Months of Speculation and Years of Development Later, Ubisoft’s ‘Call of Duty Killer’ XDefiant Finally Has a Launch Date

By Osama Farooq

Last Updated on: 3 May, 2024 | 8:42 AM

It has been almost three years since the studio announced the first-person shooter title.

Call of Duty may finally get a potential threat in the form of Ubisoft’s XDefiant, which has been in development hell for almost three years since the initial announcement. Earlier this year, director Mark Rubin announced that the shooter game has been delayed due to numerous issues, but it turns out that it might be launched sooner than expected.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Ubisoft title if it didn’t face delays, a recent example being Skull and Bones, but a release date has been announced for the free-to-play game, and players would hopefully not have to wait too long.

Ubisoft Announces Another Release Date for XDefiant

Ubisoft's overdue answer to Call of Duty is finally scheduled for launch later this month. — Ubisoft’s answer to *Call of Duty* is scheduled to launch later this month.

Knowing Ubisoft, anything can happen and things might change again, but for now, the studio has announced that it’s planning to launch XDefiant in just over two weeks. Scheduled for release on May 21, the announcement came after a successful Server Test Session, and it seems like Ubisoft is finally satisfied with everything that its answer to Call of Duty has to offer. This won’t be considered the first season of the game; instead, it’ll be a Preseason that comes with its own content.

XDefiant will get a simultaneous launch on multiple platforms later this month, and since the game supports crossplay, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S players will all be able to play together. Ubisoft also confirmed that the game’s Preseason will go on for six weeks, after which it will follow its seasonal route.

It May Not Reach the Heights of Call of Duty, but the Preseason Comes With Plenty of Content

XDefiant's Preseason comes with plenty of content to keep players busy until the first season officially launches. — *XDefiant*‘s Preseason comes with plenty of content to keep players busy until the first season launches.

Considering the anticipation that has been surrounding XDefiant, Ubisoft had to ensure that it provided its player base with enough content during the Preseason to keep it busy until the seasonal rollout begins.

If all goes well, on May 21 at 10 AM PT, players will get access to 14 maps that’ve been divided into two categories. 10 of these maps are for the Arena category, and the remaining four will be Progression-based.

Aside from that, the title comes with five factions to choose from, with four of them available by default but one that players can unlock. The Preseason also includes five game modes, three of which belong to the Arena category and two will fall under Progression. Call of Duty enthusiasts will be glad to know that Ubisoft’s title throws in 24 initial weapons that gamers can use, with 44 attachments to customize them.

Given the current state of the Call of Duty franchise, now is the perfect time for a massive studio like Ubisoft to make its move in the genre, and XDefiant has a lot riding on its shoulders.