How to play in the XDefiant closed beta

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The XDefiant beta is live until April 25 with crossplay, so here’s how you can hop in and play

XDefiant
(Image credit: Ubisoft)

The XDefiant closed beta is active until April 25 after an extension added a couple more days, so join in by registering online. Annoyingly, registering via the website only gives you a chance of getting into the closed beta for Ubisoft’s new franchise-mashup FPS, so you’ll have to wait and hope that you get sent an access code. However, if you do get in, you can play in 6v6 matches on 14 maps, a few different modes, and you can represent various factions inspired by other Ubisoft titles. Here’s what you need to do to get into the ongoing XDefiant closed beta.

How to access the XDefiant closed beta

XDefiant closed beta register website page

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

If you couldn’t get an access code through Twitch Drops towards the start of the XDefiant closed beta, the alternative is to register online, although be aware that this does not guarantee you an access code. This process also involves using a Ubisoft account, so make sure you’ve got the details handy if you already have one. Here’s what you need to do to get into the XDefiant beta before it ends on April 25:

  1. Go to the XDefiant website and scroll down to the bottom to find the register section.
  2. Choose your preferred platform between PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, then click ‘register’. You can only choose one so make sure you pick the right one.
  3. Sign into your Ubisoft account, create a Ubisoft account, or sign in with a Facebook, Xbox, Twitch, or PlayStation account. You may have to check your email inbox for a verification email to verify your Ubisoft account.
  4. (Optional) Answer a couple of survey questions about other similar games.
  5. Wait. At this point, you can only wait for an email about “live phase updates” for XDefiant on your platform of choice. There’s no guarantee that you will get invited either but keep checking your inbox for any updates. Make sure have opted into Ubisoft emails on your Ubisoft account, as explained in this tweet.

If you are selected, you’ll get an email providing further details on how to actually access the XDefiant beta, but this is all you can do for now. Hopefully, you can get in as we found XDefiant to be surprisingly solid from what we’ve played so far. While this beta is only available for PC, Xbox Series X, and PS5, the full game will be playable on PS4, Xbox One, and Amazon Luna, although no release date has been announced yet.

XDefiant closed beta end time

Despite the possibility of extension for the beta going from 'maybe' to 'no', the XDefiant closed beta has been extended by two days. Here's exactly when the beta ends for different time zones:

  • US Pacific - April 25 at 11pm PDT
  • US Eastern - April 26 at 2am EDT
  • UK - April 26 at 7am BST
  • Central Europe - April 26 at 8am CEST

What’s in the XDefiant closed beta?

XDefiant

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Once you’ve got into the XDefiant beta, here’s what you’ll be able to try out:

  • Crossplay. This closed beta allows players from different platforms to play together in matches.
  • 14 maps. A mix of maps inspired by Ubisoft games and original maps, all of which will be available at launch.
  • Domination, Occupy, Zone Control, and Escort game modes are playable. More modes will be available at launch.
  • Four Factions. You can represent The Division-inspired Cleaners, Far Cry 6’s Libertad, Sam Fisher-wannabes Echelon, and the Phantoms from Ghost Recon Phantoms. Each Faction features three playable characters but only one for each will be unlocked as you must complete missions to get the rest. DedSec from WatchDogs has also been revealed as a fifth Faction.
  • 24 weapons, 44 attachments, five explosive devices. Slot these into customizable loadouts too.
  • Twitch Drops for weapon cosmetics. Watch XDefiant partners and streamer to get ‘Violet’ weapon skins for the D40 and MK 20 SSR. See the full details on this Twitch Drop offer here.

It’s also important to note that your progress will not carry over between the closed beta and launch. However, you will be able to keep up to 10 exclusive cosmetics items instead – I’m not really sure how this works but presumably you’ll get the option to choose any cosmetics you unlocked as you leveled up during the beta to take with you into the full game at launch.

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Will Sawyer
Will Sawyer
Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Will Sawyer is a Guides Editor at GamesRadar+ with over five years of experience in writing online guides, news, and features, and has a BA (Hons) in Journalism. Starting as a freelancer, Will contributed to startmenu and Game Rant before joining the GamesRadar+ team in August 2021. Since then, he has written hundreds of guides about a huge range of games, with shooters and action games being his areas of expertise. Outside of writing about games, Will hops between multiplayer shooters with friends, such as Darktide and Helldivers 2, and delves into whatever has been on his backlog for far too long. He also tries to get through his never-ending Warhammer pile of shame of grey Tyranids, Aeldari, and Chaos Space Marines.