After numerous delays, XDefiant is finally landing this week and you can preload the game on all platforms right now. We've got file sizes for all platforms as well as PC specs for the best experience straight off the bat.
We've been waiting for Ubisoft's free-to-play FPS to launch since last year, and after a number of delays, the developer finally dropped the release date bomb at the start of the month – announcing it'd be going live in a matter of weeks.
XDefiant has been on our radar since it was first announced in July 2021 and prospective players even got a chance to try out the game ahead of release thanks to a number of playtests on PC, which culminated in a couple of open betas that gave people on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S a chance to hop into the action.
XDefiant: in a nutshell
What is it? A free-to-play, first-person arena shooter
When does it come out? Tuesday, May 21
How much it is? Free!
Where can I play it? PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Initially targeting a summer 2023 launch, certification issues saw the release date get pushed back to mid-to-end of September. That didn't pan out either; after a PC playtest in September, the developer announced an indefinite delay to address "some inconsistencies with the game experience" – although rumour has it that it was execs at Ubisoft that wanted XDefiant to ape Call of Duty that were ultimately responsible for the game missing a number of internal targets.
That's all firmly behind us now though, with the XDefiant release happening this week. Here's everything you need to know including when you can start playing, and more details on the gameplay – with the likes of Fortnite and Warzone reigning supreme, and a ton of hero shooters to boot (Overwatch 2, Valorant, and Apex Legends to name a few), XDefiant has its work cut out for it if it wants to make an impact. Although the massive success of Helldivers 2 has shown us that it's not impossible.
Xdefiant release date and preload
After delays upon delays, we're finally seeing XDefiant release on Tuesday, May 21. As for the XDefiant release time, that'll be at 6pm BST / 1pm EDT / 10am PST.
Preloading for the game went live last week on all platforms so there's still time preload XDefiant now so you can jump straight in tomorrow. The title was set to come to PS4 and Xbox One post-launch but plans for a last-gen release seem to have been scrapped in order to ensure "a consistent standard of quality" – that comes courtesy of a tweet from the game's official Twitter account earlier this month.
If you want to preload XDefiant before the game drops, you can head to its page on Xbox and PlayStation and simply hit download. Over on PC, it won't be available on Steam so instead, you'll need to head to Ubisoft Connect and download the game there. If you're wondering how much space you need to install the game, here are the XDefiant file sizes for all platforms:
- XDefiant file size PS5 – 30.09GB min
- XDefiant file size Xbox – 30.08GB min
- XDefiant file size PC – 35GB min
All of this information can be found on the game's official site as well.
Is XDefiant cross-platform?
Yes, XDefiant is cross-platform so PC, PS5, and Xbox players can all dive in and play with one another when the game releases. There's already been a chance to check out how XDefiant cross-platform play functions in the wild, with the crossplay beta. Any progression from your time in the beta will not carry over to the main game, but XDefiant Twitch Drops earned during the beta period will be redeemable for the M870 'Violet' Weapon Skin and M249 'Violet' Weapon Skin.
XDefiant crossplay progression is also supported (as with a number of other Ubisoft games), via Ubisoft Connect – which you need to play the game anyway.
XDefiant PC specs
Ubisoft has listed Defiant PC specs on the game's website with options for minimum, recommended, enthusiast and ultra settings – all of which you can check out in the handy graphic below.
As touched on in the post, XDefiant will support DX11 and DX12, NVIDIA Reflex (for low latency), widescreen, and an uncapped frame rate.
