XDefiant: Release date, gameplay details and where to play

Being part of the Ubisoft universe, the game features factions inspired by those in other titles from their roster, including Splinter Cell, Far Cry and Watch Dogs.

If that sounds good to you, it's best to get in quick and earn its Twitch Drops rewards!

Before you dive in, you'll need to know what its minimum and recommended specs are to play on PC.

Keep reading to find out when the XDefiant release date was, what its gameplay is like, and what platforms you can play it on. Skip to the end of the page to watch a trailer!

When was the XDefiant release date?

The XDefiant release date was 21st May 2024.

This was when the Preseason, err, Season launched for players across PC and console and the game officially moved out of its beta period.

You can play it for free right now.

Which consoles can you play XDefiant on?

XDefiant can be played on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Previously, the game was due to support the PS4 and Xbox One, but this is not the case as of the game's launch.

Curiously, it was also going to come to the cloud-based Amazon Luna, but this too didn't come to pass.

XDefiant gameplay details

XDefiant is a free-to-play arena shooter that harkens back to the more streamlined multiplayer experience found in titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) – albeit with some more modern sensibilities thrown in to bring the concept to the current age.

At launch, there are 14 maps in XDefiant and five different modes. You can check them all out on the official XDefiant website.

There are five playable factions within the game world, which take inspiration from other Ubisoft titles.

• The Cleaners – The Division
• Libertad – Far Cry 6
• Echelon – Splinter Cell
• Phantoms – Ghost Recon
• DedSec – Watch Dogs

You can personalise your loadouts with different weapons and attachments.

In terms of available modes, there are five at launch split across two types: Arena and Progression.

Arena modes take place on larger maps and are a bit more freeform. The Arena modes are as follows:

• Domination – Capture and control all flags
• Hot Shot – Similar to Halo's Oddball. Players must pick pick up items that score points, with the highest-earning moving faster and dealing more damage
  
• Occupy – Players must control a flag that moves across the map
  

The Progression modes are a bit more focused, and feature smaller maps with more specific objectives. These modes are:

• Zone Control – Moving zones must be defended from an attacking
• Escort – One team must protect a payload as it makes its way across the map
  

The amount of content is set to continue to grow, as Ubisoft has committed to support the game over the coming years – much like they have done with Rainbow Six: Siege.

Heck, there's even an XDefiant Seasonal Roadmap trailer confirming that a new faction, new maps, new weapons, a new Battle Pass, new cosmetics and bundles, and new events are all on the way.

Of course, you can purchase a Battle Pass, in-game currency XCoins, and pick up the Founder's Pack, too.

XDefiant trailer

Above is the most recent trailer for XDefiant, the launch trailer.

The launch trailer gives a decent, if flashy, idea of the playable characters and what you'll be getting up to when playing the game.

The graphical presentation is looking top-tier, too, with the world of XDefiant being brought to life by Ubisoft's proprietary Snowdrop engine, the same engine that's powering the visuals of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and the upcoming Star Wars Outlaws.

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