XDefiant, the upcoming FPS from Ubisoft led by former Call of Duty boss Mark Rubin, has been delayed in what is the latest chapter of the game’s long and bumpy road to release.
In a social media post, Ubisoft said it hoped to release XDefiant by the end of March. However, there are “still some improvements” the studio has to make before it’s ready. Right now the focus is on an upcoming 12-hour stress test for the game’s servers, and Ubisoft is inviting its early access players to hop in and try to put the servers through their paces.
After this process, Ubisoft said it expects to be able to lock in a public release date and begin to discuss XDefiant’s post-launch content plans.
“Thank you again for standing by us,” Ubisoft said.
Just this week, Insider Gaming published a report containing behind-the-scenes info on XDefiant’s development process. In particular, the report called out a group of executives and directors on the project known internally as “The Boys Club.” These people reportedly “caused constant problems for the game’s development.”
“The Boys Club is a closed group of protected individuals who think they are better than everyone else and do as they please without any repercussions,” one developer said. Another worker said one person in particular “has a history of treating people extremely badly with more HR reports than I’ve ever seen.”
A source told Insider Gaming that the “constant changing of approved features,” among other things, led to the game being delayed “probably a year or so.”
A spokesperson for Ubisoft told Insider Gaming that it is “committed to the well-being and inclusivity of all our team members.” The statement added, “Our preventive approach includes promoting standards of respect and civility, awareness and training, and effective conflict resolution.” Ubisoft added that the company has an anonymous whistleblowing channel to help workers report bad behavior.
GameSpot has contacted Ubisoft for comment.
Previously, Ubisoft said XDefiant might launch in September or October 2023, but issues during the console certification process led to an earlier delay. Later, the game was delayed indefinitely.
GameSpot – Game News Read More
Original case and manuals in new condition.
2 Comments
I was really looking forward to trying out the new shooter XDefiant from the ex-COD dev at Ubisoft. It’s always exciting to see what fresh ideas and gameplay mechanics they bring to the table. Even though the delay is a bit disappointing, I’d rather have them take their time and deliver a polished game than rush it out unfinished. I’ll be patiently waiting for its release and hoping it lives up to the hype!
I was really looking forward to trying out XDefiant, especially since it’s from a former COD developer. It’s a bummer to hear that it’s been delayed, but I’d rather they take their time and deliver a polished game than rush it out unfinished. Hopefully the extra time will allow them to fine-tune things and make it even better when it finally does come out. I’ll just have to be patient and keep my fingers crossed for an awesome gaming experience!