Ubisoft Responds to Claims That XDefiant is ‘Dying’

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Ubisoft Responds to Claims That XDefiant is 'Dying'

Key Takeaways

  • XDefiant‘s executive producer is refuting claims that the free-to-play FPS title is struggling.
  • Ubisoft has revealed a detailed roadmap for the game’s first year on the market.
  • Season 2 of XDefiant will begin on September 24 and will introduce a new faction, new mode, and several new maps and weapons.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I’ve seen games rise and fall like the tides. So when I heard about the alleged struggles of XDefiant, I was intrigued. But after reading this update, I can’t help but feel optimistic about its future.

Ubisoft is countering allegations that their latest multiplayer FPS game, XDefiant, isn’t performing satisfactorily. The second season for XDefiant was unveiled, which will be available next week and includes the debut of a fresh faction, the Highwaymen from Far Cry 5’s spin-off, Far Cry New Dawn. This upcoming season also introduces a new mode resembling Search and Destroy called Bomb mode, along with additional maps and weapons.

In the previous month, there was a whisper that game XDefiant might be facing difficulties. The game has been experiencing a drop in both active players and spending since its successful debut in May 2024. This rumor hinted that Ubisoft was considering giving the XDefiant team until Season 3 to rectify the situation, or else they may withdraw their support for the game. This predicament is further exacerbated by layoffs that affected Ubisoft San Francisco earlier in the year and the upcoming release of rival game Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 next month. As XDefiant prepares for its second season, it appears to be under increasing stress.

In a recent blog post, XDefiant’s executive producer, Mark Rubin, dispelled concerns about the game’s health. Despite some areas needing improvement, such as Netcode/Hitreg and content for progression, he emphasized that the game is far from struggling. Ubisoft San Francisco is actively working on enhancing these aspects to ensure XDefiant maintains its solid performance.

Ubisoft’s Mark Rubin Insists XDefiant Is Doing Well

Since XDefiant is exclusive to the Ubisoft store and not on Steam, it becomes challenging for people to determine the current number of concurrent players, making it harder to accurately assess the game’s success. However, a recent insider report hinted at around 20,000 concurrent players across all platforms. If the player count has changed since then, only Ubisoft is privy to that information. The game’s absence from Steam might be exacerbating concerns about its alleged player count issues. Regarding Rubin’s mention of netcode improvements, the Year 1 roadmap does not provide a timeline for when these enhancements will become available, leading some to speculate that they’ll be implemented whenever ready without much fanfare.

Indeed, the game is far from perishing. While we acknowledge areas for improvement such as refining the netcode and hit registration, and expanding the content for player progression, it’s essential to note that the game is currently thriving.

The eagerly-awaited second season of XDefiant is set to debut on September 24! This new phase brings a speedier battle pass progression and enhancements to features like mantling, footsteps, and player collision, along with various other quality-of-life updates. To top it off, the Highwaymen from Far Cry New Dawn will make their entrance in Season 2, potentially drawing in more players as we edge closer to Season 3 by the end of 2024.

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2024-09-18 21:03