The highly anticipated free-to-play FPS XDefiant appears to be nearing its official release after a promising server test last weekend. Executive Producer Mark Rubin took to Twitter to share that the game’s release date announcement is “coming very soon.”
While no specific date was provided, Rubin’s comments suggest the full launch could follow shortly after the upcoming date reveal. He described feeling “really good” about how the recent test went for the Ubisoft multiplayer shooter.
The server test allowed the developers to gather valuable data and player feedback ahead of XDefiant’s release. Rubin outlined three major learnings and areas for improvement based on the test:
— Mark Rubin (@PixelsofMark) April 26, 2024
- Addressing “Delta-1 errors” that may have caused latency issues like being shot behind cover.
- Ensuring health bars accurately reflect damage timing to prevent a sense of hit registration problems.
- Optimizing matchmaking to reduce high pings some players experienced by being too lenient with connection criteria.
Beyond those identified issues, Rubin stated the test went “pretty well” overall, boding well for XDefiant’s imminent 1.0 launch. The server test marked one of the final preparatory steps as the game nears completion after years of development.
Originally revealed in 2021, XDefiant aims to blend classic arena shooter gameplay with mainstream influences like personalized Defiant classes and gadgets. The title will be free-to-play across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms with full cross-play support.
Let me give the key takeaway(s) from this last post. The Server Test Session went really well from a scale and server standpoint. We have some tuning to do. Pretty straight forward stuff that will be done very soon if not done already. And lastly release date coming very soon!
— Mark Rubin (@PixelsofMark) April 26, 2024
While the recent test built anticipation, it did lack XDefiant’s promised faction war between the ultranationalist Poachers and globally-minded Developers. How this narrative layer is integrated remains to be seen.
Nevertheless, with the server test reportedly hitting most of its technical targets, XDefiant seems primed to finally deploy its unique take on competitive 6v6 multiplayer combat very soon. As Rubin promises a release date announcement on the horizon, the game’s dedicated fan base likely won’t have to wait much longer.
