Ubisoft delays budding FPS XDefiant due to "inconsistencies in the game experience"

Ubisoft has delayed its free-to-play franchise-blending shooter XDefiant indefinitely. The game had previously been delayed due to certification issues and was then slated to launch at the end of this month - October - at the latest.

"Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent Public Test Session and continues to stand alongside us as we build XDefiant," reads the announcement posted to Twitter. "The [Public Test Session] once again showed us your appreciation for our fast-paced gunplay, uniquely crafted maps, objective-driven modes, and iconic Faction roster."

The statement mentions that the tests also "surfaced some inconsistencies in the game experience" that need to be ironed out first. "So we’ve made the hard decision to delay the Preseason of XDefiant." The announcement sadly doesn’t hint at a potential release date for the FPS. 

"The team will continue working to address these issues and testing them to make sure we deliver on our goal of being a best-in-class arcade shooter," continues the post, "We will share more information about Preseason and testing as it comes."

For the uninitiated, XDefiant is the shooter that crosses over several Ubisoft franchises. Factions from Splinter Cell, Watch Dogs, Far Cry, The Division, and Ghost Recon battle it out for supremacy - think Shooty Smash Bros - with gameplay that melds Counter-Strike’s quick time-to-kill with Overwatch’s ultimate abilities and whatnot. 

Our XDefiant hands-on preview called it "a surprisingly solid shooter" that’s "so messy it’s hard to get into." Austin Wood wrote: "It didn’t feel like an engaging ability shooter – for lack of a better word for the post-Overwatch roster – or a rewarding enough arena shooter, and those are hard genres to break into." Hopefully, a delay helps to marry those two sides more successfully.

While we wait for more news, try out the best online games available now.