Ubisoft's XDefiant has been indefinitely delayed, worrying fans

Ubisoft has announced an indefinite delay for the release of its free-to-play arena shooter XDefiant following its most recent public test session.

The publisher's Call of Duty competitor led by former Infinity Ward developer Mark Rubin was initially slated for an October release but in September 2023, the title failed console certification tests resulting in further delays to its launch.

While many were hoping XDefiant would provide a viable alternative to other FPS titles on the market, Ubisoft revealed another delay to its release on October 9, 2023, leaving players concerned and wondering whether the servers will switch on before the end of the year.

A statement from Ubisoft reads: "The PTS (public test session) once again showed us your appreciation for fast-paced gunplay, uniquely crafted maps, objective-driven modes, and iconic Faction roster. But it also surfaced some inconsistencies in the game experience that we needed to address. So, we've made the hard decision to delay the Preseason of XDefiant."

On one hand, there's plenty of disappointment for those looking for an alternative to the upcoming Modern Warfare 3 but on the other, there's a strong sense of optimism among those looking to see Ubisoft's vision for an arena shooter. One player says: "Not unsurprising but I for one am glad to hear that you're taking the feedback from the PTS seriously and making sure the game launches in a good state."

Another adds: "At this point, wait a while. Don't release it anywhere near CoD's date. When everyone is tired of it in March/April/May, then bring this out."

XDefiant has the potential to fill a gap in the FPS genre and it appears Ubisoft is taking all the right steps in order to make sure the game doesn't launch with numerous bugs and glitches impacting the gameplay.

Our sister site StealthOptional took a look at Ubisoft’s FPS game earlier this year, saying: “Ubisoft’s XDefiant is a mediocre mix of Overwatch and CoD Mobile.” Ouch.

While another setback is certainly frustrating for those looking forward to loading into the action, it'll be interesting to see if the wait is worth it and Ubisoft can deliver a legitimate competitor to the likes of CoD, Battlefield, and Halo.