Ubisoft’s XDefiant just launched on May 21st to a mostly positive reception from fans and critics. They have praised its map design and its variety, as well as the gameplay and various modes. One big selling point for the game was that it was seemingly an alternative to Call of Duty. Especially with this game’s lack of skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), which makes for a more varied and fun experience.
Call of Duty has notoriously doubled down on SBMM in the past few years, with a lot of players wanting it to be removed from the casual playlists as it leads to more difficult and less varied matches.
Some Players Have Been Complaining About XDefiant’s Lack of SBMM
Players have taken to X and other platforms to talk about their experience in the game. One common complaint has been that their teammates are often pretty bad and downright useless at times, while others have not been having as much fun with it due to getting killed constantly and having enemies pop out of nowhere, far beyond their immediate line of sight.
No SBMM in a game that wont have a casual audiance isnt the flex this community thinks it will be. Anyone watching xDefiant gameplay should be able to tell its a game for 17yr olds on ADHD meds who wanna spam jump and sprint around corners lmao. https://t.co/PpVnBWAxeM
— Aimbraham Blickin (@Versacenoose) May 20, 2024
Some have even asked for some kind of SBMM to be included in the game like Call of Duty, so that they have a better or more consistent experience based on their skill level. Of course, they can just play ranked instead since that has SBMM, although they will have to wait for it to go live later on in the future.
literally the lobbies are so sweaty, if i get 2 kills it’s great…sbmm is actually necessary so that players who just want to relax actually have a chance to do it, in xdefiant the sweats in every fucking lobby ruin the game for me https://t.co/Ctvm9Xs6Bs
— songbird (@angelslikeswift) May 24, 2024
A few users have stated that the lack of SBMM actually makes the game worse since everyone plays more aggressively and tries to farm as many kills as possible. They have been saying that they keep getting matched with highly skilled players resulting in unfair matches – something that SBMM can prevent by matching you with similarly skilled players only.
Boy #Xdefiant feels terrible. That whole "no SBMM" thing really makes the game feel like garbage. only headshots matter. if you prefire on somebody to the body they can turn around and one shot you to the head. also everybody just uses the tag ability. It's a no from me dawg. pic.twitter.com/nwK0CG0CMZ
— Rathbaume (@Rathbaume) May 22, 2024
Ubisoft’s reasoning for ditching SBMM was to prioritize casual fun over ultra-competitive matches. Players have been tired of being matched against equally skilled opponents in other games. The promise of relaxed, unpredictable matches with a focus on enjoyment resonated with a large segment of the community, especially Call of Duty fans.
What Are Some Other Things That Are Being Said About XDefiant?
Other than the SBMM debate, the game has been mostly well-received. Tom Clancy, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and other Ubisoft properties are among the many locations and groups that are featured in this game.
The lack of a Platinum trophy in XDefiant has definitely been a disappointment for some PS5 users. This achievement is present in the majority of PS5 games, however, the game falls short in this area.
The fact that the game is free to play is another major selling point. In just three hours, the launch has resulted in the most players of any Ubisoft title, at three million unique players.
While live service and online game launches can occasionally be pretty lacking, XDefiant’s launch was particularly difficult. On the first day, most players were unable to access the game for several hours. Since then, the launch bugs have been resolved, and the game has been running smoothly.
Where do you stand on the SBMM debate in FPS games? Let us know in the comments below.
