot in the past, all to no avail though. At any other time, I’d not be optimistic about XDefiant’s chances. This is Ubisoft’s new competitive FPS, and it comes on the heels of the soon-to-be-shuttered Hyper Scape. This is not any other time, though. Call of Duty is feeling mortal right now. Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2 have not been well received, to the point of the community celebrating record-low player counts in hopes of change. The other challengers like Halo Infinite and Battlefield 2042 have also floundered in recent years. Ubisoft may have found itself in a ‘perfect storm’ situation where it doesn’t have to convince players away from other titles – instead, the players are looking to embrace a game just like XDefiant. For that to pass, it has to hold up its end of the bargain – it has to be good. That’s the headspace I came into a two-hour preview with. And truthfully, I’ve walked away cautiously optimistic. Will Ubi-having a good time? XDefiant is simple to understand in its broad strokes. It’s a 6v6 competitive arena FPS, boasting various game modes with differing objectives. If you’ve played a modern FPS that fits that description in the last 15 years, XDefiant won’t throw too much at you that will surprise you in its wider construction. However, that doesn’t mean XDefiant is devoid of its own identity. At the core of XDefiant is the idea of ‘factions’ based on major Ubisoft franchises. Sadly, it focuses on those already entrenched in gunplay, so we may be waiting a while to see a Rayman or Just Dance faction (for now…). Instead, The Division, Watch_Dogs, Far Cry, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon are all represented here, each with their own abilities tied to them. Unsurprisingly, Splinter Cell players will specialize in being invisible and gathering information, The Division players love to use flamethrowers, the Watch_Dogs faction is all about tech and disruption, Far Cry is about support and healing, and Ghost Recon acts more with shielding and objective presence. Faction game It’s a fun mix of ideas that never gets too overbearing but gives the game a unique identity. After touching all of the classes, I ended up warming to the Watch_Dogs faction the most, and in particular using the Spider-Bot, one of the most broken and hilarious tools I’ve seen in a competitive FPS in a while. It involves placing a robotic arachnid on the ground, that will then path find its way across the map until it finds another player, where it will jump on their face, obscuring their vision, and allowing you an easy kill. It was a genuine thrill to place it, see it skitter off, and track behind it waiting for it to locate someone. However, each faction seemed to have use. Ghost Recon players, with their massive shields, were great in objective-based game modes, able to lock down points they were capturing. Invisible Splinter Cell agents also got work down, slinking in the shadows looking to pick off anyone on their own. While these abilities sound powerful, they never felt too cheap, and the gunplay was still center stage. The art of shooting the bad guys Speaking of, there is a great arsenal of weapons available here. While I didn’t have time to get hands-on with most, I spent some time in the menus, and if you’re a veteran Call of Duty player, there’s nothing here that should surprise you too much. With each weapon, you progress through various tracks that unlock new attachments, allowing you to customize it further. From what I saw, there was nothing as distinct as blueprints, but I didn’t get too much time to dig deep into these systems. I know I used an AK-47 a decent amount, and as I used it, I got a couple of attachments unlocked. It was simple. For those who like to get lost in those systems, it might be a bit bare-bones, but to me, it was blissfully straightforward. The other thing XDefiant has going for it is that it feels good to shoot guns. It’s a small, but all-important aspect of the game that should keep FPS veterans happy. There’s no generational leap forward for the genre here, but after shooting a bit, I said to my duo, “This feels good.” That’s always a good sign. What about those maps and modes XDefiant distinguishes itself further within the modes and arenas in which you do combat. Pulling from Ubisoft’s library of compelling locations, you’ll find yourself in firefights from the tropical islands of Far Cry, the deserted streets of The Division’s New York, or various other compelling locations from the publisher’s past. In terms of modes, you’re going to recognize most. ‘Occupy’ features an objective you’ll have to sit in before it periodically moves to another location, much like ‘King of the Hill’ modes. ‘Dominion’ had three fixed points that teams would fight over to hold, in the vein of ‘Point Control.’ For the most part, there isn’t much that is going to surprise you. That is, except for one addition. XDefiant came together for me when there was a mix of its most unique game mode and map. ‘Escort’ has you… well, escorting a little robot along a fixed line through a map. This is very reminiscent of Overwatch’s own ‘Escort’ mode, though the roles of Tank, DPS, and Support are far less defined here. That said, it added a new feel to a game like this, which felt pretty fun. That especially goes for the map we played on – a wonderful recreation of a zoo. As you move through the welcome center, past some exhibits, through an aquarium, and out the other side, this map felt big and was a ton of fun to navigate. It was moments like this where you’re struck by these flourishes that help XDefiant stand out from other closely related games. Splinter sells? That doesn’t mean I don’t have concerns for XDefiant as a whole. The free-to-play shooter space is fiercely competitive. There are only a handful of games that end up sticking the landing and finding a spot for themselves. XDefiant has flourishes, but for the most part, it just feels like a pretty well-put-together competitive FPS. Is that going to be enough to carve out a section of its own in the live-service pie? Speaking bluntly, when you look at the long line of failed live-service games, XDefiant has the deck stacked against it. However, what’s here is good. This is a title put together by a team who knows what they’re doing, and thanks to a market of disgruntled FPS fans, it might just find itself in the right place at the right time. XDefiant feels like a ‘back to basics’ experience for a genre that has bloated with systems, services, and mechanics. While XDefiant has abilities that shift gameplay, there is merit to its easy-to-understand experience. Get in an arena, use the gun you’ve been leveling up, and shoot the enemy team to get more points than them. It’s the backbone of the entire multiplayer FPS genre, and XDefiant feels like it has a strong skeleton. That might just be enough, at exactly this moment. If you want to try XDefiant, the closed beta is live now, and you can sign up for a chance to play.

XDefiant Preseason Battle Pass: All rewards, price, more UbisoftAfter much anticipation, XDefiant was finally fully released on May 21, 2024. Kicking off with a pre-season before a full-on Season 1 to launch the game. For those eager to max out the Battle Pass, here is our full rundown of what it includes, how long it runs for, and more. With the XDefiant pre-season also comes a Battle Pass for players to grind through to earn rewards like skins, boosters, and coins. If you’re jumping in right away, here is everything you need to know about XDefiant’s Preseason Battle Pass. XDefiant Preseason Battle Pass start and end date XDefiant’s Preseason Battle Pass started on May 21, alongside the release of the game, and will end on July 2, 2024, right before the launch of Season 1. Giving players roughly a month and a half to complete all 50 levels, it should just be enough for most players to finish if you jump in regularly. XDefiant Preseason Battle Pass price The XDefiant Battle Pass, beyond the Preseason, costs 700 XCoins. You can acquire enough of the in-game currency by purchasing the 1,000 XCoins bundle for $9.99. If you are to purchase the Preseason’s Battle Pass, it does give you 700 XCoins as a reward, so you can use that to purchase Season 1’s Battle Pass when it comes time for it. XDefiant Preseason Battle Pass rewards XDefiant’s Preseason Battle Pass has 50 levels for players to grind, with many a character and weapon skin, XP boosters, emotes, and even XCoins to use in future Battle Passes or skins. Below is a list of all the levels and their rewards:

XDefiant praised for improving major visual issue in modern FPS games UbisoftUbisoft has been getting a lot of praise for XDefiant, as the FPS plays like an early CoD title in all the best ways. However, one undersold part of the game is its visual clarity. A player noted this point in a Reddit post, saying it’s “awesome” to adequately see enemies during fast-paced matches. “Finally an FPS where everything isn’t just f***in grey and brown and shadows. I’d thought I’d lost the ability to beam people across the map, turns out I just hadn’t been able to see them in years,” the user said. Other players shared the same sentiment, saying they love being able to see enemies across the map and differentiate them from the terrain. “Agree, absolutely love the visibility in XD. Red outlines are an amazing choice for a fast-paced arcade fps,” another Redditor wrote. In XDefiant, most playable characters have a distinct color scheme that makes them pop against the more muted color pallets of the various maps. For example, the Cleaner class is decked out in firemen’s apparel and is easy to spot thanks to their bright yellow and green colors. The game also highlights enemies when players move their cursor over them during a match, usually by outlining their silhouette or making their player tag visible above their head. Unlike Call of Duty, there are no perks or abilities players can unlock to counter this mechanic. The Echelon Faction does have an ability that makes them invisible, but even that is easy to spot once players have experienced it a few times. Outlining enemies has been experimented with in previous FPS titles, yet XDefiant seems to be the first that has nailed the concept. This increased clarity might also explain why long-ranged weapons like snipers and marksman rifles have been so prevalent in the game’s early meta. XDefiant has been a hit in the week after its full launch, and while players have found many things to complain about, it still seems to have hooked a sizable player base.

XDefiant players welcome jump spam changes but want devs to do more UbisoftXDefiant players are happy that the developers have addressed jump and crouch spamming in the latest update, but some want Ubisoft to do more. Movement is one of the core mechanics in XDefiant as players have a lot of freedom when it comes to strafing, jumping, and crouching in the FPS title. However, a vocal portion of the player base has been up in arms about people spamming jump and crouch mid-gun fight and coming away with a kill. The devs quickly said they would address jump and crouch spam at some point and did so with a June 12, 2024 update. Now, after four jumps or crouches in a row, an incredibly erratic aim sway will kick in. This makes it difficult for anyone to hit accurate shots and actively discourages people from spamming the jump and crouch buttons. Players praised Ubisoft for the nerf across social media. However, some said they didn’t think the devs went far enough. “Should kick in after TWO jumps, not Four. But otherwise a step in the right direction,” one player said on Twitter/X. Players on Reddit also wanted more done to combat jump shooting, with even those who deemed it a good change asking for another tweak. “Played a couple of games with it now. Won’t make a difference most of the time. You get three jumps before it comes into play and most gunfights will be over by then. Still a good change,” one Reddit user said. The developers clearly still want players to be able to jump and crouch around while shooting but also don’t want to reward people for pressing the input over and over again. Fights in XDefiant can be over in an instant, though, so while this will stop players from spamming jump right from spawning in, it won’t kill jump shooting altogether. Only time will tell if this change will impact how players perform in fights or use XDefiant’s unique movement mechanics to their advantage, but it looks like the game is moving in the right direction with this change.

XDefiant players want major buff for “useless” shotguns UbisoftXDefiant players are calling on the Ubisoft devs to make a “major” buff to the game’s “useless” shotguns in the next patch. Ubisoft’s free-to-play first-person has attracted a ton of eyes since its release on May 21, which was a record-breaker for the publisher. According to reports the 6v6 team-based FPS quickly amassed over 500,000 concurrent users across all platforms and more impressively one million unique players within the first 2.5 hours after launch. XDefiant’s meta is already beginning to take shape as players get a true feel for the game. However, players think one weapon class requires some tweaks. The game’s shotguns have been discussed heavily among the community across several Reddit threads. One post questioned if the shotgun spread is working as intended, pointing out its huge inaccuracy and inconsistency when jumping. Others claimed they simply need a buff as they’re currently “useless.” “Shotgun needs a major buff. Just tried it, and boy is it useless,” a post read. “I can’t tell if it’s bad or if it’s just the terrible hit reg. Just seems really inconsistent to me,” said another. “It can one shot at close range if netcode is actually working and all your pellets are registering,” a player explained. “I think the de-sync needs to be fixed not the range of the weapon or else people are gonna be hitting people halfway across the map with the shotgun again,” another added. The devs are already on top of fixing up the game where needed, releasing a small patch on May 24 to improve the netcode, UI, and FPS. The Season 1 update isn’t set for release until July 2, when we’ll be introduced to a new Faction codenamed ‘Ruby’ as well as several new weapons and maps. However, it’s likely the devs will release some small updates before the pre-season ends.

XDefiant players want Echelon’s “constant wall hack” ability nerfed already UbisoftThe Echelon’s Intel Suit has XDefiant players calling for nerfs due to its ability providing nearly infinite “wall-hack” capability. Competitive titles featuring hero abilities as core mechanics usually face an uphill battle regarding game balance, especially as not all boosts are created equally. For example, the jack-of-all-trades duelist Raze from Valorant faces few downsides. Unsurprisingly, XDefiant is no different. As the game has picked up in popularity, the Faction balance has been an underlying concern for fans. At the top of this list, the Echelon class is drawing particular attention. The cause for concern stems from the Faction’s “Intel Suit,” an ability that “periodically” pings enemies upon activation for the entire team. In a thread shared to the XDefiant subreddit, one player argued that while it’s cool to use the ability, it shouldn’t reveal the entire enemy team’s location. “If my screen shows ‘Revealed by Intel Suit,’ I’m getting jumped from multiple angles and am just hoping to get one before I die,” the poster shared. While it may seem like a niche complaint, there are no role restrictions in XDefiant. This means multiple players can select Echelon, essentially granting infinite wall hacks for their team. While these frustrations could be eased with a counter ability to block Intel Suit detection, there aren’t any options to prevent it at this time outside of the DedSec class locked behind a challenge requiring 700,000 XP or a $10 paywall. Those unwilling to pay are stuck getting ambushed as they grind the challenge. Rework ideas for the Faction have flooded the thread, as multiple replies state it should be “an Ultimate Ability instead of a default one.” Others went as far as to say it should be “removed from the game” or changed to ping once on activation. There’s a long thread of issues players hope XDefiant addresses, such as bunny hopping and hit registration. While the Intel Suit is one of the more prominent issues, there isn’t any information on when a balance may be expected at this time.

XDefiant players upset they can’t pub-stomp matches despite no SBMM UbisoftSkill-based matchmaking is absent in XDefiant’s casual playlists, yet players are undecided on how “sweaty” the game is without the system. With XDefiant enlisting the talents of Call of Duty veterans, one of the game’s focal points was the removal of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), at least in casual playlists. The maligned matchmaking system has been under fire as players believe it ditches fun for stricter team balancing, making the experience harsher for many players. However, many players flooding into XDefiant have found that the lack of SBMM doesn’t exactly equate to “pub-stomping” every match. XDefiant’s subreddit is full of posts critical of the “sweaty” nature of matches, many of which point towards Call of Duty’s player base jumping ship to Ubisoft’s shooter. In response to the myriad of “sweat” posts, one player shared that just because SBMM isn’t in XDefiant, it doesn’t mean the game will be easier for everyone. The OP went on to explain that the removal of SBMM isn’t an “easy-mode switch,” and that players will have good and bad matches. This opinion wasn’t unpopular, with many saying this should serve as a “reality check” for players who thought they were higher-skilled due to the effects of SBMM. “People are finally realizing that they’re not as good as they thought,” said one player. It’s important to note that XDefiant’s “Welcome Playlist,” an introductory mode for players up to level 25, does feature SBMM. Although it is clearly stated in the game, this alone may have a “placebo effect” on players one Reddit reply noted. Many may have disregarded that memo, expecting the game’s opening hours would be a cakewalk. With Ranked Play still not a feature in the game, hopefully, the mode’s arrival in the future will alleviate the struggles many players are experiencing.

XDefiant players torn on “cheesy” sniper rifles and their Preseason damage UbisoftAre sniper rifles overpowered or just plain “cheesy” in XDefiant? This question has some players conflicted about the weapon type’s power in the game’s Preseason. XDefiant’s Preseason is underway, but as players find out which weapons and factions are the best, some are noticing sniper rifles look to be quite dominant in lobbies, although not all are convinced. In several threads in the XDefiant subreddit, players have criticized sniper rifles for their lack of accuracy penalty, as snipers can run around quick scopping and one-shotting targets in the lobby without having to stop their movement. “Even at close range they can scope in and shoot while getting drilled in the face with an AR,” one player said. “Zero flinch or movement punishment. The sniper lobbies make the game unfun.” Many others agreed with them, bemoaning the lack of movement and flinch penalties, letting snipers have a relatively easy time running around the map and one-shotting players in close combat situations. For those choosing SMGs or ARs, guns that take a few moments of consistent fire to dispatch their targets, gunfights can feel a little lopsided when staring down a one-shot sniper. This isn’t a universal sentiment, however, with some saying they aren’t exactly overpowered, per se, rather it’s just that those abusing sniper are already naturally good at the game and it isn’t the weapon in itself that’s to blame. “Ask any player who is good with a sniper to use a [regular] gun and they will be playing better than they were with the sniper in 9/10 of their next matches,” a commenter said in a thread discussing it. FaZe Jev too explained his thoughts around sniper rifle’s supposedly overpowered nature in XDefiant, saying, “Sniping is not OP, it’s just cheesy if you’re really good at it. The skill floor is much, much, higher than on full autos.”

XDefiant players split over potential killstreak game mode UbisoftUbisoft Executive Producer Mark Rubin proposed a killstreak game mode for XDefiant, but community members couldn’t come to an agreement about it. XDefiant impressed FPS fans during its open beta, imploring some disgruntled CoD fans to jump ship. Longtime series veteran and YouTuber FaZe Jev called Ubisoft’s latest shooter a “CoD killer,” claiming the game’s worst map is better than any CoD map in years. Former CoD World Champion and current XDefiant dev ‘Aches‘ rubbed more salt in the wound by revealing a feature Call of Duty League fans and players would love to have in their game. Both games share striking resemblances, but Ubisoft doesn’t necessarily want to create a carbon copy. Rubin, known for his work on MW2 (2009), MW4, and Call of Duty: Ghosts, expressed concerns about adding a longtime CoD feature to XDefiant. XDefiant community members split over killstreaks Killstreaks are a staple of CoD, in which a player acquires a certain number of kills in a row without dying. Rubin shut down the potential of killstreaks in XDefiant, but didn’t rule out a potential limited-time game mode highlighting kills. “We don’t currently have any plans for killstreaks, but what if we made a mode where 3 kills got you your ability and 7 your Ultra, or something along those lines.” Rubin emphasized that he would rather reward objective earning over chasing kills, and he just wanted to gauge interest. One player responded: “This idea sounds underwhelming and unneeded. Let’s not take away from the fun stuff already in the game.” However, other community members want something closer to CoD. “This sounds like a fun idea. As a COD player, hero shooters lose my attention, but this sounds like a fun compromise where it’s earned and makes the overall balance more fun.” Meeting in the middle, a third played suggested: “A score streak system would be a good idea.” Scorestreaks reward players for getting kills, but also for playing the objective. This would prevent ignoring objectives entirely and reward users for going after a mix of both. The XDefiant closed beta closes on April 25, so there isn’t much time left to try out Ubisoft’s latest shooter.

XDefiant players slam “unplayable” Season 1 update as one ability wreaks havoc UbisoftXDefiant Season 1 is now live and although the accompanying update and supposedly nerfed the frustrating Spiderbot ability, many are now labeling the game “unplayable” as things have only got worse. While a range of new content topped the bill for XDefiant Season 1, a rather hefty patch complemented the update. Throughout the July 2 patch notes, Ubisoft detailed multiple nerfs to the controversial Spiderbot ability. One on hand, its cooldown was nearly doubled, while on the other, the pesky piece of equipment no longer targets a player that’s just been hugged by another Spiderbot. However, not mentioned in the patch notes is the fact Spiderbots can no longer be manually shot off your face. Previously, looking down and firing your weapon would damage the robot, removing it as quickly as possible. With that counter no longer possible, many are bashing the game’s Season 1 update, claiming XDefiant is now “unplayable” due to the DeadSec faction ability. When the Spiderbot ability is deployed, you have three main ways of dealing with it. First is to simply shoot it on the ground, if you’re fast to react. Second is to hack the ability, if you’re also playing as a DeadSec character with the Hijack ability. Last is to time a perfect melee strike, swatting the bug out of the sky as it leaps towards you. Should you fail those three options, the Spiderbot latches onto your face, covering your screen, and leaving you defenseless for a few seconds. As you can imagine, it’s had the community riled up since the Pre-Season kicked off, and now, the situation is at its boiling point. “Spiderbot needs a hotfix ASAP,” one player on Reddit demanded. “It’s actually unplayable. You literally can’t counter it anymore. The game is unplayable like this when everyone chooses Spiderbot.” “Literally broke the game,” another player agreed. “I’m staring at the bottom side of a spider more than I am shooting at anyone.” Another thread on the game’s subreddit echoed the sentiment, denouncing the recent surge in DeadSec players following the Season 1 update, all looking to abuse the Spiderbot ability while it’s this powerful. “It’s such an insanely unskilled passive that leads to a guaranteed kill nearly every time,” they complained. “The rework doesn’t actually matter when there are three Spiderbots on the map.” Making matters worse is the fact XDefiant doesn’t have any limitations on characters. In theory, you could have a full team of DeadSec characters all running the Spiderbot ability. The constant spam and lack of counters are leaving the XDefiant community more than frustrated. Developers are yet to address the spike in complaints, though with many calling for an immediate hotfix, it might not be long until we hear more. We’ll be sure to keep you updated here with all the latest.

XDefiant players ‘massively disappointed’ over lack of earnable skins UbisoftXDefiant players say they’re massively disappointed by the lack of earnable weapon skins in the game and are calling on the devs to create more ways to kit out their arsenal. Ubisoft’s new shooter XDefiant has taken over the FPS genre since its release on May 21, competing with the likes of Call of Duty. However, the devs are facing a fair bit of criticism when it comes to the game’s cosmetic system. The community voiced concerns regarding the price of various in-game skins, claiming the cosmetics don’t justify their price. And while you can unlock Mastery camos for free by completing challenges, players are now voicing complaints over the lack of earnable cosmetics. In a Reddit thread on June 1, one XDefiant claimed the lack of earnable cosmetics is “massively disappointing.” “The lack of earnable Weapon skins is massively disappointing,” they wrote. “I would really love to see some skins earned through challenges and playtime not based solely on XP.” The player added: “I would think these will be added, but there’s nothing now and that’s a big disappointment. If the only way to earn them is through purchases or battle passes, that will be a gigantic L for the game.” However, others in the replies aren’t hopeful that the devs will release even the most basic skins for players to grind for. “Even just some plain color skins for getting longshots or headshots or multikills, or maybe kills with specific attachments would be cool,” a player admitted. “But given that the battle pass has plain color skins in it, I’m not sure they’ll do that.” XDefiant’s future is still bright, with season one expected to kick off on July 2, 2024, where we’ll see a full 90-tier battle pass, along with three new maps and weapons.

XDefiant players have exposed a cheater ruining lobbies already UbisoftThe XDefiant community has allegedly already identified a player causing problems in their matches due to cheating and hacking the game. Competitive shooters like XDefiant often encounter issues with people cheating, whether it be using aim hacks or invulnerability exploits. It looks like this problem has quickly come to XDefiant, and players are calling out a specific person for their antics in games. The supposed cheater in question has made the rounds on the game’s subreddit as fans have noticed their insane K/D ratios after matches. In one post, a user shared a screenshot of the player’s 127 and 8 kills to death score. Unsurprisingly, the community is reacting strongly to this, with one user saying: “Imagine spending like $1000 to cheat in a game. What a loser.” Making the situation worse, other community members mentioned that they’d seen this same cheater before in a previous game. They also said that it’s clear the alleged cheater is still not banned, calling the game’s anti-cheat into question. Others point out that their username, averageDMAuser, is a direct reference to a common form of cheating in which players use software that interacts directly with a computer’s memory without being noticed by the game’s anti-cheat. This widespread issue is something that many members of the community have had to deal with, as one person said: “This is not an XDefiant problem this is a gaming problem. DMA’s have no direct fix and can be easily recoded if detected.” The situation is concerning for some players as the game has not been out for very long and they are worried about how Ubisoft may respond to this issue along with what that response could look like. It’s an unfortunate reality that the cheats are spreading beyond just XDefiant, and it’s clear that players are tired of seeing it.

XDefiant players furious with “insufferable” game mechanic UbisoftXDefiant players are frustrated over the “goofy” bunny-hopping movement mechanic, which they claim has made the game “insufferable.” Since XDefiant’s release, numerous threads on the game’s Reddit page criticizing the bunny hopping mechanic have appeared. In particular, players have slammed the game as a “hopfest” and are desperate for changes. “Nerf bunny hopping, already insufferable,” a post read. “It’s just too much, every game has turned into a hopfest where the moment anyone sees anyone everyone starts jumping and strafing.” They continued: “You shouldn’t be able to just start hopping side to side instantaneously the moment someone shoots at you while also being able to aim in and keep a perfect sight on someone.” Other threads echoed the same frustrations. “I’m sorry but the jump spamming is so goofy,” a player criticized. One claimed the issue mainly lies with the game’s net code, which they think gives players a moment of invincibility. “I wouldn’t care about the jumping if the net code wasn’t trash, it’s like they get invincibility frames or something,” they said. They added: “Having shots on target literally not register because somebody is pressing the space bar just makes me go play something else.” Other XDefiant players also claimed the game will lose players if the devs don’t act quickly to fix the “incessant hopping,” noting that the majority of the community has a “clear” dislike for aerial combat that is being forced. Regardless, XDefiant has been on a brilliant run since its launch on May 21, which was a record-breaker for Ubisoft, with one million unique players within the first 2.5 hours after its release and over 500,000 concurrent users across all platforms according to reports. Not only that, the devs are already patching up various aspects of the game, releasing a small update on May 24 to improve the netcode, UI, and FPS issues.

XDefiant players furious as cheaters take over lobbies with super jumps, speed boosts, more UbisoftXDefiant players are furious as blatant cheaters are taking over lobbies with ridiculous speed and aim hacks, regularly dropping 70+ kills in their games. In competitive shooters like XDefiant, hackers aren’t exactly a rare occurrence. This is especially true in free-to-play games like Ubisoft’s newcomer to the genre – as it’s relatively simple to make a new account when one gets banned. In the game’s first week, fans were already reporting instances of cheaters ruining lobbies, although XDefiant’s lead dev assured fans they were working on stamping out all hackers from the game, despite not wanting to talk openly about the game’s anti-cheat. More than a month into release, players are still reporting cheaters have been overrunning lobbies and dropping an insane amount of kills while being blatant about it. Now, they’re even getting creative with their cheats. In a post on the XDefiant subreddit, a player showcased a hacker tearing through a Team Deathmatch lobby, filling up the killfeed while jumping and moving around in ways no normal player could. As the post gained traction, players commented that they had seen the same hacker – or at least ones using similar cheats – in their lobbies too. “I’m fairly positive I ran into this same guy yesterday and 100% was cheating like this,” one player said. “Game wasn’t even halfway through and had nearly 100 kills and every single kill from the opposing side was from him.” Some other players were tallying how many blatant cheaters they had come across so far in their hours playing XDefiant. “This and all the weird cheat deniers are what will kill this game,” a player said. “Hopefully console only crossplay comes soon to help alleviate some of this.” Searching up the hacker’s profile from the post on Tracker.gg shows just how blatant it is. With just 44 matches played, they’ve won every single game and racked up over 3,000 kills. At the time of writing, their match history in the past 24 hours shows that they have been consistently getting 70+ kills. This is just one example.

XDefiant players frustrated by “insufferable” bunny hopping meta UbisoftPlayer movement has been a hot topic of discussion in XDefiant forums ever since it was released. Now, players seem to be annoyed at the erratic “air strafing” mechanism, saying it is frustrating to play against. Movement is one of the best features of XDefiant that is sticking around for Season 1. The mechanic allows players to move swiftly mid-air and ‘bunnyhop’ – a mechanic known as “air strafing” that’s prevalent in other popular titles like Counter-Strike and Apex Legends. It allows players to move in irregular patterns, making it hard for an enemy to get a kill. However, some XDefiant players are taking air strafing to the level where some deem it “insufferable.” Some players did acknowledge in a popular Reddit post that jumping is not the issue to be worried about but “it’s air strafing. He jumps left and mid-air, and instantly swerves to the right lol.” Another player said it’s easy to learn but can be an “annoying playstyle.” The easy-to-learn factor has convinced the community that it’s “so infuriating.” Some mentioned the “changing direction mid-air” annoyed them the most as they “never experienced that in any other game.” Few players are disappointed with unfavorable hit registrations and commented: “Stack that with the net code and its GGs.” The devs, however, are aware of the issue and claim that fixing it is a “top priority” for them. Since bunnyhopping and air strafing are some common terms in Counter-Strike and Apex Legends, players did draw some comparisons with XDefiant. “Imagine a game like Counter-Strike having full accuracy full control max speed jumping. The game would be dead in a month. This s**t REALLY needs to go,” said the player. “You haven’t played Apex Legends? In-air movement is INSANE in that game,” said another. A player mentioned people will continue “taking advantage of the tools provided to them, regardless of how annoying it is.”

XDefiant players demand nerf for “ridiculously overpowered” snipers UbisoftXDefiant players are demanding that the Ubisoft devs nerf the “ridiculously overpowered” snipers that make the game ‘less fun.’ It’s fair to say Ubisoft’s XDefiant has had a fantastic launch, quickly amassing hundreds of thousands of players in just a few hours. But, there have been numerous Reddit threads criticizing sniper rifles since the game’s release on May 21, with complaints that the weapons are “ridiculously overpowered,” and players aren’t punished enough when using them. “Snipers are ridiculously overpowered,” one hit out. “Even at close range they can scope in and shoot while getting drilled in the face with an AR.” They continued: “Zero flinch or movement punishment. The sniper lobbies make the game unfun. Rant over.” “Sniping needs some changes. I think the 0 flinch is the worst part,” another agreed. “It’s so annoying to beam someone with 5 shots then they can still aim in and kill you with 1 shot.” In the replies, several players agreed and called for the devs to make some simple changes to the weapon flinch. “They 100% need more flinch,” said one. “They’re already pretty close to being well-balanced with their slow reloads and slow ADS times. One frustrated player claimed they’d do “anything” for a no-snipers mode, claiming it’s impossible to compete against them. On the other hand, as the meta is beginning to take shape, players are calling on the Ubisoft devs to make a “major” buff to the game’s “useless” shotguns in the next patch. While the Season 1 update isn’t set for release until July 2, when we’ll be introduced to a new Faction codenamed ‘Ruby’ as well as several new weapons and maps, we’re sure we’ll see a few small patches before then.

XDefiant players delighted as lead dev confirms massive fix is on the way UbisoftLead XDefiant developer Mark Rubin has reassured players that a highly requested hitbox fix is being worked on. While initial server issues at launch left many outraged, Ubisoft’s free-to-play first-person shooter XDefiant has been on a brilliant run ever since. However, players are already calling on Ubisoft to act quickly and fix various issues. Particularly, one fan jokingly called for a petition in a May 24 post on X to get the devs’ attention to fix a frustrating hit registration problem. The post caught the eye of XDefiant Executive Producer Mark Rubin, who responded by reassuring the community that the dev team is working on it. “You don’t need a petition,” he replied with a laughing emoji. “It’s something we are working on.” The news was well received by the community, with several praising the dev for addressing issues. “Seriously? Thank you for being so upfront about making the game better!” said one. “Appreciate your engagement with the community and addressing concerns,” another replied. On the other hand, some still raised concerns in the replies. Several noted that the hit registration problem has existed as far back as the game’s first beta. “The hitreg problem has existed since the first beta and so far nothing has changed. What have you been working on?” one player lashed out. “Glad y’all are working on it, but was the entire last year not spent on fixing it like y’all said?” said another. Still, regardless of issues, XDefiant’s launch was a record-breaker for Ubisoft, which surpassed EA’s Apex Legends day-one numbers. The game reportedly amassed one million unique players within the first 2.5 hours after its release and topped 500,000 concurrent users across all platforms, according to Insider Gaming.

XDefiant players claim they “can’t keep up” with rampant bunny hoppers UbisoftXDefiant players are fuming over persistent bunny hopping. Despite Ubisoft’s efforts, its playerbase is growing disillusioned, with many ready to quit. Bunny hopping, where players repeatedly jump to evade bullets, has plagued XDefiant since launch. Ubisoft initially planned to address this problem by introducing aim sway penalties for excessive jumping and crouching. Unfortunately, these changes didn’t make it into the game’s launch. A Ubisoft developer admitted on X that while the goal was to reduce spammy behavior without hindering natural movement, balancing these aspects proved challenging. The frustration among players reached a boiling point. A Reddit user posted a slow-motion video highlighting how difficult it is to fight against bunny hopping. “The slow-mo is to show how ridiculous going against a jump spammer looks even in slow motion,” this XDefiant player wrote. In a rant, they expressed their disappointment, noting they might take a break from XDefiant due to the ongoing issue. This player criticized the game’s mechanics. For them, playing against bunny hoppers feels nearly impossible on a standard 60hz TV compared to high refresh-rate monitors. The community reacted sharply. Many argued that bunny hopping disrupts XDefiant’s hitboxes and netcode, making gameplay unfair for those using aim assist or keyboard and mouse setups. “Bunny hopping completely screws up hitboxes and netcode,” one player commented. Another expressed frustration with the developers, claiming they lack understanding of what a shooter needs to succeed. Many players admitted to having quit the XDefiant because of the state of bunny hopping. They’re waiting for Ubisoft to say “hey we fixed it.” This ongoing discontent follows other criticisms of XDefiant, including issues with the Ranked mode and broken recoil mechanics. Players have labeled the Ranked mode a “hilarious train wreck” and criticized the developers for their handling of recoil. These problems have intensified player dissatisfaction, with many players allegedly leaving until they believe the game is in a better state.

XDefiant players claim Call of Duty aim assist is “too strong” UbisoftXDefiant players are claiming that Call of Duty’s aim assist is “too strong”as CoD players find it harder to aim on XDefiant. As XDefiant goes through its closed beta with a upcoming release for this summer, many players and personalities have pegged it as a proper competitor to the ever popular Call of Duty. However just like any fast paced shooter which can be played on controllers, the question of its aim assist has raged on. Call of Duty’s debate has long raged on, with controllers largely being the only equipment being used in the Call of Duty League. Many of CoD’s personalities like Scump have always felt that aim assist was a crutch for CoD players. And now that many of CoD’s players are trying out XDefiant’s beta, they seem to be finding it’s soft aim assist to hard to adjust to. In a clip tweeted out by ExoGhost, a showed a player missing their shots in a game of XDefiant and complaining about the aim assist on XDefiant. “If they do not fix the f***ing aim assist I am not playing this game when it comes out, free or not. This aim assist is f***ing horrible you cannot kill anyone from distance on controller,” the player said, lashing out at XDefiant’s aim assist. However, many XDefiant players, who may be CoD fans themselves, highly disagreed with the idea that XDefiant’s aim assist was not strong enough. LegoUnlocked, a CoD YouTuber, said of the complaint, “Complaining that Aim Assist is not strong enough is no different than complaining [that] Skill Based Matchmaking is not strong enough.” And Shady, a CoD YouTuber said, People have it easy nowadays. Honestly that’s why I don’t really take aim assist or competitive seriously in COD.” As for whether Ubisoft will ever make XDefiant’s aim assist stronger after its beta, we will have to wait for its eventual full release. However it is undeniable that if the devs want to take the game to a more casual audience, the aim assist may need to become stronger.

XDefiant players demand XP changes & slam “grueling” level grind UbisoftXDefiant players are not looking forward to a return to the regular XP gains after experiencing the game’s first double XP weekend. The Ubisoft FPS has a slow gun leveling rate as unlocking attachments for just one weapon usually takes dozens of matches. Players got to experience what it could be like if that process was relatively easy during a double XP weekend that lasted from May 24 to May 28. Now, the community is calling for Ubisoft to either keep this rate of XP earnings or bump up the original rate slightly. In a post on XDefiant’s subreddit, one user outlined why double XP should be the standard. “I think they need to tweak how quickly you progress in your gun levels IMO even with double XP it’s already pretty slow but bearable without it you’ll never get anything leveled up at all,” the Reddit user wrote. Other players agreed and said they are not looking forward to leveling up their guns after the event weekend concludes. “Attachment unlocks need to stay at this rate at a minimum, it is absolutely grueling without it,” one user stated. Other users said Ubisoft should speed up the XP rate for attachments, but keep the same rate for gun camos as most gamers are generally willing to grind for hours just for a cool skin. The developers of XDefiant have been very communicative with players about how certain gameplay elements are being worked on, like addressing jump spam and hit registration. However, this is not a topic they have addressed. For the time being, players will have to rely on free XP boosts and double XP weekends to get the most out of their time with the title. Otherwise, unlocking attachments may continue to feel like a slog.

XDefiant players are tired of “too many loading screens” UbisoftXDefiant has largely managed to course correct after a rocky launch but there are still several issues that players are drawing attention to. One of the biggest is loading screens, which many feel are stopping them from enjoying the game. Posts on social media have indicated discontent with the way the game is functioning. One broke exactly how loading happens for them in XDefiant, and many were quick to chime in with their own horror stories. “Can’t even create a class because the creating match freezes and kicks you out of all menus. Completely bizarre that they thought that was okay,” one response to the post read. Another added, “I think the problem is the dead space behind many of the loading screens. If the game is truly ‘loading’ – give us something to do or look at that is worth waiting.” A third even complained about the way the game is loading after a match has finished, where the menus are seemingly the only thing that needs to be loaded in. “For some reason, the worst for me is the 20 seconds loading it takes for you to leave a lobby back to the main menu. Why does it take so long to just, like, disconnect? Just a sad black screen with a loading icon. Also, I need to click “back” 2 or 3 times after that cause it’s taking me to the mode selection instead of the main menu. Ugh.” The problems don’t end there for Ubisoft, as they seek to address the most egregious issues quickly. The biggest is arguably “bunny hopping,” an unintended mechanic that many feel is ruining the experience. Essentially, players are jumping as soon as they find an enemy. This makes them impossible to hit for the first fraction of a second, handing them an advantage in a 1v1. It’s not all bad news for the developer. XDefiant had a record-breaking launch, with a million unique players logging in during the first 2.5 hours. Additionally, it also managed to hit 500,000 concurrent users across all platforms.

XDefiant players “already hate” increased weapon mastery requirements UbisoftXDefiant’s June 18 patch increased the requirements to unlock all the weapon mastery skins – and players already hate it. Before the Y1S0.4 update, you could unlock mastery camos (Bronze, Silver, and Gold skins) in XDefiant after reaching weapon levels 50, 75, and 100. Now that requirement has ramped up to levels 100, 150, and 200, which significantly increases the time needed to unlock them. This change from Ubisoft counterbalances the other update included in the patch, which is faster leveling up of weapons. A player has pointed out in the XDefiant subreddit that Gold mastery now needs 600K XP instead of 350K, representing a whopping 71.4% increase. This change has affected players who were only a few levels away from unlocking a Gold skin. “Me with the AK at level 94 :’)” said one heavy-hearted player. Some players are happy that attachments are now easier to unlock but one player thinks: “They overshot gold. They should’ve put Gold at 150 and then put Obsidian or whatever new camo at 200.” A player on this X post thinks this change is “weird” and asks Ubisoft why these increases aren’t proportional. “Aside from playtime, there’s no challenge. It’s more of a participation award than mastery. I guess that’s fine, but I just don’t find this mastery system fun to grind for,” said the same player. Another chimed in: “They need to add other camos we can unlock on the way to bronze/silver/gold.” “This feels a little like they’re artificially inflating the grind due to the lack of variety of parts to give a sense of progress,” said another one. Mark Rubin, XDefiant’s Executive Producer posted an explanation shortly after the Y1S0.4 patch went live. He acknowledged that these changes “may upset some people” but they’ll continue evaluating their decisions in the coming days. He said, “This whole system is being redone to be more engaging for everyone. It will be a couple of seasons before we see this but we will be looking at feedback now to improve our future implementation.” This means if the majority of the player base finds it grueling to unlock mastery skins, they might change the requirements down the line, but only time will tell if or how that happens.

XDefiant’s record-breaking launch surpasses Apex Legends’ debut UbisoftXDefiant’s player count at launch makes it a record-breaking debut for Ubisoft, one that even topped Apex Legends’ day one numbers. Ubisoft’s free-to-play shooter XDefiant got off to a rough start because of server issues at launch. The publisher addressed these problems throughout the first day, and it’s a good thing, too. According to sources who’ve spoken with Insider Gaming, XDefiant managed to amass one million unique players within the first 2.5 hours of its release on Tuesday, May 21. The first 24 hours even saw the shooter top 500,000 concurrent users across all platforms. This is a record-breaking start for the French publisher, as XDefiant now counts as its “fastest-ever game to reach 1 million unique players.” By comparison, the wildly successful Apex Legends hit a milestone of one million unique players eight hours after its 2019 debut on PC, PS4, and Xbox One platforms. It later amassed 2.5 million unique users in 24 hours, then struck gold again when bringing in 10 million players after 72 hours. Whether or not XDefiant’s overall player count is on a similar trajectory remains to be seen. However, Insider Gaming further noted that the Ubisoft shooter hit three million unique users and approximately 300,000 concurrents within 48 hours. XDefiant’s many Call of Duty-inspired qualities have helped it grab lots of attention, so far. Time will tell if it can keep up this kind of momentum, but players can at least rest assured that Ubisoft has long-term plans in place. The game’s pre-season kicked off at launch on May 21, with Season 1 expected to arrive in about six weeks. XDefiant Season 1 will offer access to three new maps, an additional Faction, three extra weapons, and a Battle Pass comprising 90 tiers. The previously confirmed Seasons 2 through 4 will feature similar content additions.

XDefiant player tries to blame developers for terrible death and it backfires UbisoftAn XDefiant player tried blaming developers for their unfortunate death in a tense match, but other users identified their internet connection as the real issue. Despite the general positivity surrounding the Ubisoft-created shooter, the XDefiant community has pointed out quite a few of its shortcomings. Jump spamming issues and calls for nerfs of the Echelon Faction’s Intel Suit count as just two topics that have pervaded XDefiant discourse since launch. However, one user tried blasting developer Ubisoft San Francisco for something out of its control after dying to an enemy player they believed they should’ve easily killed. Sharing a clip that shows their character dying in a tough one-on-one skirmish, Reddit user NeverEndingWinter_ wrote: “This game was made by a multi-billion dollar company and released after multiple delays…” As other Redditors in the thread quickly pointed out, the fault is with the player’s internet connection – not XDefiant. One person in the comments told the original poster, “your ping is also jumping between 100 and 200+, I think this one is on you.” Someone else also pointed out the network instability issue, identified by the sign in the top-left corner. “Look at the top left, packet loss.” Another person chimed in with a similar response: “He’s got packet loss. 100% on his internet, not the game.” XDefiant launched on Tuesday, May 21 with its share of server issues, which the developers quickly resolved. Many players have also run into Delta-01 errors that ultimately prevent them from joining matches and logging into the game. Yet, it’s clear this particular user’s problems can’t be blamed on anything but their internet connection. For those who are struggling because of XDefiant’s hit registration troubles, producer Mark Rubin has already said that rolling out a fix is a “top priority.”

XDefiant producer confirms much-needed communication system is in the works UbisoftXDefiant’s Executive Producer, Mark Rubin, has confirmed that the much-coveted ping system is in development. The ping feature is common in online shooters, allowing players to effectively communicate with their teammates with just the press of a button. In Fortnite, the system is used for pointing out nearby enemies, highlighting loot, and marking the drop location in Battle Royale matches. Call of Duty: Warzone’s ping works similarly and also boasts a re-group setting that tells players when it’s time to rejoin their squadmates. To the surprise of many, Ubisoft’s XDefiant launched without such a feature. The absence of a ping button has proven especially troublesome for players who can’t communicate with their team on a mic. However, according to XDefiant’s Mark Rubin, developers are working on adding ping to the game. Rubin confirmed as much in a social media post on May 25, telling one curious player the following: “We have ping in the works.” Notably, progress on the feature hit a standstill because other elements of production were of a “higher priority” and, thus, demanded more manpower. “But hopefully we can get back to it once we get deeper into being live,” Rubin explained. When the feature will go live presently remains to be seen. The ping system is not the only highly-requested feature XDefiant developers are working on. In another post on May 25, Mark Rubin noted that Killcams will also become available at some point in the future. Additionally, other developers have addressed complaints about jump spamming in XDefiant. Repeated behaviors of this nature will eventually result in a penalty, though the specifics presently remain under lock and key.

How to unlock the MDR in XDefiant UbisoftXDefiant’s MDR assault rifle is available as part of the pre-season Battle Pass, here’s how to unlock the weapon in-game. The arsenal in XDefiant is jam-packed with top-tier weapons, ranging from assault rifles and handguns to SMGs and shotguns. Notably, the arena shooter’s MDR counts as one gun that packs a punch at close range and can benefit players who like picking off targets at a distance. Unlocking it requires a bit of grinding in online matches, but its availability in the pre-season Battle Pass means all players can eventually add it to their loadouts. How to get the MDR in XDefiant’s Battle Pass XDefiant launched with a six-week Battle Pass comprising 90 different tiers. Some tiers will only unlock rewards for those who spend real money; however, the pass also features free rewards like the MDR assault rifle. To unlock this particular gun, players must reach Level 10 of the pre-season Battle Pass. After unlocking the fast-firing MDR on the Battle Pass page, it will automatically appear in your inventory. The pre-season started on Tuesday, May 21, meaning its six-week Battle Pass should end on Tuesday, July 2. It’s unclear if MDR will reappear in the Season 1 Battle Pass once it goes live. XDefiant players who aren’t interested in the MDR have plenty of other assault rifles at their disposal. For instance, the ACR 6.8 is a solid choice given its minimal recoil and impressive damage output. Additionally, the M4A1 works wonders for a default weapon, thanks in no small part to its incredible range on the battlefield. And even more weapons are on the way. Ubisoft previously confirmed Season 1 will introduce three new guns, alongside a new Faction, three maps, and another 90-tier Battle Pass.

XDefiant May 24 update patch notes: Practice Zone enabled, FPS improvements, more UbisoftXDefiant’s devs are giving the game its first update for its Preseason, with the new patch slated to go live on May 24, 2024 XDefiant’s first major update brings various bug fixes to the game’s Netcode, UI, some FPS improvements, and the Practice Zone is now enabled as access to it was missing at launch, although there was a way to glitch into it. The update is dropping on May 24 at 6 AM PT/9 AM ET, with an expected one hour of downtime while it goes live. So here is everything you need to know about XDefiant’s first Preseason update patch notes. XDefiant May 24 Preseason patch notes Game Modes Sometimes players loading into the Practice Zone would spawn outside the world, in a hellscape, and now they (probably) will not. – Devices Fixed an issue where if the player died during the device deployment animation, their next deployed device would drop at their feet rather than be thrown as intended. – Netcode That issue where you’d get hitmarkers on an enemy as they killed you, but their health bar still appeared full to you? The health bar display was wrong – you did damage them. Should be fixed now. – Localization Fixed an issue where end-of-match UI text would display with the wrong orientation in Arabic. – Miscellaneous We’ve turned the Practice Zone back on but it’s possible weird things could still happen. – Fixed an issue that was causing low framerates with some AMD GPUs. –

All maps and game modes in XDefiant UbisoftXDefiant is filled with exciting maps to explore, game modes to try, and players to defeat. So, here are all the maps and game modes you can enjoy. XDefiant is a 6v6 first-person shooter by Ubisoft. After going through multiple delays, the game was released on May 21, 2024. XDefiant being a multiplayer game means it’ll have various maps and game modes for you to test your prowess against other players in the arena. So, here’s a rundown of all of the locations and different modes you can play. All maps in XDefiant Season 1 During Season 1, you can play 15 maps in XDefiant: Arena – Attica Heights – Clubhouse – Dumbo – Echelon HQ – Emporium – Liberty – Mayday – Meltdown – Midway – Nudleplex – Pueblito – Showtime – Times Square – Zoo – Ubisoft is adding two more maps during Season 1, Daytona and Rockefeller, so this list will be updated when those are added to the game. All game modes in XDefiant Season 1 In Season 1, XDefiant has seven game modes plus Ranked: Domination – Hot Shot – Occupy – Escort – Zone Control – Capture the Flag – Team Death Match – Domination, Hot Shot, TDM, CFT, and Occupy are Arena game modes, where “Teams compete in arena-style maps, battling for territorial control.” Whereas, Zone Control and Escort are Progression game modes where players “contest shifting objective points.” Ranked is kicking off in Season 1 and will feature modified versions of the modes above to make them more competitively balanced. That’s not all as XDefiant’s Year 1 roadmap has more content planned. This includes more new maps and some game modes that will be released across four seasons in Year 1. XDefiant preview | XDefiant system requirements | XDefiant: Gameplay, platforms & everything we know | Will XDefiant feature a battle royale mode? | Is XDefiant crossplay

Will XDefiant ever have Killcams like CoD? Devs address missing feature UbisoftKillcams are often invaluable in most FPS games, be it CoD, Apex, or the likes of Rainbow 6, but are they coming to XDefiant? Here’s what we know. When you die in an FPS game, your instinct is often to spam the respawn button, getting back in the action as fast as possible. But should you stick around, more often than not, you’re privy to a Killcam, letting you see just what went wrong. Showing you the enemy player’s POV, Killcams reveal exactly how they killed you. Their positioning, their loadout, you’re able to see it all, learn from their play, and avoid repeating the same mistakes twice. But with the feature noticeably absent from Ubisoft’s XDefiant, you’re unable to learn in the same way. Although Killcams aren’t in the game yet, can XDefiant fans expect to see them anytime soon? It turns out, devs have indeed chimed in on the matter. Here’s what you need to know. Are Killcams coming to XDefiant? Yes, we know for certain Killcams are on the way to XDefiant. What we don’t know, however, is when they might arrive. Adding Killcams is indeed a priority for XDefiant devs, as Executive Producer Mark Rubin confirmed on X (formerly Twitter), “Working on it.” XDefiant just released in full on May 21, 2024, and while the gameplay loop is solid, there’s plenty to unlock, and even a Pre-Season Battle Pass to boot, there’s no denying it’s early days yet. Customization features are rather limited, various modes are still in the pipeline, and plenty more weapons are yet to be released. Killcams are on the list of missing features at this point. When you die in XDefiant, you’re unable to see exactly how you were killed. Evidently, however, that’s bound to change at some point down the line. It’s expected that Killcams will feature across all standard and competitive game modes as and when they’re implemented. As for a possible release date, while the Pre-Season is well underway, a Season 1 launch could be in the cards. We’ll just have to wait and see as further details are revealed.

XDefiant June 4 update patch notes: Matchmaking & party bug fixes, more UbisoftXDefiant’s June 4 update is the second patch of Preseason, with various fixes being rolled out. Here’s everything included in the XDefiant June 4 patch notes. Like the May 24 patch, June 4’s update dropped at 6 am PT / 9 am ET. Ubisoft confirmed there will be an hour of downtime. While it’s not as major as the last one, it does fix some issues where party members with different crossplay settings enabled were not able to enter matches. Input-based matchmaking setting status now updates correctly after you change it on Xbox consoles. Here’s everything from XDefiant’s June 4 update patch notes. XDefiant June 4 update patch notes XDefiant’s Y1S0.2 patch mostly fixes issues related to in-game problems where players were having difficulties in joining lobbies or trying to matchmake with different settings enabled. It lacks any gameplay updates, movement changes, or sniper rifle nerfs as many players hoped it would have. Social While in a party, we now display the most restrictive Crossplay setting among the party members, as it applies to the whole party. Also fixed an issue where party members with differing Crossplay settings couldn’t matchmake. – Fixed an issue with displaying incorrect player names on some Social screens. – Fixed a crash caused by spamming open/close View Party Invites, but who would even do that, calm down. – On consoles, Ubisoft Connect party invites could display as if they were coming from Xbox or PlayStation Network friends. Fixed that, along with some other weird invite-related things. – Miscellaneous Fixed some missing terrain textures when players joined matches in progress on some maps. – Input-Based Matchmaking setting status now updates correctly after changing it on Xbox. – Fixed a thing on PS5 where people could sneak into places they shouldn’t via PS5 Activities. – Security improvements, various. –

XDefiant June 18 update patch notes: Weapon XP changes, Netcode fixes, MDR recoil fix, more UbisoftThe XDefiant June 18 patch includes reduced XP requirements for leveling up weapons, Netcode fixes, and more. Here’s everything in XDefiant’s Y1S0.4 patch notes. Starting June 18, leveling up weapons has become faster in XDefiant as they’ll require less XP. On the other hand, requirements for Weapon Mastery levels are increased – meaning unlocking Bronze, Silver, or Gold skins will take longer. The game’s Netcode has been slightly fixed as you’ll see an improved response when you get shot – the feeling of dying behind cover or walls should decrease. That’s not all and here’s a full breakdown of XDefiant’s Y1S0.4 patch on June 18. XDefiant June 18 update patch notes Primary weapons will now require 3000 XP instead of 3500 while secondary weapons will need 1000 XP instead of 1500 to level up. This change is retroactive which means all of your existing weapon levels will be even higher. The abnormal recoil in the MDR Firestorm skin from the battle pass has been reset to normal recoil. Below you can find the entire XDefiant Y1S0.4 patch notes by Ubisoft. Gameplay Sped up the process of unlocking weapon attachments by lowering the amount of XP needed to level up your primary weapon, from 3,500 to 3,000, and your secondary weapon, from 1,500 to 1,000. This change is retroactive, meaning your existing weapon levels will likely be even higher now. Pause for polite applause. To counterbalance this speedier access to performance-enhancing attachments–and provide a greater challenge to the community–Weapon Mastery level requirements have increased. However, any player who has already unlocked Bronze/Silver/Gold skins will get to keep them. We’re not monsters. Netcode Improved how quickly your health reacts when being shot, which should reduce the feeling of being shot behind walls. Weapons Players wielding the MDR while strutting around in the Firestorm skin were experiencing an abnormal level of recoil, which has been reset to normal recoil. So strut away. Factions Restored the decorum of lying down when dead to players who previously remained on their feet after dying while under the influence of Libertad’s Medico Supremo ultra. Miscellaneous Additional crash fixes. While Preseason is still on, check out the best meta loadout for every game mode and map in XDefiant. Our weapon tier list also shows the best guns to use in the game, so be sure to check that as well.

XDefiant June 12 update patch notes: Jump & crouch spam penalties, sniper flinch changes, more UbisoftXDefiant’s June 12 patch update has finally dropped. Ubisoft has introduced penalties for those who spam jump and crouch as well as a sniper flinch change. Here’s everything included in XDefiant Y1S0.3 patch notes. The arrival time of the new patch remains the same which is at 6 am PT or 9 am ET and a confirmed downtime of 1 hour. XDefiant’s June 12 patch is the third update during the Preseason period and brings some much-requested changes related to bunny hop and movement. Unlike the June 4 patch, this update has a lot more changes. Here’s a full breakdown of XDefiant’s Y1S0.3 patch on June 12. XDefiant June 12 update patch notes Starting with penalties, XDefiant Y1S0.3 patch nerfs jump and crouch spamming in games. Walking speed has been reduced when you are holding your breath and using long-distance scoped weapons. Sniper flinch is tweaked – the flinch is increased and keeps it going through multiple hits after getting tagged by enemy fire. The devs also changed the orientation of flags on the Liberty map. With all these changes, the update also includes several bug fixes related to Factions and Social. Below you can find the entire XDefiant Y1S0.3 patch notes by Ubisoft. Gameplay Added aiming penalties for players who go to town on the jump/crouch buttons, aka the nuanced tactic of jump spamming, aka the maddening exploit of jump spamming. Opinions vary. – Players can now push the package in Escort mode with confidence that their legs won’t detach from their torso and strand them, which was a thing that was happening. – Weapons Various fine tuning for long-distance shooting, including slightly reduced walking speed when holding your breath while wielding scoped weapons, which makes sense when you think about it. – Revamped how snipers flinch when they’re tagged by enemy fire, increasing the flinch and keeping it going through multiple hits. – Squared away a PC-specific issue where players couldn’t set ADS on toggle after completing a match and changing gameplay input. – Social Fixed an Xbox-specific issue where the Xbox button broke on the in-game Social menu after inviting a player from said console. – Fixed an issue that allowed blocked players to read your chat messages. – Tweaked the way ping is calculated in matchmaking so you’ll have access to a wider group of players who share your ping characteristics. – Players were unable to join a nearly full game in progress despite being invited by someone already in the game, but good news: Now they can. – Fixed an issue where players could join a game in progress that didn’t fit their meticulously customized controller and matchmaking settings. – Netcode Libertad’s medical skills were so potent, they were soaking up bandwidth. That’s been fixed (the bandwidth issue, not the healing potency, which remains untouched). – Factions Added additional fixes so that Echelon players turn invisible only when using the Digital Ghillie Suit rather than for their entire lives. They’re supposed to be sneaky but c’mon. – Corrected how feats of Libertad battlefield medicine are highlighted at the end of each round for well-deserved peer-group recognition. – Devices The camera used to shake when nearby explosives exploded whether the explosion caused player damage or not, but now the camera shakes only when the exploding explosive causes damage. – Maps Tweaked the orientation of flags on the Liberty map. – Miscellaneous Crash fixes, various. – Reduced the pop-up frequency of the “Banned for Toxicity” notification because you know who you are. – Fixed an issue preventing players from deploying abilities and devices after changing control input. – The Buzzkill Achievement wasn’t unlocking but now it unlocks according to plan. – Previously cosmetic items were displayed as available in some places but not in the place where you could actually get them. That’s fixed now. – That sums up XDefiant’s June 12 patch. While the Preseason will last three more weeks, Season 1 is confirmed to take over with fan-favorite Faction and map from Rainbow Six Siege, new weapons, and a lot more on July 2.

XDefiant July 31 update patch notes: Shotgun buffs, Ranked mode and Faction changes, more ActivisionAn upcoming XDefiant update finally improves one of the weakest weapon classes, adds a new game mode to Ranked, and makes a few tweaks to Faction abilities. On May 26, XDefiant players begged for a significant buff for “useless” shotguns, criticizing the weapons as too inaccurate and inconsistent bullet spread frequently resulted in missed shots. While SMGs such as the MP7 shred through enemies up close and can also engage in some medium-range engagements, most shotguns can barely do anything past 10 meters. Ubisoft took those shortcomings into account and has responded accordingly across the board. Meanwhile, XDefiant players have labeled Ranked mode as a “hilarious train wreck” due to the lack of a penalty for cheaters, games starting with full lobbies, and the absence of solo matchmaking. The development team addresses those concerns in the upcoming patch. XDefiant July 31 full patch notes The full patch notes for XDefiant’s July 31 update can be found below: Gameplay XP Boosters will no longer count down when you’re killing time in the Practice Zone. Increased vertical ADS sensitivity for controllers so that aiming up and down is more consistent with aiming left and right. Game Modes Tweaked the Ranked mode pre-game. Ranked matches now won’t start with less than 8 players. The Leave button has also been nixed from the map-voting screen to discourage players from dropping out (and Ranked matches will cancel if players manage to skedaddle during map voting). CTF mode is now available in Ranked play. Factions Echelon’s Intel Suit now only reveals enemies through walls for the player wearing it. Allies will still see enemy locations on the minimap, though. DedSec’s spiderbots were shocking target players before leaping on their faces, which wasn’t winning them fans. Now they only zap targets at the face-hugging stage of the relationship. Weapons The Rapid Fire Barrel and Muzzle Booster attachments were causing less recoil on some weapons (such as the ACR 6.8, and AK-47) when they were supposed to cause more recoil. That’s fixed. Reduced the MP7’s magazine capacity from 35 to 30 and its rate of fire from 875 to 850 rounds per minute. Updated the old iron sights that were appearing on certain LVOA-C cosmetic skins. It’s an extravaganza of shotgun balancing. Here’s the nitty-gritty of each weapon’s tuning: M870 Short range increased from 10m to 13m. – Medium range increased from 15m to 18m. – Sprint Out Time (sprint-to-shoot time) reduced from 250ms to 200ms. – Hipfire spread range reduced roughly 10 percent from 3.4-4.0 to 3.0-3.6 degrees. – Aim spread range reduced roughly 18 percent from 2.55-3.0 to 2.0-2.6 degrees. – Crouch hipfire spread range reduced from 2.89-3.4 to 2.7-3.2 degrees. – Crouch aim spread range reduced from 2.55-3.0 to 2.0-2.6 degrees. – Crouch slide, in air, and mantle hipfire spread reduced by 40 percent from 9.0-13.5 to 5.0-9.0 degrees. – Crouch slide, in air, and mantle aim spread range reduced from 3.4-3.4 to 2.5-3.0 degrees. – – AA-12 Short range increased from 7m to 10m. – Medium range increased from 10m to 13m. – Hipfire spread range reduced roughly 10 percent from 4.75-6.5 to 4.25-6.0 degrees. – Aim spread range reduced roughly 13 percent from 2.81-4.13 to 2.5-3.5 degrees. – Crouch hipfire spread range reduced from 4.04-5.53 to 3.5-5.0 degrees. – Crouch aim spread range reduced from 2.82-4.13 to 2.5-3.5 degrees. – Crouch slide, in air, and mantle hipfire spread reduced by 40 percent from 11.25-15.0 to 8.0-12.0 degrees. – Crouch slide, in air, and mantle aim spread range reduced from 3.75-3.75 to 3.0-3.5 degrees. – – Double Barrel Short range increased from 12m to 15m. – Medium range increased from 16m to 19m. – Reserve ammo increased from 12 to 16. – Crouch slide, in air, and mantle spread reduced by 40 percent from 11.13-15 to 7-11 degrees. – – Sawed-Off Shotgun Reserve ammo increased from 6 to 10. – Sprint-to-shoot time reduced from 250ms to 150ms. – Crouch slide, in air, and mantle spread reduced by 40 percent, from 11.25-15.0 to 6.68-9.0 degrees. – – The Pistol Grip and PEQ-15 Laser attachments for shotguns also had their spread Min/Max bonus reduced from 20 to 15 percent. Finally, all shotgun reticle blooms (visualized by the vertical and horizontal hash marks of the HUD reticule) are now enlarged slightly while leaping. Devices Sticky grenades now stay put rather than disappearing if the deploying player kicks the bucket. Miscellaneous The cursor no longer shifts to the main display when playing on a second monitor in fullscreen mode with the “lock mouse to game window” option turned on. Fixed an issue preventing players’ kill/death ratio from updating properly after completing matches.

XDefiant July 16 update patch notes: Spiderbot glitch fix, MP5A2 buff, and speed hack removal UbisoftXDefiant’s latest update addresses weapon and Faction balancing and a few glitches, including the troublesome Spiderbot issue that made it impossible for players to shoot them off their faces. Spiderbots are an incredibly strong Faction ability because the robots latch on to an enemy’s face and makes it impossible to see. The only way to counter Spiderbots is to aim down and shoot them off your face. However, something went wrong in the Season 1 update on July 2, as the ability no longer targeted enemies who had just been attacked by a Spiderbot and players were no longer able to shoot the robots off themselves. Ubisoft promised a fix and delivered in the most recent update. In addition, the update also addresses speed boosts which plagued lobbies and made it possible for players who abused the exploit to rack up 70-plus kill games. Let’s jump right into the official patch notes. XDefiant July 16 patch notes The full patch notes can be found below: Gameplay Fixed a delay in reloading, swapping weapons, or deploying devices caused by players rapidly tapping the Fire and Ability buttons. – Players who took advantage of a speed hack will now find themselves locked in place, which is the opposite of what they were going for. – Factions After coming to an agreement with pharmaceutical company GSK, the Team Rainbow faction will hereafter be known as GS-Kommando. Feel free to continue calling them Grenzschutzkommando as a handy time saver. – Fixed an issue where DedSec’s Spiderbots were ignoring victims previously targeted by the deploying player. Now they’ll spiderhug faces new and old with equal enthusiasm. – Players can once again shoot DedSec Spiderbots off their own faces. Not sure why; everybody loves Spiderbots. – Tuned the functionality of Echelon’s Intel Suit. Now it pulses every four seconds instead of every three. Enemies remain highlighted for 1 second instead of 2.7 seconds, so everybody pay attention. – Some abilities such as Firebomb, the Digital Ghillie Suit, and BioVida Boost weren’t always activating or occasionally stopped working. That’s fixed. – Maps Fixed a weird issue letting players exit a Times Square spawn zone early by jumping off a picture frame. – Game Modes Updated the Playlist screen to show all the available game modes. – Added menu text clarifying that the Bronze rank unlocks at the first victory. – Fixed an issue that was displaying the little padlock icon on Ranked Rewards despite players earning them fair and square. – Weapons Tuned various weapons for gameplay balance. Here are the spec changes for your records: M4A1 short-range damage increased from 17 to 18. – MDR short-range damage increased from 17 to 19. – MP5A2 medium-range damage increased from 13 to 14. Its headshot-damage multiplier increased from 1.35x to 1.4x. – The MP5A2’s short range increased from 16m to 18m. Its medium range increased from 25m to 27m. – MDR ADS speed improved from 300ms to 250ms. – M44 Sprint Out Time (sprint-to-shoot time) increased from 350ms to 400ms. – TAC-50 Sprint Out Time increased from 600ms to 625ms. – L115 sprint-shoot time increased from 550ms to 575ms. – The sniper rifles (M44, TAC-50, and L115) got a small increase in spread when shooting from the hip (as opposed to aiming via the optics). – – Improved the visual presentation of tracer fire and ammo-case ejection so both depart more accurately from their respective weapon. – Adjusted how the aiming system detects player input so that recoil recovery returns to center rather than being thrown off by unintended player jitters in the heat of combat. – Fixed a glitch that allowed players to fire automatically upon respawning if they jammed on the Fire and Sprint buttons while dying. – Audio Graphical and audio fixes, various. – Miscellaneous Corrected the Killscreen HP value (from one to zero) of players who killed other players post-mortem (via a well-placed proximity mine, incendiary rounds, or similarly persistent offensive strategies). – Previously, players with pings greater than 150ms were kept waiting an un-fun amount of time in matchmaking. We’ve improved the matchmaking parameters so their ping is assessed more frequently, which should greatly reduce matchmaking wait times. Also, players of any ping quality can now instantly jump into the Practice Zone, where they can take out their ping frustrations in a healthy and constructive way. – Crash fixes, various. –

XDefiant Founder’s Pack: What is in it and how much does it cost? UbisoftXDefiant is a free-to-play game but it does have a host of micro-transactions that you can purchase to get a head start and show off your early adoption of the Ubisoft title. XDefiant is a long-anticipated arena shooter from Ubisoft that is meant to rival Call of Duty. The game launched on May 21 and has come with a few different cosmetics and Founder Packs that you can get your hands on to show your early appreciation. If you’re wondering what’s inside the Founder’s Pack in XDefiant, our handy guide has all the information you need. Contents How many Founder’s Packs are there in XDefiant? XDefiant has a total of three Founder’s Packs for you to buy. These packs offer various items like exclusive character and weapon cosmetics, factions unlocks, and more in-game. Here’s a rundown of every Founder’s Pack in the game: Founder’s Pack – Founder’s Pack Elite – Founder’s Pack Ultimate – These packs include cosmetics, XP boosts, and extra in-game currency. You have the option to enjoy the entirety of the game without spending a dime. However, it will require some serious grinding to unlock everything. Every Founder’s Pack in XDefiant? Here is every Founder’s Pack offered on release in the game in detail: How to buy Founder’s Packs in XDefiant? Buying Founder’s Packs in XDefiant is quite simple and can be done in a matter of a few steps. Log into XDefiant – Scroll over to the shop – Select the Founder’s Pack you want to purchase – Click “Buy Now” – Ubisoft has not said how long these will remain in the game’s shop, though they’re likely to disappear once the game exits the beta stage. XDefiant preview | XDefiant system requirements | XDefiant: Gameplay, platforms & everything we know | Will XDefiant feature a battle royale mode? | Is XDefiant crossplay

All XDefiant Factions & abilities: The Division, Far Cry, Splinter Cell & more UbisoftXDefiant‘s characters are broken up into Factions, each of which is based on a different Ubisoft IP. Here’s everything you need to know about XDefiant Factions, their abilities, and what they’re based on. As well as choosing the best weapons to take into combat, and deciding on your ideal loadout, you’ll have to pick a Faction in XDefiant. These are select groups of characters from other Ubisoft franchises that have unique abilities that impact their playstyle. If you’re curious about the differences between each Faction, we’ve got all the information you need right here. What are Factions in XDefiant? Factions in XDefiant are groups of agents. These agents or characters hail from different games made by Ubisoft, including Far Cry 6, Watch Dogs 2, and Tom Clancy universe games The Division and Splinter Cell. In XDefiant, these Factions take on different roles on the battlefield – like healers, intel gatherers, hackers, and more. You can also switch between these Factions mid-game, but that requires you to get eliminated first. How many Factions are there? There are a total of six Factions in XDefiant as of Season 1. This number will grow as time goes on, with Ubisoft already announcing new factions, so we’ll update this article as soon as they’re announced. Here’s a rundown of all six factions and their roles: Cleaners: The Pyro Technicians (The Division) – Echelon: The Super Spies (Splinter Cell) – Libertad: The Freedom Fighters (Far Cry 6) – Phantoms: The Future Soldiers (Ghost Recon Phantoms) – DedSec: The Cyber Attackers (Watch Dogs 2) – GSK: The Siege Specialists (Rainbow Six Siege) – Each of these Factions is equipped with various abilities and powers, which we have detailed below. As for future Factions, Ubisoft confirmed in a pre-release roadmap that it plans to add four more in the first year. The first of those four is the GSK, from Ubisoft’s other multiplayer title, Rainbow Six Siege. No details have been revealed about the other three so far, but the codenames for the four Factions are as follows: Ruby, Buzz, Orchard, and Horde. Given that there are huge Ubisoft IPs not represented in the game so far, we expect to see franchises like Assassin’s Creed join XDefiant down the line. All Faction abilities explained Cleaners Active Abilities: Firebomb, Incinerator Drone – Passive Trait: Incendiary Rounds – Ultra Ability: The Purifier – Cleaners are the Pyro Technicians of XDefiant, hailing from The Division’s universe. They are quite fiery as their equipment can burn everything in their path. Cleaners’ active abilities are the Incinerator Drone and Firebomb. The Incinerator Drone travels in a fixed path of 30 feet and deals burn damage to everything in the way. It also explodes on impact and has a cooldown of 30 seconds. The Firebomb detonates a Molotov cocktail that ignites an area of 20 feet and lasts for 5 seconds, causing explosive damage. It also had a cooldown of 30 seconds. Their passive trait, Incendiary Rounds, adds to the burn damage but comes at the cost of reduced bullet range. Their ultra ability, The Purifier, brings out a flamethrower that can burn enemies thoroughly within a 20-foot range and lasts for 12 seconds if the entire fuel is used. Echelon Active Abilities: Digital Ghillie Suit, Intel Suit – Passive Trait: Low Profile – Ultra Ability: Sonar Goggles – Echelons are the Super Spies from Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell franchise. Their active abilities are Digital Ghillie Suit and Intel Suit. The Digital Ghillie Suit makes them nearly invisible and the effect lasts for 10 seconds with a 30-second cooldown. If you move and aim while the Digital Ghillie Suit is on, the effect gets reduced slightly. Intel Suit reveals the position of enemies within a 30-foot radius, using periodic sonar waves and lasts for 15 seconds. The cooldown period for this ability is also 30 seconds. Echelon’s passive trait, Low Profile, keeps them undetected in the opponent’s minimap. Their ultra ability, Sonar Goggles, reveals enemies and hunts them down using Sam Fisher’s iconic 5.7 pistol. It can 1 shot kill to the head or 3 shot kill to the body and the range remains unchanged throughout the entire range of the map and lasts for 12 seconds. Libertad Active Abilities: BioVida Boost, El Remedio – Passive Trait: Espíritu de Libertad – Ultra Ability: Médico Supremo – The Libertads hail from Far Cry 6 and are the healers or medics in XDefiant. Their active abilities are BioVida Boost and El Remedio. BioVida Boost acts as a fortifying health boost that regenerates you and your allies’ health within 65 feet to 120 and lasts for 5 seconds. El Remedio heals you and your teammates at a rate of 12 health per 0.45 seconds and for a longer duration of 25 seconds or until it’s destroyed. It covers a radius of 25 feet and has a 30-second cooldown. Their passive trait, Espíritu de Libertad, heals you and nearby allies (within 15 feet) by 10 health points. The ultra ability, Médico Supremo, provides a large health boost for 10 seconds and has a radius of 10 feet. Phantoms Active Abilities: Blitz Shield, Mag Barrier – Passive Trait: Hardened – Ultra Ability: Aegis – The Future Soldiers from Ghost Recon Phantoms are the epitome of defense in XDefiant. Their active abilities are Blitz Shield and Mag Barrier. Blitz Shield equips a tactical shield and you can even use it to bash enemies by pressing the melee button. It stays up for 25 seconds and comes with a 15-second cooldown. Mag Barrier deploys an electromagnetic barrier of 470 HP and blocks enemy fire and projectiles like grenades. Hardened is the passive trait that increases Phantoms’ HP to 120, while their ultra ability, Aegis, creates a spherical plasma shield with a point-blank electro scattergun that is perfect for close-range combat. Aegis lasts for 15 seconds and has a 20-foot radius. DedSec Active Abilities: Hijack, Spiderbot – Passive Trait: Fabricator – Ultra Ability: Lockout – The DedSec faction are Cyber Attackers from Watch Dogs 2, and you guessed it right – they can hack opponents’ gadgets, causing them to backfire as a surprise element. Their active abilities are Hijack and Spiderbot. Hijack hacks the abilities of enemies and makes them your own. It has a cooldown of 30 seconds. Spiderbot deploys a small spider that targets the nearest enemy, sticks to their face, and stuns them for 5 seconds. The entire duration of the Spiderbot is 20 seconds and comes with a 25-second cooldown. DedSec’s passive trait, Fabricator, prints a new device every 15 seconds. Lockout, the ultimate ability, disables enemies’ minimap and abilities for 20 seconds. During Preseason, DedSec is the only Faction that players need to unlock. If you’re wondering how to do that, our guide here has got you covered. GSK Active Abilities: Shock Wire, ADS – Passive Trait: Hard Hat – Ultra Ability: Flash Shield – The GSK faction is a conglomeration of Operators from R6 and are great at holding down an area thanks to their active abilities, Shock Wire and ADS. Shock Wire drops electrified barbed wire that damages and entangles enemies. Players caught in the wires can be picked off with ease. The ADS ability stops incoming grenades and other utility thrown by enemies in its range. GSK’s passive trait reduces the “lethality of enemy headshots,” as the Faction’s headgear stops shots to the head in their tracks. Players cannot be one-shot by snipers while running this Faction, but do not have a health increase like Phantoms. The GSK Faction was introduced at the start of Season 1 and can be unlocked by spending 1,000 XCoins or completing the GSK Challenge, which is earning 700,000 XP.

XDefiant: All Faction characters & how to unlock them UbisoftXDefiant players can unlock Faction characters through a variety of hero-specific challenges; here’s everything you need to know. Ubisoft’s XDefiant includes five different Factions, each one inspired by an existing property – The Division, Far Cry 6, Ghost Recon Phantoms, Splinter Cell, and Watch Dogs. XDefiant kicked off its pre-season on May 21 with three playable heroes assigned to each Faction. All of them, barring Watch Dogs’ DedSec, have at least one character available to use automatically. Here’s a breakdown of every character in the shooter and how to unlock them. Contents Who are the Faction characters in XDefiant? As of the pre-season, the Ubisoft title plays host to 15 different characters, all spread across the five Factions. They include the following: Cleaners (The Division) De Rosa – Green – Kersey – – Libertad (Far Cry 6) Beto – Iselda – Seleste – – Phantoms (Ghost Recon Phantoms) Gorgon – Rhino – Singa – – Echelon (Splinter Cell) Malee – Rafa – Samir – – DedSec (Watch Dogs) Gia – Jing – Sebastian – – How to unlock Faction characters Ignoring DedSec, all XDefiant Factions automatically give players access to one character, specifically De Rosa, Iselda, Singa, and Malee. The rest must be unlocked by completing the following gameplay challenges assigned to each hero: Cleaners Green – Get 50 Kills with Incinerator Drone – Kersey – Get 50 Kills with Firebomb – – Libertad Beto – Heal 5,000 to Allies with BioVida Boost – Seleste – Heal 5,000 to Allies with El Remedio – – Phantoms Gorgon – Block 10,000 Damage with Mag Barrier – Rhino – Get 25 Kills with Blitz Shield – – Echelon Rafa – Get 50 Intel Suit Spot Assists – Samir – Get 100 Kills While Using Digital Ghillie Suit – – To track progress on the above challenges, players can click on the main menu’s ‘Challenges’ option, tab over to ‘Base,’ and then scroll down to the ‘Faction Characters’ section. Meanwhile, there are currently two ways to unlock the DedSec characters. Players can either pay 1,000 XCoins (the equivalent of $10) or earn 700,000 XP from playing the game. That’s our guide on how to unlock all XDefiant faction characters. Be sure to check out the best controller settings and best PC settings to get an upper hand in the game. You can also stay updated by checking XDefiant’s current server status and checking out the one-year roadmap Ubisoft has planned for the game.

xDefiant dominates Twitch debut with more viewers than Call of Duty UbisoftXDefiant is currently dominating the Twitch charts, even topping Call of Duty despite the game being in closed beta access. Ubisoft is making its return to the competitive FPS genre once again with its newest title XDefiant, set within the Tom Clancy universe. Straight out of the box, XDefiant has turned many heads, with fans calling it a “promising competitor” to Call of Duty. Despite it only being in its closed beta stages, the game already delivers a slew of features that have been missing from CoD over the past few titles, many of which the community has pleaded to be added for years. Notably, players have praised Ubisoft for XDefiant for its fast and fluid movement, its slew of bright-colored maps, as well as having no skill-based matchmaking. More importantly, players are impressed with its fun “arcade-like” gameplay that also gives a nostalgic feeling. XDefiant closed beta dominates Twitch viewership It’s fair to say XDefiant is definitely getting the recognition it deserves, with the game currently dominating Twitch viewership — already overtaking Call of Duty. XDefiant has quickly shot up to the top of the Twitch directory, just two days after the closed beta launch. Maintaining roughly 50,000 viewers, the first-person shooter has already beaten the viewership of both Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2 combined. While the numbers are certainly close, at the time of writing, XDefiant sits comfortably at 45k viewers on Twitch. Meanwhile, Warzone and Modern Warfare 2 maintain just 31k and 11k viewers respectively. “This is just brutal. XDefiant Closed Beta has more viewers than Warzone and MW2 combined,” one fan wrote. XDefiant is expected to be released later in 2023, but it already seems to be a recipe for success — as long as the Ubisoft devs deliver on having strong communication with players. If you’re struggling to wait for the game’s full release, you can try your luck and sign up for a chance to play through the closed beta.

XDefiant devs tease 24/7 playlist for game’s best maps to grind XP on UbisoftA lead XDefiant developer has teased that a 24/7 map playlist could come to the first-person shooter in the future. In a June 1 post on Twitter/X, XDefiant Executive Producer Mark Rubin teased that a 24/7 playlist could be in the works. The dev started a poll and asked the community if they’d rather see a 24/7 mode for a single map, such as Arena, or a few smaller-sized maps including Nudleplex and Pueblito, lumped into a 24/7 playlist. The majority of players would like to see several maps in a 24/7 playlist according to the poll, with 44.5% of the community choosing the option at the time of writing. A single map playlist comes in at second with 38.5% of the votes, while the remaining 17% of players chose the option for the devs not to bother. For the most part, many still encouraged the devs to consider a 24/7 playlist for the map Arena based on The Division 2. “Arena 24/7 and please keep it for awhile,” said one. “Arena only, such a good map,” another added.” “More options is best, but specific things like arena 24/7 is the key to feeding those hardcore players,” one player explained. Another suggested a slightly different idea from the rest, proposing the devs change the 24/7 map every day to add some variety. It’s clear that there’s a lot on the radar for the Ubisoft devs. They’ve promised players a massive fix to the frustrating hit registration issues, claiming it’s a “top priority” amid player backlash. Players have also called for numerous changes, especially to the bunny hop movement mechanic that is “ruining games,” according to some. Many believe some weapons desperately need tweaks, with demands for the “ridiculously overpowered” snipers to be nerfed, while at the same time wanting a buff to the “useless” shotguns.

XDefiant devs rush emergency fix as Season 1 update tanks PS5 performance UbisoftXDefiant players on PS5 are in luck as developers have rushed out an emergency patch in light of devastating performance issues that snuck in through the Season 1 update. While XDefiant’s hotly-anticipated Season 1 update introduced a wealth of new content to Ubisoft’s FPS, it also brought with it some unwelcome and unplanned issues. The already controversial Spiderbot ability only became more powerful, a problem devs are well aware of an looking to rectify in “the next non-emergency patch.” Though even more damaging was a hit to performance for those on PS5. Players on the console immediately began reporting issues upon Season 1’s launch on July 2. Frame rate was severely impacted by the major update, as hundreds of players flocked to social media to have their voices heard. Two days later, and in an emergency update on Independence Day, these issues have allegedly been stamped out. XDefiant Executive Producer Mark Rubin broke news of the update late on July 4, revealing devs had been hard at work through the American holiday. “We were able to do a quick patch for PS5 that is live now,” he confirmed. “It improves the situation for those running at 60hz who were having major frame spikes.” While the rushed patch “should be better” than before, Rubin did clarify the issue isn’t completely in the rearview mirror. XDefiant players on PS5 can expect a “full fix for both 60hz and 120hz” in the week starting July 7, so not a long wait. “As soon as we can get it through testing and cert,” the full resolution will be implemented. Further explaining the situation in a thread on X (formerly Twitter), Rubin stressed how this emergency fix came out “lightning fast.” Considering devs have to “find the bug, fix the bug, test the bug, then send it to Sony so they can test the bug, then schedule a roll-out,” it certainly was a huge effort, especially on a national holiday.

XDefiant devs confirm Team Deathmatch mode is coming after constant requests UbisoftXDefiant devs have confirmed that the heavily requested Team Deathmatch mode is coming to the game soon. Ubisoft’s free-to-play FPS XDefiant has been a surprising hit reaching player counts of over half a million despite some early server issues. There’s an unmistakable appeal to piloting famous factions from the Ubisoft library and pitting them against one another. Of course, in the free-to-play FPS market, one of the most important things to get right is a method of keeping players engaged over time. Fortunately, XDefiant has a pretty solid Roadmap that looks to build on the available content with new factions and weapons slowly rolling in. To add to that suite of new content, the team behind XDefiant is also introducing new game modes — and devs have confirmed Team Deathmatch mode will arrive sooner rather than later. In a recent interview on IGN Live, Executive Producer Mark Rubin affirmed that Ubisoft’s aim was to bolster the long-term health of the game. Part of this is the implementation of Team Deathmatch in XDefiant, which he expanded on further. “One of the things players have been asking for in the two-and-a-half weeks that we’ve been live is a TDM mode,” Rubin said. “So, we’ll be seeing that in a couple of weeks.” Early leaks had revealed the potential inclusion of a Team Deathmatch mode for XDefiant, among others. This announcement was the first official confirmation that we would see the game mode. It will be interesting to see how it shakes up the strategy of the game with different meta builds already existing for the current suite of modes. It might also cause players to rethink their stance on certain maps, which may feel better to play with a new objective. There’s been no announcement regarding a concrete date so for now, we’ll have to trust Rubin on his estimate of a “couple of weeks.” We’ll be sure to provide an update when things are a little more clear.

XDefiant devs confirm Spiderbot fix coming in next Season 1 patch UbisoftSpiderbots have been in an awkward place in XDefiant Season 1, but the developers have assured players changes are coming in the next patch. At the start of the season, players noticed they could no longer shoot the Spiderbot ability off themselves once it latched onto their faces. This caused an outcry across social media as the DeadSec ability became incredibly annoying. Mark Rubin, Executive Producer of XDefiant, explained shortly after the new season went live that the ability to shoot Spiderbots once latched on was actually a bug. The developers intended for players to melee the ability off by timing a punch once the bot started its leap. However, players liked being able to shoot the ability and the developers kept the bug in. That is until a fix unintentionally shipped with the big Season 1 update. Rubin explained that the team would revert the fix in the next update. XDefiant had a small patch hit servers on July 9 that fixed ranked issues and addressed performance issues on the PS5. However, the Spiderbot change was not included according to a post from the game’s official social media account. The post reiterated Rubin’s statement and also announced that the devs are working on a way Spiderbot change that makes it easier to remove. Players seemed excited about the upcoming change in the replies to the post, with some hoping to get some clarity on when the patch with the Spiderbot tweak will hit live servers. Ubisoft has yet to announce a specific date for the next big update for the FPS game. It should be coming soon, though, as the game usually gets some kind of balance change patch every few weeks, and Season 1 went live on July 2.

XDefiant devs confirm sniper rifles are getting a huge nerf UbisoftXDefiant devs have confirmed to players that sniper rifles will be getting a huge nerf in a future patch. Ubisoft’s first-person shooter XDefiant has taken over the genre since its release in late May, competing with Call of Duty for players with its core gameplay being alike. However, the devs have come under fire for various aspects of the game, especially sniper rifles which some deemed as “ridiculously overpowered” while others called them “cheesy.” The game’s executive director Mark Rubin confirmed in a June 1 post on X that sniper rifles will see some changes. The dev admitted that snipers are a “bit buggy” in their current state when responding to concerns. Players pleaded for Ubisoft not to ruin the capability of being able to one-shot enemies with a sniper, to which Rubin confirmed that the team is working on adding flinch rather than nerfing the weapon. “Right now we are adding flinch so if you are taking hits you can’t just turn, point, click, and delete people. Should be in an upcoming patch,” said the dev. In the slew of complaints across the game’s subreddit, players mainly criticized the lack of flinch when being shot and no movement punishment—which made some feel like it’s impossible to compete against opponents using snipers. It’s unclear when we’ll see the update hit the live servers. XDefiant’s first update arrived just a few days after the game’s launch. And while it didn’t bring any significant changes, the patch fixed several pressing issues. XDefiant is still in its preseason, with season one expected to release in early July, where we’ll see the addition of several new maps and weapons, along with a whole new faction.

XDefiant devs confirm Prestige system & progression overhaul in the works UbisoftXDefiant’s mastery system is getting some drastic shake-ups in response to weapon leveling getting some buffs, making it much harder to truly max out a weapon and get those mastery skins. However, these changes are also meant to pave the way for a Prestige system. Progression beyond weapon unlocks and camos in XDefiant is pretty limited, and something that players have been asking for some big upgrades to keep them engaged. This is why the devs’ choice to reduce the rate of weapon mastery progression was a controversial one. Rubin explained why the team decided to raise the level requirements across the board for weapon mastery in their set of changes to weapon leveling. “Attachments for weapons affect gameplay. And people were unlocking attachments slower than we estimated. The faster leveling is in response to that. Weapon Mastery, on the other hand, does not affect gameplay and is supposed to be something special that shows off your dedication to a weapon. And so the re-balance of levels was in response to that.” So, while the weapon mastery levels being substantially raised seems like it will make getting that gold skin much harder, the reality is that it’s a “sidegrade” due to sped-up weapon progression. This is just part of a continued effort to give players much more to do once they’ve gone through all the weapon unlocks. “Prestige is coming. A new version of weapon mastery is coming. And other forms of progression are coming,” Rubin claimed. Though it went under the radar at the time, Prestige in XDefiant was confirmed months ago. Back in January 2024, far before XDefiant’s actual release date, Rubin claimed that Prestige would have a “yearly” system at the time to try and keep things fresh. “We want to have the classic prestige system but we also recognize that while games like CoD you get a new set of prestiges every year (ala new game), and we are a game designed to last for years so looking at possibly yearly prestiges.” Though some players aren’t too happy with XDefiant’s current offering when it comes to overall progression, the devs are working on ways to reward the game’s biggest fans.

XDefiant devs claim fixing hit registration is “top priority” amid player backlash UbisoftXDefiant’s launch has been marred by poor hit registration and netcode for many, and devs have now responded to players’ complaints. They admitted that the systems need “improvements,” but noted that it may take a while to see any real changes. XDefiant Executive Producer Mark Rubin has been very active on Twitter/X, responding to dozens of players who have experienced issues with their shots landing on target but not registering properly. Rubin addressed the problem directly in a tweet on May 25, where he had this to say: “Netcode & Hitreg. A lot of people talking about it and we are listening. We are working on improvements. There are 1000+ things that can affect netcode and we need to investigate and fix each and every one. So it will take time but we will see improvements.” It isn’t clear just how long it’ll take, but Rubin detailed ways that the dev team is planning to tackle the issue. One of the biggest solutions is adding more server locations to smooth out the experience for players who have connection issues. “We are not dismissing the issues and this is our top priority,” Rubin said in response to a player. “We can find ways to decrease the affect of lost packets on players through optimization and efficiency and we can add more server locations to try and reduce the internet distance from players to servers which can help reduce issues in internet quality.” Rubin suspects this will help massively with the hit registration issues, with him explaining why players are having problems using an analogy. “Think about the internet like driving. To go from your house to one location may take 5 mins with no traffic, but driving somewhere else may take 30 mins with lots of traffic. It’s not your car’s fault (i.e. your internet). Adding more locations might help that.” While only time will tell how much adding more server locations will help, XDefiant players he replied to were grateful that Rubin has acknowledged these issues and that the team is working toward solutions.

XDefiant devs address “grueling” XP grind & weapon leveling UbisoftProgression has been a major complaint amongst the XDefiant community, but the good news is it’s under evaluation by the development team. XDefiant’s been on a tear since its arrival, with Ubisoft’s 6v6 hero shooter amassing an impressive player count on launch week. Fans have loved the game’s take on fast-paced action, with some citing it reminds them of the early days of Call of Duty. The game’s launch hasn’t been without its faults. Hit registration, snipers, and bunny hopping have been pain points for the community. One of the biggest gripes has been player progression with weapons and the Battle Pass. Since launch, there have been two double weapon XP weekends that have saved an absolutely “grueling” weapon grind. Good news though for the community, change seems to be in the works. XDefiant’s Executive Producer Mark Rubin simply stated “Yes, we are” in response to a player inquiry on XP evaluation across weapons and the Battle Pass. With multiple double XP weekends hitting the game, they’ve become the standard players hope to see with the changes Rubin shared. Many loved Rubin’s answer, citing their appreciation for constant “clear communication” with the community with Rubin at the forefront of discussion regarding changes coming. On the other hand, XP balancing is a fine line, as some argued increasing the gains may make the game “easier.” How the devs balance it will be tricky, but any change is exactly what the community is looking for. XDefiant is still in its Preseason, which is scheduled to end sometime in July. Major changes like XP adjustments may be a possible highlight of the game’s first season. Until then, a possible 24/7 playlist or a few rounds of Hot Shot may help the grind be a bit more manageable.

XDefiant dev reveals when bunny hopping changes will finally come UbisoftXDefiant dev Mark Rubin has revealed when players will find some much-requested changes related to bunny hopping, weapons, and other annoyances in-game. While the June 4 patch update was relatively smaller, XDefiant’s Executive Producer Mark Rubin posted on X/Twitter that “next week’s patch will be the one to look out for” as it will have multiple gameplay changes. He posted this shortly after the June 4 patch and, since XDefiant patches mostly come on Tuesdays, we know that this highly-anticipated update will arrive on June 11. Rubin has also mentioned bunny hopping in his post, a movement mechanic that has left XDefiant players frustrated. June 11’s update will also change how Sniper Flinch works in-game. Previously, the devs confirmed sniper rifles will be nerfed majorly, so June 11’s update might be the one to look out for as players highly demanded to nerf “ridiculously overpowered” snipers. If that happens, we will update our weapons tier list accordingly. Screen shake from grenades will also be tweaked to make the gameplay smoother. The former Call of Duty dev has also addressed gameplay changes will include hit registration and netcode issues. Fixing this problem has been a “top priority” for the devs after backlash as players deemed it bad enough to “kill” the game. Unlike other issues, fixing hit registration problems takes longer as several factors come into consideration. Rubin added: “Remember with hitreg and netcode no “one” change will fix everything but we will keep making improvements.” This isn’t the only big change teased for the future, as several leaks point towards new game modes like Capture the Flag, Search and Destroy, and more being added. The devs have even teased specific 24/7 playlists with the best maps for you to get the maximum XP on.

XDefiant dev has good news about the future of killstreaks in the game UbisoftThe XDefiant devs have given their insight into the possible addition of killstreaks into the multiplayer FPS. While the game launched with plenty of the bells and whistles that allow it to compete with the likes of Call of Duty, this is a feature that was oddly missing and prompted the community to wonder if they would be coming. It looks like there are discussions being had among the dev team, as executive producer Mark Rubin has referenced on social media. The mention to XDefiant killstreaks came in response to a fan proposing the addition of scorestreaks being introduced into the game as abilities that cause minor influences to a match. Rubin responded, explaining that Ultras are already a kind of scorestreak in the game while also commenting on killstreaks, saying: “It’s something we are discussing and will try and find ways to better reward in game play.” It’s clear that the devs recognize that there isn’t enough incentive to get killstreaks. Currently, players will get a notification telling them they’re on a streak and a handful of XP to commemorate it. Call of Duty has made killstreaks an integral part of its gameplay, with the most powerful rewards given out for the longest streaks. So when XDefiant launched without them, it raised some eyebrows in the playerbase. Largely, the XDefiant community understands where the devs are coming from and have their own ideas for how these rewards could be implemented. One user comments: “Extra perks or buffing perks when you go on kill streaks seems nice.” This wouldn’t give a person an extra ability but just enhance what they already have to give a slight edge. It could work as a way to give a player that incentive to get a streak, but not completely alter a match like some of the higher-tier COD killstreaks do.

XDefiant dev finally responds to bunny hopping complaints UbisoftAn XDefiant developer has finally given an update on the frustrating bunny hop movement mechanic that is ruining games. One of the biggest complaints in XDefiant is the use of bunny hopping. This frustrating movement mechanic makes hitting targets incredibly difficult, especially when you’re aiming for those all-important headshots. Bunny hopping and slide canceling have been integral parts of many FPS, with them being staples of CoD skill expression for years. However, the XDefiant community believes bunny hopping doesn’t belong in Ubisoft’s free-to-play FPS. Well, the developers feel the same way and have now provided an update on this annoying movement mechanic. XDefiant developer Patrick Price has updated players on bunny hopping, one of the most controversial movement mechanics. Posting on X, Price outlined how they aim to penalize those who abuse this frustrating movement mechanic. “We do intend to penalize players for too many repeated jumps & crouches by adding aim sway. This was disabled after our tests while we made some needed improvements and unfortunately did not make it in time for launch,” explained the Ubisoft dev. “But rest assured we will get this in as soon as possible. We absolutely want players to use all mechanics in our game and not feel restricted – but there’s a sweet spot between intended use and spam and we want to get that right.” So far, XDefiant’s release has been extremely positive. In fact, casual and competitive FPS players have been enjoying the game’s simplicity and lack of SBMM. The community has also praised the devs for their transparency on the game’s issues – for example, lead XDefiant developer Mark Rubin confirming that a hitbox fix is being worked on. Quite when the XDefiant bunny hopping nerf will go live remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Ubisoft has heard the community. In the meantime, be sure to use the best SMGs and best ARs to eliminate any bunny hoppers before they can get the drop on you.

XDefiant dev explains what went wrong with Spiderbots in Season 1 update UbisoftXDefiant players loaded up the new season on July 2 and found they could no longer shoot Spiderbots off their faces like they could in the preseason. The game’s executive producer has explained on social media what exactly went wrong and how Ubisoft will fix the issue. The DeadSec Faction ability was heavily nerfed in the Season 1 update, as its cooldown was almost doubled. The ability also no longer targets enemies who have just been attacked by a Spiderbot. However, players soon discovered that they could no longer shoot the ability off themselves, which is the easiest way to get rid of the pesky bot, following the update. Even with the nerfs to the ability, players found it almost impossible to deal with Spiderbots in their games as they seem almost invincible, Mark Rubin, the EP for XDefiant, explained on social media on July 3 that players were not supposed to be able to shoot Spiderbots off their faces and that the mechanic was actually a bug. “However, there was also a bug in that meleeing them was way harder than it was supposed to be. So we wanted to keep the bug of shooting them off your own face in the game until we fixed other spiderbot issues,” Rubin said. He explained that the dev team accidentally shipped a fix to the bug in the Season 1 update and that the fix would be reverted in the next “non-emergency patch.” So players will still have to deal with the annoying ability for at least a few days, as another patch is not expected to hit servers this week. To counter the ability until then, players will either have to shoot the bot while it is still on the ground or learn the exact timing to melee it out of the air when it tries to latch on. The XDefiant dev also promised even more changes for Spiderbots in the future as the team tries to find an “easier and clearer way to get them off your own face” other than shooting it or a well-timed melee. The Season 1 update has brought even more changes to the Ubisoft game outside of Spiderbot issues, so check out what else has been added to the game, like the three new weapons, a new Faction, and a new map.

XDefiant dev claps back at players who say they do “nothing” to fix the game UbisoftXDefiant’s executive producer has slammed the community for being impatient while the devs work on fixing up the game. XDefiant couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for Ubisoft, as the first-person shooter launched to a reported record-breaking debut for the publisher. However, despite that initial success, there’s been a slew of growing concerns over the game’s number of issues. Particularly, many players are frustrated with “insufferable” movement mechanics, with some corners of the community calling the shooter a “hopfest” as players can spam jump with no punishment. Despite the devs acknowledging the issue and confirming they’re working on a fix, frustrations continue to grow. “Nobody wants a shooter with kangaroos and bunny rabbits. What happened to just gunfights and reaction time? Everyone always exploits and ruins it and the devs do nothing,” a player hit out on social media. The complaint prompted a response from XDefiant’s executive producer Mark Rubin, who lashed out explaining changes can’t happen instantly. “What are you smoking? We said we are fixing,” Rubin hit back. “You think there is some magic button that just instantly changes everything in a matter of minutes.” “We have to make the changes then we have to test the patch (3 days) then it has to be scheduled for platform testing. Takes time,” he explained. The devs have already committed to fixing various aspects of the game, with XDefiant’s first update arriving just a few days after the launch, bringing FPS improvements and other stability fixes. However, there’s a long list growing for the Ubisoft team, with numerous changes expected after demands from the community — especially when it comes to the “ridiculously overpowered” sniper rifles and lack of flinch.

XDefiant Server Test Session: End date, rewards & more UbisoftThe Server Test Session of Ubisoft’s free-to-play online shooter XDefiant is now live. We’ve got all the details including its end date and what to expect. XDefiant is Ubisoft’s take on the undisputed powerhouse that is the Call of Duty FPS franchise. Featuring abilities and characters from Tom Clancy’s universe, it’ll be completely free to play at launch. Ubisoft is now moving ahead with a Server Test Session of the game that will be open to players across all current-gen platforms. They can experience the chaos of Ubisoft’s online FPS shooter for themselves. If you’re wondering what the Server Test Session will look like and how to play it, here’s everything you need to know. Contents What is XDefiant? XDefiant is a free-to-play, first-person arena shooter made by Ubisoft. Characters from different franchises of Ubisoft like Rainbow Six collide here, where some belong to Tom Clancy’s universe itself. It features fast-paced gameplay where players face each other head-to-head in 6v6 online matches. Once you check the trailer out, you may find some subtle similarities with games like Call of Duty. When does XDefiant Server Test Session end? XDefiant’s Server Test Session will end on April 21, 2024, at 4 pm PT. Initially, it was planned to end at 10 am PT / 6 pm BST but devs extended the test period by 6 hours. The Server Test Session kicked off on April 19, 2024, and was scheduled to run for 2 days. How to play XDefiant Server Test Session To play for the Server Test Session, you just need to access the store on the platform of your choice that XDefiant is available on. However, if you are unaware of the process, simply follow these steps once it’s ready to go: Head over to your platform’s store. – Search for XDefiant. – Click to download it. – Wait for it to download and then get playing! – All XDefiant Server Test Session rewards Ubisoft has outlined three rewards for players who’ll play the Server Test Session: Play in the test: MP5 Shamrock Weapon Skin – Play in a Party: M9 Ember Weapon Skin – Reach Level 18: 3x Weapon XP Boosters – These items will be available to use on the first day of XDefiant’s launch if you can complete these challenges within the scheduled time. XDefiant Server Test Session platforms The Server Test Session is only available on the current-gen platforms including – PlayStation 5, Xbox Series XlS, and PC with full crossplay support. This means if you and your friends are on different platforms but want to queue up and enjoy together, you can do that. Fortunately, the game will also be available for last-gen consoles at launch but that’s not the case with the Server Test Session in April. For more on XDefiant, check our other guides below: How to add & invite friends on XDefiant | All XDefiant Factions and their abilities | Best XDefiant controller settings: Aim assist, sensitivity, more | XDefiant system requirements | Is XDefiant crossplay?

How to complete XDefiant Challenges: All objectives & rewards UbisoftXDefiant gives you a bunch of challenges to complete. While some unlock new weapons and characters, others give you that much-needed XP. So, here are all the challenges available in XDefiant. Much like Call of Duty, most of XDefiant’s content is locked behind Challenges. So, completing them makes it even more important to unlock the best weapons and devices, which are considered ‘meta.’ The best thing about completing these challenges is that you also complete the Pre-season battle pass, which unlocks many enticing rewards. What are Challenges in XDefiant? In XDefiant, Challenges are nothing but objectives that you need to complete. They come in three types: Major Challenges – Base Challenges – Daily Challenges – Major Challenges are the game’s biggest objectives that unlock Factions and take longer than the other two. Base Challenges are relatively smaller – completing them unlocks different weapons, devices, and other characters from every Faction. Daily Challenges, as the name suggests, change every 24 hours. They are fairly easy to complete and reward you with 5000, 7500, or 10000 XP, depending upon the challenges. All Major Challenges in XDefiant In Preseason, there’s only one Major Challenge to get 700,000 XP. Completing this challenge unlocks the DedSec Faction, the group of notorious hacktivists from the Watchdogs 2 universe. All Base Challenges in XDefiant Here are all the Base Challenges to complete in XDefiant: Weapons Devices Faction Characters Completing these challenges is as necessary as getting the right loadout before hopping onto the arena. If you’re a hardcore rifler, check our best ACR 6.8 and AK-47 loadouts. These are two of the best assault rifles right now. If you fancy close-range combat, check our best MP7 and Vector .45 ACP loadouts. These two are the meta SMGs right now in XDefiant.

How to check XDefiant Career Stats: Kills, wins, playtime, more UbisoftSince the closed beta in August 2023, XDefiant has changed the stats it tracks and how to find them. Here’s how to access this information in the game. Players in competitive online shooters want to access their in-game stats easily. Titles like Call of Duty have set certain expectations in this regard, and Ubisoft’s XDefiant is following in its footsteps courtesy of a baked-in Career Stats page. As such, XDefiant users should have no problem finding the stats that keep track of their Kill/Death Ratio, wins, playtime, and other relevant information. Here is a rundown of how to find stats-related details in-game. How to check Career Stats in XDefiant Players can access their personal stats page from the free-to-play shooter’s main menu screen. After booting up XDefiant, users across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms can follow the steps below: Tab over to the ‘Profile’ page situated just below the main menu’s XDefiant logo – Under ‘Your Profile,’ click on the box labeled ‘Career Stats’ – The stats window will open, revealing several pieces of pertinent information – The Career Stats section breaks down the following performance stats: Win/Loss Ratio, Kill/Death Ratio, Score/Minute, and Average Skill Rating. The ‘Playtime’ box additionally keeps users apprised of how much time they spend with each of XDefiant’s five factions, which include The Division’s Cleaners, Splinter Cell’s Echelon, Far Cry 6’s Libertad, Ghost Recon’s Phantoms, and DedSec from the Watch Dogs series. That’s how to access Career Stats in Ubisoft’s XDefiant. For more on the game, check out the guides linked below: All XDefiant maps and game modes | XDefiant system requirements: Minimum & recommended PC specs | How to get XDefiant Twitch drops | Will XDefiant feature a battle royale mode? | Does XDefiant have SBMM?

XDefiant players slam devs for broken recoil despite promising a fix months ago UbisoftThough Ubisoft promised to investigate the matter months ago, XDefiant’s glitched recoil is still causing major problems for players. The shooter’s recoil issues date back to the April 2024 beta, wherein users noted that visual glitches were severely impacting their enjoyment of the game. XDefiant launched in May 2024 with the same bug plaguing the moment-to-moment action. Twitch streamer Nate Gibson shared footage of the recoil glitch in a Twitter/X post, garnering a response from Systems Designer Patrick “Aches” Price. Without offering specifics, Price said the team had begun “investigating” the glitch. “To be clear – this is not intended,” the developer added. As of July, though, developers still haven’t issued a fix, much to the dismay of XDefiant players. Reddit user EP_1K posted a Practice Zone clip showing the lingering troubles. While shooting at an unmoving target, the player’s reticle bounces around with abandon, their shots hitting everything but the intended target. Multiple people in the thread said they also continue to wrestle with XDefiant’s frustrating recoil. Reads one such reply, “I get this too… and sometimes the white dot doesn’t even sit in the center of the screen… I have to intentionally aim further left of what I expect to hit…” Another person added, “If I remember correctly, this was also reported on and complained about a lot in the Beta. It was one of the things they were supposed to fix but obviously didn’t.” Some mouse and keyboard players have reached their wit’s end, as well. Twitter/X user Mikaveli cited the recoil bug as one reason why XDefiant feels “unsatisfying” to play. They wrote in part, “I really want to like Xdefiant but it feels so unsatisfying as an MnK player. Gameplay loop can be fun but needs work to improve visual recoil…” Developers have not shared an update about when players can expect the bug to be fixed. Other XDefiant aspects of the experience await fine-tuning, too. Most notably, for PS5 players, Ubisoft plans on deploying a “full fix” for the platform’s 60hz and 120hz issues during the week of July 7.

Tom Clancy’s XDefiant beta details: How to play Insider Sessions early UbisoftUbisoft’s XDefiant is the latest arena shooter that is vying for FPS players’ attention. The 6v6 arena shooter has a feel of Call of Duty to it. If you’re interested in getting involved early, here’s how you can sign up for the beta “Insider Sessions” early. XDefiant is a new free-to-play FPS game that combines fast-paced arena shooting, with customizable loadouts and specialized factions. Early gameplay suggests that Ubisoft’s latest title will play incredibly similar to the likes of Call of Duty, while also having characters and abilities borrowed from the Tom Clancy universe. In fact, players can expect plenty of gadgets and futuristic mechanics from both the Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell series’ — although it’s no longer directly tied to the Tom Clancy universe. While XDefiant’s official release date has yet to be announced, Ubisoft is giving a number of players the opportunity to play the game early. Whether you’re an avid FPS aficionado or just curious how XDefiant compares to CoD, then you’ll want to sign up for the Insider Sessions happening in 2022. Tom Clancy’s XDefiant beta: Insider Sessions sign-up XDefiant has already had a beta test back in August 2021. However, now they’re rolling out more of them across 2022 in what Ubisoft are calling “Insider Sessions”. Starting on March 15, 2022, players will be invited in over time to take part in testing. “These sessions will be an opportunity for you to get hands on in-progress features and provide feedback. Additionally, you’ll be introduced to Factions from games outside of the Tom Clancy universe,” Ubisoft explained. Here’s how you can get involved. Head over to the official XDefiant website. – Click ‘Register’ in the top right-hand corner of the screen. – Select your preferred platform. – Sign in with your Ubisoft account or make a new one. – Select the game options from the dropdown menu. – Hit ‘Next’. – Once you’ve done the above, you’ll be signed up to the XDefiant beta program. If you manage to get access, you’ll receive an email notification from Ubisoft inviting you to lay the game. Beta access is done on a first-come first-serve basis, meaning you’ll want to sign up fast if you wish to get a shot at playing early. XDefiant beta platforms The XDefiant Insider Sessions, and all future beta tests, will be open to all players regardless of console. PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna players will all be able to play at once. As long as you sign-up on the XDefiant website, you are set — eventually your invite will come! If you wish to switch your preferred platform, then be sure to log back into the beta portal and change the device you wish to play on. Ubisoft will be adding more XDefiant betas in the future, so don’t feel too bad if you miss the first few Insider Sessions. We’ll be updating this article as more information is released.

XDefiant Aug 28 update patch notes: Jump nerfs & Ranked Mode ability restrictions UbisoftIn XDefiant’s latest update, Ubisoft cracks down on jump spamming, adds ability restrictions to Ranked Mode, and punishes players for leaving Ranked Mode matches early. Since launching at the start of XDdefiant Season 1 on July 2, reviews for Ranked Mode have not been positive. Players labeled the mode a “hilarious train wreck” because players were not punished for leaving early, and games started with unbalanced teams. Ubisoft addressed those concerns in the July 31 update by not starting matches without at least eight players. This latest update goes one step further by increasing the penalty for leaving matches and balances the playing field by making every teammate use a different ability. Players have also raised concerned about rampant bunny hoppers, spam-jumping to dodge enemies. The development team responded by adding a harsher sway penalty for jumping too many times consecutively and reduced midair strafing and horizontal jumping speeds. XDefiant Aug 28 update full patch notes Here are the full patch notes. Gameplay Since humans first hopped, some among them thought they should not. Others consider jumping the most profound expression of skill. Both sorts will find something to argue about in this array of new jump-spamming mitigations. Let’s start with a tweak to the sway penalty, which shimmies a player’s aim on subsequent rapid jumps (defined as those triggered within 1.25 seconds of a previous jump). The first three jumps remain sway free, as before, except now the maximum penalty applies on the fourth repeated jump and/or crouch instead of the fifth. (Previously, aim sway triggered on the fourth jump but didn’t reach maximum sway until jump five.) – Also, the jump-height penalty is progressive, meaning jump height decreases gradually after each repeated jump and is now capped after three jumps: After the first, jump height is set at 70 percent of max height, then 49 percent of max height, then 34 percent of max height. Capping this after three will be the same for the landing-speed-reduction penalty. – Other jump-related adjustments: Midair strafing speed reduced by 25 percent. – Horizontal jump speed reduced by 10 percent. – – Finally, we’ve reduced the animation speed for these transitions: Stand > Crouch – Crouch > Stand – Stand > Jump – Sprint > Slide – Slide > Jump – – Maps On the Daytona map, players were able to shoot opponents through a wall not intended to allow bullet penetration. The offending wall is now appropriately bulletproof. – Fixed a bug causing a connection error when players stood on a railing in the Echelon HQ map. – Ranked Mode Ranked play now has ability restrictions. This means any given ability can only be chosen by one player per team, thus encouraging teammates to select different abilities. (The player’s ability is shaded orange to distinguish it from teammate abilities, which remain shaded gray.) If the player switches to another unused ability during the match, it will be available upon respawn, freeing up their previously selected ability. – Ranked mode has been tuned to speed up rank progression while also increasing loss forgiveness, so losses are less likely to cause a tumble in your rank. Players now earn increased Rank Points for delivering a winning performance in all ranks except Legends. On average, players should see about 30 percent more RP from won matches. – On the flipside, match losses are more forgiving due to an increase in the “loss buffer” from 45 to 75 Rank Points. Translation: Losing players whose Rank Points drop to the next lower rank will not fall in rank if they remain within that buffer threshold. – Don’t sweat it if you lose a Ranked match in Bronze: Now the loss won’t cost you any Rank Points. – – To discourage Ranked mode competitors from bailing mid-match, the Rank Point penalty for quitting has increased from 40 RP to 50 RP. – Fixed two Ranked matchmaking bugs: One that was preventing Ranked players from matchmaking in the Ranked lobby, and a second bug that let Ranked players invite other players outside the matchmaking restrictions (for instance, players of a much higher rank) while waiting in the queue. – Miscellaneous The Ubisoft Connect GS-Kommando Core Challenges Smoother Operator and Elite Operator weren’t unlocking after their requirements were met, but now they are. – Graphical and audio fixes, various. – Crash fixes, various. –

XDefiant Aug 14 update patch notes: Sniper and Spiderbot nerfs, sticky grenade fix UbisoftXDefiant’s latest update doubles down on sniper rifle nerfs, fixes a netcode glitch with sticky grenades, and makes it easier for players to locate spiderbots before they latch onto your face. In May, XDefiant players demanded a nerf for “ridiculously overpowered” sniper rifles, as the weapon easily one-shot killed enemies without any flinch or movement penalties. As part of the June 12 update, Ubisoft responded by increasing sniper flinch and adding a movement penalty when wielding scoped weapons. Both changes went over well, but the class remained a clear-cut favorite. So, the development team returned for more and made flinch more noticeable, making it harder for snipers to hit their target while under fire. In addition, sniper spread increased, meaning players won’t need to worry about getting killed before the enemy completely zooms in. Let’s jump into what other changes are coming. XDefiant Aug 14 update patch notes Here are the full patch notes. Gameplay Kill assists weren’t contributing to a player’s ultra charge, but now they are. – Fixed an issue that would send players all the way back to the main menu after finishing a Ranked match. – If you couldn’t complete the EMP grenade Base Challenge because it wasn’t tracking your progress, try it now. You should be good. – Factions The Cleaners’ Incinerator Drone no longer blows up when it flies over an ally GS-Kommando’s Shock Wire. – Maps Fixed a glitch in which players were impervious to damage at their initial spawn point on the second floor of the National Zoo map. – Game Modes Fixed a weird Zone Control bug that was unlocking all the zones abruptly and letting the attacking team score a win without putting in the time or effort. – Weapons Additional tuning of the sniper hit-flinch penalty (i.e., the shaky aim incurred when being shot while aiming a sniper rifle). Now, hit flinch is more noticeable, making it harder for snipers to hit their target while under fire. – In other sniper-tuning news, spread reduction duration has been increased. This refers to how long it takes a sniper to focus the scope and achieve pinpoint accuracy when going into ADS, which should prevent targeted players from getting sniped before the sniper is fully scoped in. Study these spec changes: M44 spread reduction duration increased by 4 percent. – TAC-50 spread reduction duration increased by 28 percent. – L115 spread reduction duration increased by 16 percent. – – Reduced aiming sensitivity while aiming with a scope to compensate for the field-of-view change. – The PEQ-15 laser sight no longer hovers magically alongside the AA-12 shotgun when players wear the Skullduggery skin. – Fixed a graphical glitch that was making muzzle, magazine, and weapon stock attachments turn invisible while wearing the Mecha skin. – Devices Fixed an exploit that let players deploy unlimited devices by changing loadouts in spawn zones. – Netcode Players were getting stuck by enemy sticky grenades even if they dodged the grenade’s trajectory. Not anymore. – Audio Explosion sound effects no longer cut off when players deploy multiple grenades in rapid succession. – Made it easier to hear approaching Spiderbots so players might fend off an impending face-hugging. – Miscellaneous Players are now blocked from entering and exiting the game lobby repeatedly, which sounds exhausting. Probably a win-win for everybody. – Players couldn’t report and block other players on the scoreboard when using mouse input, but now they can do that. – Crash fixes, various. –

XDefiant streamer pleads for arachnophobia mode after game gives her “panic attacks” UbisoftAn XDefiant streamer wants developers to implement an arachnophobia mode because of the panic attack-inducing Spiderbots. Unlike other factions, XDefiant’s DedSec group uses hacking tactics to one-up opponents in battle. One such tactic involves the Spiderbot drone, which can jump on enemies and stun them for a short period. Players have already made their frustrations with the tiny robot known, with many thinking developers should nerf it. But one player wants the Spiderbots to be dealt with in another manner. In a Twitter/X post, Twitch streamer xLegendaryDollx pleaded with Ubisoft to add an arachnophobia mode to XDefiant. “My heart can’t take this & I just want to enjoy the game with my friends,” the streamer wrote in the caption for a video where the Spiderbot attacked her in-game. The video includes several clips of the streamer being attacked by Spiderbots in matches. Each time the mechanical creature pops up, the content creator screeches and looks away from the screen. At around the one-minute mark, xLegendaryDollx says the Spiderbot’s constant surprise assaults are giving her a “panic attack.” A little later in the clip, she has trouble aiming because her legs and hands are shaking from the stress. The streamer noted she does suffer from arachnophobia, so the hope is that a mode that takes this into account for similar players would make XDefiant even more appealing. Not everyone’s on board with this idea, though. Content creator ProReborn argued the complaint is a little ridiculous given that the focus of XDefiant is on “murdering other human beings.” They went on to add, “I believe this is a perfect example of ‘the world must change specifically for me.’” Several other games have added similar modes in recent years, including Hogwarts Legacy and Obsidian’s insect-infested Grounded. The Hogwarts Legacy mode changes the creatures’ appearance and reduces the sound of skitters. Meanwhile, Grounded uses a slider system that alters the bugs’ look based on player preference. Ubisoft has not responded to the streamer or announced plans to add such a mode to XDefiant in a future update.

Xbox Windows app adds feature that assesses PC system requirements MicrosoftXbox has introduced a new helpful feature to its Windows app that tells players if a game will “play great” on their PC. Figuring out if a game can run on your PC before purchasing it can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you’re unfamiliar with your computer’s specifications. Often gamers will either download software letting them know if their PC is up to snuff or take a shot in the dark and hope their computer can handle the task. Xbox is hoping to alleviate this stressor by introducing a new feature for its Xbox Windows app that assesses how a game will play on your machine. New helpful Xbox Windows feature The new performance check is limited to just a handful of titles now but is a new useful indicator to make sure a game can run on your gaming rig. A green icon will appear next to games that says, “Should play great on this PC.” In order to access the new feature, players will have to sign up for the Xbox Insider program, which can be accessed through the Xbox Windows App at the top of the screen or through the Microsoft Store. The new feature will be crucial to Xbox PC Game Pass users who are cycling through the tons of titles available through the service. Microsoft’s Game Pass added huge games in December 2021 like Halo Infinite and Mortal Kombat 11, adding to the already incredibly library list of games available.

Xbox users slam Microsoft for paywalling Day One Game Pass titles MicrosoftXbox users have slammed Microsoft for restructuring the Game Pass subscription and paywalling Day One titles. Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service has been hit with some major changes and Xbox users are calling out the company for locking day-one Game Pass titles behind a more expensive subscription. Previously, paying for the Xbox Game Pass gave users access to all titles, however, Microsoft just unveiled that they will now be hiking the price of Game Pass Ultimate while also introducing a second, cheaper alternative. However, there is a big catch for those eyeing off the less expensive option. The Standard edition, which costs $14.99 USD, will not grant access to Day One games. On the flip side, the Ultimate edition ($19.99 USD), will give users access to all Day One Game Pass titles. These new changes are set to roll out in September 2024. For example, those who purchase the Standard edition would not have access to a title such as Black Ops 6 on release, whereas those who pay for the Ultimate edition will be able to download the title on Day One. These changes have been met with outrage from Xbox users, calling out Microsoft for being “greedy.” In response to the news of Game Pass’ structural changes, one X user wrote, “Microsoft greedy as hell. Release some heavy hitters on it to make it worth it. They already fired multiple successful indie teams and now this too.” Another added, “I’ve always been an Xbox fan, but man, I can’t keep defending them anymore” while a third further chimed in, stating “As if everything else wasn’t already expensive. Can’t do anything without being robbed.” Time will tell whether Xbox users eventually get on board with these price increases and changes for Game Pass, however, there is no denying that the initial reception has been a cold one. This new Game Pass structure is set to roll out across PC and Xbox consoles in September 2024.

Xbox TGS show won’t offer “new global debuts”, Microsoft warns fans MicrosoftMicrosoft will host an Xbox presentation on September 30 at Tokyo Game Show, but fans should expect a more local focus. Tokyo Game Show is back this month, and one of the bigger showcases expected is Microsoft’s next Xbox event on September 30. After the TGS listing noted that Xbox would have some “exclusive news“, Microsoft has discussed the content of the presentation in more detail. “Similar to last year, this will be a show curated for our players in Japan and across Asia,” Xbox’s head of Asia Jeremy Hinton noted on the Xbox Wire blog. Read More: Everything we know about Tokyo Game Show “Expect a celebration with our Asia community and locally relevant updates, though no new global debuts should be expected. Tune in to see the latest regionally relevant updates on previously announced games coming later this year.” What could Microsoft show? With that in mind, fans perhaps shouldn’t get too excited about huge blockbuster reveals, but the event could still reveal some partnerships with Japanese publishers and developers. Last year saw the reveals of titles in iconic franchises like Yakuza and Dragon Quest coming to Game Pass, as well as an update for Flight Simulator that added more content in the game’s rendering of Japan. There was also more news around Resident Evil: Village and Pragmata, as well as plenty more. When it comes to Tokyo Game Show, we’ve got everything you need to know in our hub for the event.

Xbox wants to team up with PlayStation in the future Microsoft / SonyGaming giant Microsoft has expressed its interest in teaming up with competitors like Sony and Nintendo to bring Xbox Game Pass to their consoles – whether that’s on the Switch, PlayStation 4, or future systems. Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s answer to a Netflix-inspired subscription service, where users can access a catalogue of games for a set monthly fee, and is similar to that of Sony’s PlayStation Now. The feature was brought over to PC in June, and now the gaming giant wants to bring it to new systems – competitors’ ones specifically. Game Pass on “all” systems In a short but sweet interview with video games outlet Gamereactor during Gamescom 2019, Xbox Head of Gaming Services Ben Decker revealed the company’s future plans for its subscription service. Read More: What will the PlayStation 5 look like? – “You know, we would like to see Game Pass on all platforms ultimately and I think that is a long term goal. We don’t have any specific plans today, but we would love to see Game Pass really go everywhere,” Decker said. While a specific system wasn’t revealed, “all platforms” could mean that the gaming giant would like to see its service on its rivals’ consoles – ie. the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. Rumors of Game Pass making its way to the Switch swirled back in March of this year, however nothing concrete was ever confirmed. Xbox has worked with the child-friendly developer since though, bringing previously exclusive titles such as Cuphead and Ori and the Blind Forest to the handheld. This isn’t the only time that the company has echoed its wants for its subscription service to be available on other consoles. Back in June, Xbox head Phil Spencer talked to Giant Bomb about the rumored collaboration with Nintendo, and stated that he would like to see Game Pass on as many systems as possible. “I have said over time I’d like to take Game Pass everywhere. I saw somebody joke I’d put Game Pass on the toaster if I could – I don’t know about that.” Read More: Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay stream – “I want to have the best console experience because of what it gives you,” he continued. “I want you to be sitting on the couch with an amazing experience – it sounds great, I have access to any game that I want to play, and if I want to take that while I’m on the go, I think the Switch is a really cool platform for that. It’s just that in the near-term, it’s kind of hard for us to prioritize different than we are today.” (Timestamp of 28:16 for mobile viewers.) The idea of Microsoft and Sony striking a deal to bring the Pass over to PlayStation might seem like a long shot to some, but the claim of “all platforms” could mean that Xbox is seriously considering trying.

Xbox takes shot at PlayStation after Showcase event and people love it xbox playstationFollowing the hyped PlayStation Showcase 2023 event, it seems that Microsoft and Xbox have thrown some cheeky shade at Sony with a tweet that gamers are loving. The build-up to 2023’s PlayStation Showcase event was enormous. With so many potential rumors swirling around, the event was essentially a must-watch for gamers. While some predictions didn’t come to fruition such as a The Last of Us Factions multiplayer reveal or Silent Hill and Castlevania Remakes, we got plenty of other stuff. Spider-Man 2 revealed a ton of gameplay footage, Bungie announced a brand-new title, and Konami is delivering a Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake, along with a remastered collection of other MGS games. It was a successful show, but Xbox has surprisingly decided to rain on PlayStation’s Showcase parade. Xbox makes cheeky dig about PlayStation Showcase 2023 event Over 30 games were shown off during the PlayStation Showcase event on May 24, 2023. These ranged from AAA blockbusters to PS VR2 software to promising indie titles. Each section of dedicated showtime either presented viewers with a short and ambiguous teaser trailer, a first-look gameplay snippet, or both. However, it became apparent to many, and Xbox, that a majority of the games shown during the showcase had one thing in common – they were also coming to Xbox. The official Xbox Twitter account posted a picture featuring 12 games – including the likes of Alan Wake 2 and Assassin’s Creed Mirage – and a cheeky little caption: “What a good looking group.” The tweet is definitely a cheeky little nod to Sony’s showcase featuring a lot of third-party games – something that Xbox showcases have been criticized for in the past. Renowned industry specialist Jez Corden said “Xbox is entering its villain arc,” and one of the leading Xbox news accounts on the platform simply said: “Wow.” YouTuber and streamer Schwahn commented: “Xbox watched the showcase, slapped together a jpeg, and said…Ditto.” Some might call it a ‘savage’ tweet, but chances are it’s all good-natured ribbing by Xbox in response to the PlayStation Showcase event. It’s not the first time either company has fired shots at the other, and probably won’t be the last. It’ll be the turn of Microsoft soon with their Xbox Games Showcase being a big part of the Summer Game Fest celebration.

New ‘Stellar Shift’ Xbox controllers leak with color-changing design MicrosoftA recent leak indicates Microsoft plans on releasing new “Stellar Shift” Xbox Series X|S controllers boasting a color-changing design scheme. Microsoft continues to step up its game in the special edition controller department. For example, to celebrate Halo’s 20th anniversary in 2021, the hardware manufacturer unleashed a stylized Xbox Series and Xbox One controller. An even more visually appealing, Master Chief-inspired controller accompanied the release of Halo Infinite. Of course, the company’s deployed a variety of solid-colored Xbox Series gamepads as well, including Shock Blue and Pulse Red. But for those who want an Xbox controller with a little more flair, Microsoft may have something special up its sleeve. Leak hints at new Stellar Shift controllers for Xbox Series X|S Leaker billbil-kun recently shared links to new Xbox controller listings on Amazon for a “Stellar Shift” gamepad with a color-changing design. The product page has since been removed, though it previously mentioned a February 14, 2023 release date. Notably, the Amazon Europe listing showed a price tag marked at €$64.99, which translates to approximately $70 USD. In response to a similar post from XboxSquad, Twitter user foufoune magique claimed the controller is already available to purchase in France. The user shared photos as well, which feature the Xbox packaging that contains the Stellar Shift controllers. Purple and black colors dominate the gamepad, mimicking a cosmic-like design scheme as evidenced by the stars littering the packaging. Since it’s a color-changing design, too, the controller should look different based on the way the light hits it. Microsoft has yet to announce the above product, but it previously launched a color-shifting controller not too dissimilar from Stellar Shift. Just last year, the special edition Lunar Shift gamepad went to market, its shimmering silver and gold look becoming a must-have for many Xbox owners.

Xbox slams PlayStation’s “block fees” that stop games coming to Game Pass microsoft, sonyIn a document regarding Microsoft’s potential capture of Activision Blizzard, the report states that the Xbox brand believes Sony and PlayStation pay extra money to game developers to stop certain titles from appearing on Xbox Game Pass. It’s been months since the groundbreaking announcement, but Microsoft’s announcement to buy Activision Blizzard still doesn’t feel real in many ways it’s that gigantic. Following Microsoft’s intention to acquire Bethesda, the green brand made even bigger strides to absorb the super studio behind the likes of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and many more. The deal has many obstacles to clear before it can go through and in a recent document sent by Microsoft to CADE (Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense) we learned that Microsoft has “been obstructed by Sony’s desire to inhibit such growth.” PlayStation blocking rights to Xbox Game Pass In the official document, Microsoft said: “Considering that exclusivity strategies have been at the core of Sony’s strategy to strengthen its presence in the games industry and that Sony is a leader in the distribution of digital games, Sony’s concern with possible exclusivity of Activision‘s content is incoherent, to say the least.” Microsoft is implying that Sony has no grounds for complaints when it comes to this deal, even if it would mean some of the industry’s biggest franchises all falling under one banner. The argument continued: “Indeed, Microsoft’s ability to continue expanding Game Pass has been obstructed by Sony’s desire to inhibit such growth. Sony pays for ‘blocking rights’ to prevent developers from adding content to Game Pass and other competing subscription services.” This is certainly an eye-catching detail as it possibly suggests that Sony fears the Xbox Game Pass model, after all, the success of the subscription service has led to the new and improved PS Plus service. Sony has already submitted their thoughts to CADE on the matter and it’s believed there are concerns over the future existence of series’ such as Call of Duty not appearing on PlayStation, despite Microsoft saying it always will. It’s probably going to be some time until this matter is resolved, given that there’s so much evidence to consider, so it could be a while until the deal reaches its conclusion.

Xbox Showcase predictions: Will we see Fable 4, Gears 6, or even Silksong? XboxThe Summer of Games is here, and the Xbox Showcase has already promised a deeper look into upcoming games on June 9. The highly anticipated Xbox Showcase will be returning on Sunday, June 9 at 10:00 AM PST / 6:00 PM BST and has already teased exciting some new looks at the likes of Avowed, as well as a confirmed glimpse at Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 during the CoD Direct that follows straight after Xbox’s event. With so many games on the horizon and so many franchises in need of a revival, we’re extremely excited about the event, so while we wait for things to kick off, we’ve put together a list of everything we want to hear during the 2024 Xbox Showcase. So, from the arrival of Silksong (we know how unlikely that is, but we can still dream) to new compatibility for Fallout 76, we’ve got plenty of dreams for this stream. Dive in to see what could be on its way. Fallout 76 cross-progression Now that Fallout 76 has had its own sort of redemption arc, it feels like one of the next steps should be bringing all platforms together in cross-progression. I would love the ability to play as the same character on my Series X and then pick it back up over on my PC. In a game that is all about grinding out crafting and scavenging, not losing progress when switching to a different machine is huge. A discussion about that system coming would be great; a surprise announcement for its actual implementation would be a huge win. (Words by Shane Black) Elder Scrolls 6 An Elder Scrolls 6 release date reveal is probably less likely than a Silksong release date at this point, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hope for some new teasers to grace the Xbox Showcase. While Bethesda released a small trailer years ago, I just want to know where the game will be set or even a glimpse of gameplay. Even just the knowledge of where ES6 takes place will be enough to keep me dreaming for a few more years… or decades. (Words by Jessica Filby) Next Forza Horizon Location Forza Horizon 6 is likely still a while away, but we imagine Microsoft already has a location in mind after FH5’s grand tour of Mexico. With the UK, the Amalfi Coast, and Australia now all in our rearview mirror, we’re excited to learn where we’ll be racing off to next. The Xbox brand is in need of some good news, and a Forza Horizon 6 announcement would be exactly that. There’s a variety of potential locations we could visit next, such as China, India, Dubai, and possibly the Autobahns of Germany. However, if we’re being honest, we think it’s time to drift, as we’ve left our hearts in Tokyo. (Words by Sam Smith) Fallout 3 Remaster The Fallout TV show has reignited passion for the Fallout franchise in gamers both new to the apocalyptic franchise and older veterans, so there’s no better time to remaster one of the older games. After all, we’ve seen the next-gen console upgrade for Fallout 4, so isn’t it time Fallout 3 got a bit of love? A remaster would be a perfect announcement during Summer Games Fest and could perfectly tide fans over until the next game eventually comes out or until the next season of the TV show. (Words by Jessica Filby) Silksong Oh, Silksong. Where are you? It’s been five years since the Hollow Knight sequel was announced, and fans still have no idea when to expect it. Xbox could change that by giving us an update about it, release date or not. We’ve seen recent Metroidvanias like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown do well, so now would be a great time to build on that momentum. Like I said, any word will do; there doesn’t have to be much fanfare. Just let the people know whether it’s still happening or not. (Words by Shane Black) The Outer Worlds 2 June 2024 will mark three full years since Obsidian announced The Outer Worlds 2, a sequel to its award-winning sci-fi RPG. All we really know about the game so far is that it will feature a new setting and cast, as revealed in its announcement trailer. The Outer Worlds 2 was clearly in early development at the time — the trailer even jokes that “the only thing they have finished is the title” — and Obsidian does have its hands full with Avowed. Still, it would be nice to finally hear more details about the game, such as its new world, characters, and other innovations. (Words by Noelle Corbett) OD Kojima has been flirting with horror for a long time. Obviously, the ill-fated Silent Hills will forever be one of the biggest ‘what if’ games of all time. Death Stranding definitely can drive the creepiness up when it wants to, but you’d be hard-pressed to call it a horror game. No, OD seems to be the payoff everyone has been waiting for. A fully-fledged horror game from the most recognizable game developer in the world. Bringing in Jordan Peele to write with him is bound to have a strong effect. Xbox Games Studios really lucked out to be the one to finally land that elusive Kojima horror game – but we still know so little about it. A new presentation will be important to discern even what kind of game this is and how substantial it is. How Kojima is juggling both this game and Death Stranding 2 is anyone’s guess, but seeing some footage would go a long way to alleviating fears that this is the neglected of the two or that this is a very small experience. (Words by Patrick Dane) The Call of Duty back catalog on Xbox Game Pass Xbox and PlayStation have been playing tug of war with which brand is the “Home of Call of Duty” for years now. However, this arguably ended when Microsoft purchased Activision Blizzard in 2023. But since then, neither company has done much to take advantage of this. Xbox Game Pass is beloved by many but is prone to dry spells. One way Microsoft could fix this is to release the whole back catalog of COD games in the service, making Xbox the definitive home of Call of Duty once and for all. (Words by Sam Smith) Everwild At this point, just seeing Everwild again would go a long way. Rare’s next franchise has been dormant for a long time. We first caught a glimpse of it five years ago, and news we’ve heard about the ethereal action adventure game ever since hasn’t been encouraging. Reports came out in 2021 that the game had completely rebooted its development and that it was now aiming for a 2024 release. Well, it’s 2024, and we still have not heard a peep about the successor to Sea of Thieves. The game doesn’t even need to come out this year, but at the very least, a showing would go a long way to alleviating fears that the game has been quietly canceled. (Words by Patrick Dane) WoW console For as long as World of Warcraft’s been ruining social lives, there have been whispers and wails from the Twisting Nether that a console version was in development. These rumors turned out to be as substantial as a particularly untrustworthy air elemental, yet with Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Blizzard, there’s once again hope that Xbox players might soon step foot in Azeroth. Don’t take our word for it, though. Holly Longdale, the executive producer and vice president of World of Warcraft, has been teasing a console version of the game for months. We’d love to hear some news about it at the upcoming showcase, even if it inevitably means we’re getting hooked on questing again. (Words by Tom Percival) Gears trilogy remasters There isn’t a group of games quite like the original three Gears of War games. They were some of the best times I ever had on the Xbox 360, and remastering the trilogy would be a slam dunk. With Gears 5 being five years old and no idea if there will be a Gears 6, now would be the perfect time to reintroduce us to the world of Marcus Fenix. They already have a remaster of the first game out, so just follow suit with the other two, and Xbox has a money machine on its hands. There haven’t been any leaks about this being possible, but boy, would it make the Xbox Games Showcase really feel big. (Words by Shane Black) State of Decay 3 I’ll be honest: I totally forgot State of Decay 3 had been announced in 2020. Microsoft Studios acquired developer Undead Labs a while ago now, which makes sense as the first two games are real sleeper hits for the green brand. I think both games in the franchise are underappreciated, and I think two, while a little janky and mechanical, is the proving ground for something great. If State of Decay realizes the promise set out by its predecessors and really begins to blend emergent narrative, this could be really special. The zombie apocalypse simulator is an awesome blend of base building, team management, and a story that unfolds uniquely for you. If Undead Labs can mask the mechanical gears a little bit and make an experience that feels more human, this really could be one of the all-time greats. However, I’d just settle for seeing the game again at this point. (Words by Patrick Dane) Starfield DLC Bethesda revealed a Starfield expansion called Shattered Space ahead of the base game’s launch, including it as part of the Premium Edition. Since then, though, the devs have said next to nothing about it outside of promising a massive scope and 2024 release window. That makes the upcoming Xbox Showcase the perfect place to finally show off Shattered Space. Starfield has come a long way since launch, with the most recent update being praised for its technical and gameplay improvements. Shattered Space has the potential to revitalize the game, getting players to return to Bethesda’s expansive universe with new story content and other features. (Words by Noelle Corbett) Gears 6 It’s been nearly five years since Gears 5 came out, and we haven’t heard anything about a potential sequel. The fifth game also ended with a lot at stake story-wise that I want to see resolved. Gears has been a flagship franchise for Xbox, and I want to see it return to the spotlight. With the ongoing narrative of Xbox having an exclusivity problem, bringing back one of its juggernauts would be a great counter. I’m hoping for at least a teaser trailer just to know that it’s coming, but some sort of gameplay would be amazing. (Words by Shane Black) Avowed After the success of Pentiment and Grounded, it’s time for Obsidian Studios to give us more about its upcoming ARPG, Avowed. It’s not like we’ll be getting The Outer Worlds 2 anytime soon, so it’s time for Avowed to crawl out of the woodwork and give us a release date. The Xbox Showcase is the perfect setting for Obsidian to show off some more gameplay after its breakdown. We want to see more battles, details on the companions, and, of course, a little more lore – and the release date. (Words by Jessica Filby) Fable 4 It’s been too long since we saved Albion from the Crawler, and we’re desperate to play hero once again and hear the jubilant cries of “Chicken Chaser” as we walk through Bowerstone… wait, what? In all seriousness, we know that Playground Games is working on a reboot of the popular fantasy series, and we got a taste at the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase, but it wasn’t enough. We’re desperate to see more, and I’m really curious to see if they can capture the spirit and humor that Lionhead Studios gave the original trilogy of games. I doubt we’ll see much, considering Fable (yes, they did the annoying reboot thing of removing numbers) only entered development in March last year, but a pre-rendered cutscene probably wouldn’t be out of the question. (Words by Tom Percival)

Xbox Series X|S stock: When will Xbox consoles be available? MicrosoftThe Xbox Series X|S stock issues continue, but demand is still soaring. Microsoft is struggling to maintain availability as the consoles remain elusively hard to buy. Microsoft’s latest round of consoles launched at a challenging time. As a result of the global health crisis, supply chains have been disrupted and there remains a shortage of parts. This has caused continual Xbox Series X|S stock issues, and fans hoping for light at the end of the tunnel. When will Xbox consoles be in stock? The stock issues are likely to continue into 2022, as Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed supply issues are not going away anytime soon. Spencer was recently interviewed by The Wrap and admitted he believes the problems will persist beyond 2021 and throughout 2022 as the industry recovers. Spencer confirmed that part of the issue is the global chip shortage, but there are also supply and manufacturing problems when it comes to graphic cards and other parts. Sony’s PS5 has also been impacted by the stock issues as have other industries such as car manufacturers. Xbox responds to Series X|S stock issues In his interview with The Wrap, Spencer said, “I think it’s probably too isolated to talk about it as just a chip problem. When I think about, what does it mean to get the parts necessary to build a console today, and then get it to the markets where the demand is, there are multiple kind of pinch points in that process.” He went on to say comment on the future of the shortage saying, “I think, regretfully, it’s going to be with us for months and months, definitely through the end of this calendar year and into the next calendar year.” GPU for Xbox shortages Graphics card manufacturer Nvidia has said it expects the GPU stock issues to go on for the “vast majority” of 2022. While the Xbox Series X uses a custom AMD Radeon RDNA 2 graphics card, the supply chain and manufacturing concerns apply to all companies who rely on the same parts to build their components. Read More: Xbox Game Pass games coming October 2021 – As has happened throughout 2021, pockets of stock are likely to appear between now and the end of the Xbox Series X shortages. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as and when this happens and should any future updates change the present situation.

Xbox Series X|S exclusives release schedule: Fable, Forza Motorsport, Avowed & more Xbox Games Studios/Bethesda/ObsidianThe Xbox Series X|S are the latest generation of Microsoft’s console, and is making waves with the amount of titles heading its way. Here’s the full release schedule of Xbox exclusives, from Fable 4 to Starfield, and beyond. Since launch, Xbox Series consoles have boasted an impressive library of exclusives when compared to the PlayStation 5. On top of that, most people are actually able to go out and purchase an Xbox Series X|S, while PS5 is still suffering from supply problems. Following the Xbox Bethesda Showcase the exclusives list for Xbox is growing fast. Here’s are all the Xbox Series X|S exclusives we know of so far, including games that have already launched. Upcoming Xbox Series X|S exclusives 2022 is shaping up to be a huge year for Xbox, and we’ve already received big-name titles like Forza Horizon 5, and more. The Xbox Game Pass has proven to be a game-changer as well, giving subscribed players access to many exclusive titles right as they come out. Below is a list of all the upcoming Xbox Series X|S exclusives, along with any confirmed release dates we have so far. 2022 Xbox exclusives October 21, 2022 – Developed by Edd Software, Scorn is one of the most unique games we’ve seen in quite a while. Your character is stranded on a planet filled with biological horrors so terrifying, they make the Xenomorph look like a puppy. You’ll have access to an entire arsenal of guns, which are just as trippy as the rest of the game, to fight through this unique, yet disturbing world. Scorn should be out in October 2022, just in time for Halloween. September 13, 2022 – Fresh from Fatshark Games, Warhammer 40K: Darktide will pit a team of four players against an entire galaxy of enemies, in the same vein as Warhammer: Vermintide. Players will take on hordes of enemies, but set in the grim, dark future of the Warhammer 40K universe. 4oK fans are sure to love this one, as it will let you bring the Emperor’s diving retribution to those filthy servants of Chaos, heretics, and xenos alike. Upcoming Xbox exclusives coming later than 2022: First half of 2023 – We got our first good look at Starfield during the 2022 Xbox Bethesda Games Showcase, and it’s safe to say it was one of the biggest titles shown. With over 1000 different worlds, there are questions whether or not Bethesda will be able to pull a game of this scale off, but one thing’s for sure: it’s definitely going to be a popular one. 2023-2024 – While the next game in the popular Fable series has been officially confirmed, we still don’t know exactly when it will be coming out. However, the fact that we’ll be able to head back and adventure through Albion yet again has plenty of people excited. 2023 – Initially set for a release in April of 2022, STALKER 2 was then delayed to December of 2022, before another delay was announced. Now, the highly-anticipated title will be coming out sometime in 2023, though exactly when is unknown. Trailers for the game look promising though, and stalkers of all sorts are chomping at the bit to head back into the Zone, hunt for artifacts, and down some vodka. TBA – Even though Space Marine 2 was officially announced at the Game Awards 2021, one thing we didn’t get was any kind of release date or even a release year. While we got more info on the game at the 2022 Xbox Games Show, a release date was not included there either. Fans of 40K and the original game will just have to wait to take on the sequel, but the good news is, what we’ve seen so far looks great. The Outer Worlds 2 TBA – All we’ve gotten for this sequel is a cheeky trailer so far, but we do know The Outer Worlds 2 will be an Xbox exclusive when it comes out. With the outlandish style and tongue-in-cheek humor sure to return, The Outer Worlds 2 should build on the first game’s winning formula, and then some. 2023 – Redfall was originally set for a release date in September of 2022, but it’s now been delayed until 2023. Arkane Studios team-based vampire battling shooter looks promising, but players will have to wait a little longer before hopping in. Spring 2023 – The next Forza Motorsport game has some big shoes to fill, following Horizon 5’s excellent reception. Given the quality we’ve come to expect from the series so far though, that shouldn’t be a major issue. Branded as a reboot of sorts, the game is not titled ‘Forza Motorsport 8’ as many thought it would be. While no exact release date has been officially announced, we have been given a window of Spring 2023 for it to release. Avowed 2023-2024 – Avowed is one game we don’t know a ton about at the time of writing, other than it’s sword-swinging, magic-wielding gameplay looks like a ton of fun. Set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, we could have a bit to wait before we can go hands-on with this one, with an expected release date anywhere from 2023 to 2024. There you have it – everything there is to know about all of the current and upcoming Xbox exclusives. With so many games to look forward to, be sure to check out our hubs for all of the latest information. Forza Motorsport | Redfall | Warhammer 40K: Darktide | Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 | Starfield

Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S: Which should you buy? MicrosoftThe Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles are arriving in just under a week. Here, we have included all of the information you need to decide which next-gen console you should buy. Xbox-faithfuls are sure to be gearing up for the premium edition of the Series lineup, but key features – as well as a tantalizing price point for the smaller sibling in the family – could turn heads once the two release in November. Microsoft is doubling down on promising the “most powerful console ever” with the Xbox Series X, which is packed with a processor powered by AMD’s latest Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures that will also be featured in the Series S. If you’re still hazy on which one to buy, then take a look at the breakdown below to get a better sense at everything from pricing to utility to make the decision a bit easier. Xbox Series X/S Specs comparison Both the Xbox Series X and the Series S will have incredibly fast processing capabilities as well as SSD storage to cut load times; but where one provides raw power, the other will bank on leniency to enter the Xbox family. Microsoft isn’t shy about hedging specs on the Series S to cast a wider net of attraction on potential buyers. The Series S will still feature a lot of next-gen specs to invite players into the future of gaming, but it won’t hold a candle to its big brother’s processing muscle- and Microsoft is okay with that. The Xbox Series X will be for the 4K gamers who want to experience every flagship title at its highest quality. Not only does the Series X have ‘true 4K gaming with up to 120 frames-per-second,’ it will also be 8K ready with its 12 teraflops of processing power. While the same can’t be said about the Series S, new technologies from the Xbox creators made sure that the upcoming budget-console would still be a worthwhile leap from the previous generation while aiming at 1080p monitor users. Xbox Series X trailer From Microsoft’s reveal of the Series S, the company will look to provide gaming up to 1440p resolution at 120 frames-per-second while also supporting ray tracing, variable rate shading, and variable refresh rate. The all-digital console will have a 512 GB SSD, and will have 4K media playback while also boasting upscaling for games at the same resolution. Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S price, release date Pricing for both consoles will be the biggest point of discussion for people looking to pick up Microsoft’s next entry in the Xbox family. The Xbox Series S has been confirmed for $299 / £249, while the Xbox Series X will launch at $499 / £449. The prices were confirmed on September 9, on the official Xbox Twitter account. The same tweet also confirms November 10 would be the release date for the new consoles. This is the tweet… Xbox Series X: £449 (ERP) Xbox Series S: £249 (ERP)Release date: November 10th Pre-order starts September 22nd | #PowerYourDreams — Xbox UK (@xboxuk) September 9, 2020 Even with all of the sacrifices that the all-digital Series S model makes, it’s still an interesting price point to consider, rivaling the mega-popular Nintendo Switch at the same ERP. Xbox Series S trailer What games will be on Xbox Series X & Xbox Series S? The games on both will be exactly the same, of course, and many are already set for a next-gen release. Below is a short list of those to expect on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, not to mention the hundreds of titles on Xbox Game Pass as well. Grand Theft Auto 5 (GTA Online) – Fortnite (4k 60fps) – FIFA 21 – Borderlands 3 (4k 60fps in single-player) – Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – Destiny 2 – Dirt 5 – Dustborn – Echo Generation – Everwild – Fable – Hitman 3 – Madden NFL 21 – Mortal Kombat 11 (optimized for next-gen) – Marvel’s Avengers – NKA 2K21 – Far Cry 6 – Gears 5 – Gotham Knights – Halo Infinite – Forza Motorsport – As Dusk Falls – Atomic Heart – Avowed – Battlefield 6 – Overcooked – Rainbow Six Quarantine – Resident Evil 8 – Sherlock Holmes: Chapter 1 – State of Decay 3 – The Lord of the Rings Gollum – The Outer Worlds – Unknown 9: The Awakening – Watch Dogs: Legion – Bright Memory Infinite – Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War – Call of the Sea – Chivalry 2 – Control: Ultimate Edition – Cris Tales – Cyberpunk 2077 – Demon Turf – Should I buy the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S? For tried-and-true Xbox fanboys, the discussion is null and void: Get the Xbox Series X. Are you a PlayStation die-hard or an ascended PC player who still wants to experience the best of Xbox? Get the Xbox Series S. In reality, the question will be much more nuanced for prospective buyers. While having the best that tech can offer is always a juicy idea, some gamers will look to get the most bang for their buck. If you prefer games on PC or on PlayStation, then spending $300 on a side-console could be much more attractive than going for the full premium price of the Xbox Series X. If you have someone in your life who has historically surrounded themselves in Xbox’s ecosystem, then get them the beefier Series X. Both consoles will still let you dive into games like Gears of War, Halo: Infinite, Fable and more, but how you want to experience them will really drive the decision.

Xbox Series X review: Microsoft blurs the lines between console and PC Microsoft / XboxWith the Xbox Series X, Microsoft are aiming to set a new standard for consoles when it comes to graphical power and performance. However, faced with a fierce competitor in the PlayStation 5, it will need to deliver on that promise and then some. Putting old console rivalries aside, there’s no denying that Microsoft’s highly-anticipated Xbox Series X and S machines are exciting for all gamers. Not only do they boast lightning-fast load times and rich visuals, but they come with Quick Resume and raytracing, features never seen on consoles before. Series X is the more powerful of the two, and if you want to see next-gen Xbox games at their best, this is the one to invest in. As soon as you switch on your new Xbox and load up, say, Gears of War 5, it’s clear that Xbox Series X is a huge step up from Xbox One, and rather than compare it to the next PlayStation, it almost makes more sense to put it up against a PC running a mid-range graphics card as the new Xbox blurs the boundaries between PC and console gaming. Let’s not get too caught up in the specs though. There are those who love to study every GHz and Teraflop, reeling them off to their mates as they argue that my console is better than your console, however, for most people, what truly matters is how their favorite games both look and feel on the Series X, and you can expect detailed insights into how the Series X performs in this hands-on review. Lightning-fast load times Consoles have long been behind PCs across many tech metrics, but one thing that has continued to plague past generations is the dreaded HDD. Not only is this storage device extremely outdated, it’s also excruciatingly slow, particularly when it comes to booting up your system and loading into games. However, the Xbox Series X has finally rid console players of this time-consuming process for good. The 1TB Custom NVME SSD eliminates lengthy load times, allowing you to jump straight into the action within mere seconds. It even helps eliminate the long boot-up times as the Series X Home screen can be accessed within a scintillating eight seconds. Gone are the days of checking your phone or making a drink in between particularly laborious loading screens. Quick Resume is more than just a gimmick The spike in performance also allows both the Series X and S to utilize the Quick Resume feature, which enables you to pause a game and load up another at the same time. Microsoft dabbled with this idea back when the Xbox One launched, but it is only now that this once buggy feature has been fully realized. Unlike its clunkier predecessor, the Xbox Series X allows you to pause and boot up multiple games simultaneously. While the Quick Resume function works on a handful of titles, it performs incredibly well and makes for some seamlessly fast transitions. In just a matter of seconds, you can be whisked away from the blood-soaked battlefields of Gears of War 5, and taken to the beautiful hand-painted environments of Ori and the Will of the Wisps. However, what really comes as a surprise is how well the Xbox Series X handles this feature. Even with multiple games paused in the background, there’s no noticeable drop in each title’s frame rate. In fact, every compatible game that was tested with the Quick Resume feature ran like a treat, but only time will tell how it fairs on the system’s more intensive games. Furthermore, the Quick Resume feature also remains active even when the console is completely powered off. You can finally say goodbye to those annoying moments where you’re hurrying to find save points or having to leave the console idle at a particularly important section. This feature might seem like a relatively small addition and it probably won’t be the Series X’s main selling point, but it is one that demonstrates just how capable this console truly is. Powerful performance at a fraction of the price While the Xbox Series X may not feature all the bells and whistles of the very best PC builds, it does offer great graphical fidelity and performance at a more affordable price. The Series X aims to deliver a stable 4K experience at 60 FPS, with support of up to 120 FPS depending on the title. Those with 8K TVs will also be able to enjoy greater visual clarity, albeit at a cost to performance. While there is no way to check the Xbox Series X’s FPS internally, every game tested seemed to maintain a consistent frame rate at 1440p. Even when the onscreen action got particularly heated, the Series X kept performance steady and never hindered the overall experience – an area that has often been a rarity in past console releases. This led to buttery smooth gameplay that felt akin to playing on a mid-range PC. If it weren’t for the weighty Xbox Series X controller, it would be difficult to remember that you’re actually playing on a home console. This is especially true when the Series X is paired with a high refresh rate monitor. Shooters feel snappy and quick, platformers are incredibly responsive, and racing games deliver fluid and fast performances. There was no game tested that the Series X couldn’t handle. Raytracing and higher resolutions bring each world to life If you’ve been following recent developments in gaming technology, then you’ll know just how keen developers are to utilize raytracing. This sharp lighting effect brings each game’s world to life by creating dynamic reflections and shadows, giving greater visual fidelity than ever before. Both the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 will mark the first time that consoles have ever had access to this graphical enhancement, making it a significant selling point for those that wish to truly immerse themselves in a game’s world. While a number of upcoming titles will feature raytracing upon launch, it is Gears of War 5 that showcased a glimpse of how these dynamic reflections and shadows will look on the Series X. Not only do the visuals look absolutely stunning on the Series X, but the shooter also runs extremely well. In fact, the ruins of Azura prove to be the perfect environment to test out the Series X’s superior lighting capabilities and it doesn’t disappoint. Bright rays of natural sunlight protrude through the jungle’s treetops and bounce off the glistening waterfall, while the dimly lit depths of the COG bunkers cause shadows to dance upon the walls whenever bullets streak down the flooded hallways. It is a marvel to see a feature that doesn’t result in any significant drops in performance when running at 1440p. Of course, this could change in games that feature intensive lighting and shadow effects, but it’s encouraging to see this kind of performance so early on. Cool and quiet The Series X isn’t very loud at all. In fact, you can only hear the fan when you remove your headphones and turn the game audio off. Unlike the Xbox One, the Series X also keeps cool after several long hours of rigorous gaming. This is largely down to the vertical placement of the console’s fans, which helps to dissipate any heat directly above the console. For those with limited surface space, the vertical fan placement is a godsend. Minor controller changes make for a smoother experience The Xbox Series X controller doesn’t boast any major all-new features, but there are a few minor adjustments that make it more appealing than its predecessor. Firstly, the tactile mini dots featured on the under grip and triggers help keep the controller firmly in your hands no matter how sweaty your palms get. This makes it great for those late-night grinding sessions or when you need to remain on point during adrenaline-fueled multiplayer modes. The Series X’s triggers don’t share Sony’s adaptive functionality, which makes the triggers harder to push down when using certain items such as a bow – However, they are very responsive and feel good to press in. Alongside the usual button inputs, there is now a dedicated share button – One press of this little button and you’ll be able to effortlessly take screenshots and save those montage-worthy clips in an instance. However, there is one old feature that has made a comeback – the return of the classic circular D-pad design. While the very thought of this may worry a lot of players, the Series X’s D-pad actually works like a charm. Unlike the 360’s nightmarish D-pad of doom, Microsoft’s latest controller allows for even greater precision when it comes to registering vertical inputs. The stronger indentations of the D-pad’s diagonal buttons allow for greater precision than ever before. Gone are the days of wrestling with the D-pad to pull off those all-important directional inputs. Now you can simply click the D-pad in the exact direction you want in order to unleash those lethal combos. Lacking Launch Day exclusives The only gripe with the Series X is the lack of available launch day exclusives. This obviously won’t be a problem for those that are looking to pick up a Series X or S after the console’s initial launch as upcoming exclusives include Halo Infinite, Fable, Forza Motorsport, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, and State of Decay 3. However, right now, we don’t have enough killer games that are only available on Xbox. That’s not to say that there aren’t some top titles available to play on the new console, and they will, as detailed above, look great. The likes of Dirt 5, Assassins Creed: Valhalla, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Tetris Effect: Connected, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon will release alongside the Series X and S on November 10. There’s also the addition of Xbox Game Pass, which will allow players to indulge in over 100 games and backward compatible titles. In addition to new releases being optimized for both the Series X and S, Microsoft are also targeting previously released titles. These include Forza Horizon 4, Gears 5, Gears Tactics, Sea of Thieves, and The Touryst – all of which have received various changes to make use of the console’s increased specifications. To make matters even better, Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda will give Xbox Series players access to the likes of the ever-popular Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchise. The Netflix of gaming Microsoft continues to make gaming more accessible than ever thanks to its affordable Game Pass subscription service. Being able to indulge in 100+ games for as little as $9.99 / £7.99 a month is always going to be a huge bonus for any player, particularly those that wish to skim through the digital pages of its ever-growing catalog. While the lack of launch day exclusives may disappoint many Xbox fans, it’s Microsoft’s emphasis on Game Pass and the stalwart dedication it has to backwards compatibility that makes the Series X so tantalizing. This backward functionality is an area that has remained a strong focal point in gaming, especially when you consider how strange it really is. Imagine if there was a new wave of Blu-Ray / DVD / Video players every five years and you couldn’t watch any of your old films on the new machine, it would certainly seem a little off. However, Microsoft fixes this issue and allows Series X and S players to enjoy higher resolutions, faster load times, and more stable frame rates from Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Original Xbox games. Not to fan the flames of the console war, but it’s important to note that Sony’s PS5 doesn’t offer this same luxury to its users. If you’re looking to play any PS2 or PS3 games, then you’re fresh out of luck when it comes to this area. Is Xbox Series X worth your money? The Xbox Series X seeks to further blur the lines between PC and console thanks to its killer combo of speedy load times, buttery smooth gameplay, and high graphical fidelity. While it won’t topple the best PCs on the market, it’s certainly hard to pass up for those that want fantastic performance at a fraction of the price. Microsoft have certainly set out to make a strong statement, and the Xbox Series X is more than capable of making its mark in the highly-competitive world of console gaming.