XDefiant, the upcoming multiplayer FPS from Ubisoft, has been delayed slightly to a revised release window after it failed compliance tests with the console manufacturers. The development team was previously hoping to have the game out the door at the end of August. However, that window has now shifted to sometime between the end of September and mid-October, provided they can fix the errors in time.
The news comes via a post from executive producer Mark Rubin, outlining where in the process the team is at the moment and what steps come next. Rubin notes that the team first submitted the game to the console manufacturers in late July, learning that it had not passed the tests by mid-August. The current plan is to resubmit within the next two weeks. If XDefiant passes “cleanly” this time, the game will be on track to release towards the end of September, while the requirement of a day one patch could push that out to October.
The post goes into more detail on the certification process, which is fundamentally about making sure that games on the platform do everything they’re supposed to, such as ensuring trophies or achievements work. It seems to be quite a labor-intensive process at Ubisoft, requiring weeks of internal testing before being passed on, after which the QA teams continue working on sorting out other bugs. The post offers a fascinating insight into the process, so it’s well worth checking out.
In case you’ve forgotten, XDefiant was originally announced back in 2021 as the latest IP in Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s catalog. However, that branding was later dropped. It’s a punk-styled 6-vs-6 arena shooter that brings together factions from across Ubisoft’s library, including DedSec from Watch Dogs and Libertad from Far Cry 6. The project is being headed by Rubin, who brings more than a decade of experience on Call of Duty.
