XDefiant Hit With Severe Network Issues at Launch

Gaming

May 22, 2024

Grant Taylor-Hill

On May 21, XDefiant was finally released worldwide, emerging to an eager audience after months of delays. In early testing phases, the game was revealed as a massive hit, with many labelling XDefiant the ‘Call of Duty killer’, much to the chagrin of Ubisoft. However, now that the game has finally been released, the cracks are starting to show. Hours into the game’s appearance on the market, network issues and server instability brought it crashing to its knees.

It was an issue addressed almost immediately by Ubisoft, but it left fans with a sour taste in their mouth as a first impression. This game was supposed to have been released almost a year ago, but thanks to several pushbacks, it has only just launched across all platforms (PS5, PC, XSX). Far from being a Call of Duty killer, XDefiant is struggling to get out of the starting blocks and onto the track.

XDefiant On Top?

xdefiant network

To give credit to the free-to-play shooter, it skyrocketed to the top of the Twitch charts on May 21. It was flooded by creators far and wide, but that only served to better publicise the instability of the game’s matchmaking platform. On social media, users were voicing their concerns, and within hours, Ubisoft had posted a message acknowledging the issue:

‘We’re aware that some players are unable to join a game- please bear with us while we look into servers and matchmaking!’

That was followed up around five hours later with:

‘Update: We are seeing progress on the matchmaking servers. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated.’

Since then, there have been no further updates from Ubisoft about the XDefiant network issues. Players are still finding it difficult to matchmake consistently across most platforms.

It’s unfortunate, as XDefiant launched with quite a package included. There are fourteen maps, five modes, five in-game factions based on Ubisoft franchises, and twenty-four weapons. It’s a plethora of content that’s only going to get better with time, and many unique elements to the shooter will undoubtedly help it stand out over time. Each faction in XDefiant has a different ‘purpose’, with some relying on heavier weapons while others are stealthier and more agile.

With Ubisoft having such a dramatic array of franchises under its belt, there’s no end to the XDefiant factions that could appear in the game. Presently, the factions in XDefiant are Cleaners, Echelon, Phantoms, Libertad, and DedSec. We can expect a Rainbow Six faction and an Assassin’s Creed faction soon, according to reports.

Ultimately, XDefiant is a solid shooter – if you can look past the network issues. It has plenty to offer fans of the genre and it has a nice pacing that keeps players on their toes in every match. It’s also a game that’s being enjoyed by pro Call of Duty players, so that’s a shining nod of encouragement.

Ubisoft also revealed that SBMM will only be present in Ranked Play in XDefiant, so that’s another huge win.

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