“XDefiant just proved to me…”: Ubisoft’s Shooter Isn’t Just Losing Players, Some are Even Turning Their Backs on the FPS Genre Because of It

'Don't write off shooters entirely.'

xdefiant

SUMMARY

  • Xdefiant is not well suited for casual players.
  • The complex abilities and fast-paced mechanics have driven players away from the game.
  • Many players have come together to say the same thing as they are turning away to other games like Halo.
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XDefiant, the latest Ubisoft first-person arena shooter, has experienced many issues since it was released and made free-to-play across platforms. These problems have driven players away, but there seem to be additional reasons for the infamous exodus.

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One player took to Reddit to share his frustration about the game’s fast-paced mechanics, which makes it unplayable for casual players. Many have joined to share the same thoughts on the entire first-person shooter genre, as the gameplay is more of a problem and not something that can be enjoyed.

Casual Players Are Not Enjoying XDefiant

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The October 17 launch date will bring XDefiant head to head with Call of Duty 'Haunting' event

XDefiant has a serious problem with its gameplay, as it doesn’t cater to casual players who have no time to learn the game from zero. 

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One player explained that the air strafing and slide canceling make the game unplayable for casual players. They have continued to say that they aren’t particularly skilled at FPS games overall, but that a PvP game like this isn’t something for them as they don’t have time to learn it. 

Taught me a valuable lesson
byu/CruskyHusky inXDefiant

XDefiant has various modes, including Escort, Zone Control, Domination, Occupy, Ranked, and Hot Shot. Each of these requires players to take a different approach and strategy to battle, which certainly isn’t helping casual players. 

To learn all gameplay mechanics and abilities of every faction with multiple modes available demands plenty of in-game hours, and players who aren’t on a competitive level would prefer to leave the game than learn it. 

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This Shooter is Too Complicated For Many FPS Fans

An image from an XDefiant match of a player walking toward the Lion Observatory.
XDefiant is driving players away from the genre. | Credit: Ubisoft

The Call of Duty killer isn’t living up to its potential and that is a fact. The Reddit user who shared his opinion on the game isn’t the only one as more players have come forward to second his notion. 

One player, in particular, said that they got obliterated by an opposing team, which adds insult to injury as they and their friends are just casual players and are considering leaving the game and turning to other titles in the genre. 

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byu/CruskyHusky from discussion
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Moreover, another player said that they love the first-person shooter genre but feel that arcade shooters like this one aren’t for them anymore and that they will be turning to Halo or other games. 

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byu/CruskyHusky from discussion
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Another player said that the lack of skill-based match-making was what makes the game different from other games but that is what makes it a young man’s game. 

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byu/CruskyHusky from discussion
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Additionally, one user said that the lack of skill-based matchmaking is a dumb idea as it will leave only top-tier players in the game, which is in fact happening to the title. 

The video game publisher will need to address these issues and find balance within its player base as more fans leave the game and genre overall. 

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While it is free to play, many people are afraid to jump into the arena feeling they will be destroyed in an instant without the right skill or talent for games like these. 

What are your thoughts on XDefiant defying skill-based matchmaking? Should Ubisfot make some changes or leave the game to its best players? Let us know in the comments below. 

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Written by Nikola Pajtic

Articles Published: 100

Nikola is an avid gamer and a pop culture buff. When he is not writing, he is either playing Final Fantasy, thinking about what Lovecraft stories can be adapted into film or video game, and watching new Doctor Who episodes.