The game that felt like it was never going to release finally has an official release date: XDefiant is finally, actually coming—and it’s just around the corner.
Ubisoft announced today that XDefiant’s preseason, or Season Zero, will begin in just a few weeks on May 21. After that, seasonal content will begin in the live-service title in an effort to keep it fresh and keep players playing.
The six-week-long preseason will include a slew of content, along with new additions like a Ranked Mode Practice Playlist where players can hone their skills in a competitive environment for when the game’s ranked ladder mode launches in a future season.
Ubisoft also unveiled a roadmap for the first year of the game, confirming a new faction, weapons, maps, and a battle pass every season. They will also contain new modes, competitive modes, game improvements, and quality-of-life features.
Year one of XDefiant will include four factions, 12 weapons, and 12 new maps overall, adding to the already-existing five factions, 24 weapons, and 14 maps, increasing its totals with content drops every few months.
XDefiant’s server stress test a couple of weeks ago apparently went well enough for the developers to feel as though the game is ready for its release, finally. After several delays and reported development turmoil, the time to game is mercifully arriving. And now, the enjoyment can begin and further work for the developers will continue, possibly for years to come.
When it works well, XDefiant is a fun, fast-paced shooter. The stress test featured some inconsistent hit registration, but the developer says that issues have been hammered out and the game is finally good to go.
XDefiant’s preseason kicks off on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on May 21.
