Ubisoft could potentially launch xDefiant somewhere between the middle of September to the middle of October as it works to obtain certification from PlayStation and Xbox.
In a written update, producer Mark Rubin said that Ubisoft started the certification process for XDefiant on PlayStation and Xbox at the end of July. Ubisoft was targeting a release for the end of August, but with XDefiant needing more work than expected, it is now looking further into the fall.
Ubisoft plans to submit to first party platforms for certification again in less than two weeks. If the game passes, then it can officially be released by middle to late September. Rubin also states that the game will likely receive a conditional Pass, meaning that Ubisoft will have to implement a Day One Patch, and XDefiant is looking at a early to middle October release.
“If we were following the standard rules for game releases, we would have set a date far enough in advance with enough buffer to have a confident release date. However, like a lot of things with this game, we have not chosen the typical route,” Rubin explained.
He continued: “Having millions of people play your game long before it’s ready is not normal. Not being afraid to show an unfinished game to millions of people with all its flaws is not normal. These were real tests and not just marketing events. So, when it comes to when we will release, the real answer is ‘as soon as we can.’ And we will continue to update you with more info when we have it.”
Rubin later clarified that “failing the first sub is normal and pretty much expected by any game. So our ‘later this summer’ window hasn’t moved based on not passing the first sub. That window was based on having to go through a second sub. Just trying to be as honest as I can.”
XDefiant is a free-to-play first-person shooter game developed by Ubisoft San Francisco. It has had several beta phases this year, including a closed one in April and an open one in June. It will launch for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
In IGN’s XDefiant first closed beta impressions, we said, “It’s not perfect and definitely requires a lot of major and fine-tuning. But the core gameplay is there and it’s fun.”
Update – 09/12/2023: This story was updated to reflect clarifying remarks from Ubisoft.
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He’s been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.
When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey
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