XDefiant Season 1 adds a host of new content to the free-to-play shooter
It’s an exciting time for XDefiant players as the game receives its first round of free content since its release last month. Season 1 adds the first post-launch faction to the game: GSK. These Rainbow Six operators use electrified barbed wire to defend areas, active defense systems to combat enemy devices, and a G52 tactical shield to stun their opponents.
Alongside GSK, we’re also getting a new map called Clubhouse, which pits teams into mid-range encounters as they battle across two floors. New maps will arrive every month during Season 1 — we can look forward to Rockefeller and Daytona arriving in the future. The Clubhouse map will be available to enjoy while playing the new Capture the Flag game mode and Ranked Play (as well as many other modes).
In terms of new weapons to wield, Season 1 introduces the LVOA-C Assault Rifle, the L115 Sniper Rifle, and the Swed-Off Shotgun as a secondary weapon. Check out the Season 1 patch notes below for a full rundown of new additions and changes.
XDefiant Season 1 patch notes
Gameplay
- Changed the expiration timing of activated boosters so that their lifetime only counts down during the match when you’re actually playing, rather than all the time like when you’re folding laundry or whatever.
- Lowered the experience threshold for each Battle Pass level to make Battle Pass progression a bit faster.
- Tuned Match Bonus XP Rewards: MVP and Victory increased from 2000 to 1000 XP. Draw increased from 1000 to 500. Completion doubled from 2000 to 4000 to support player endurance.
- Answered by the community to add a headshot icon to Killfeed because it’s good to rub.
Faction
- Added the GSK faction and their mindless herald: HQ.
These elite Team Rainbow operators from the German Border Guard Command specialize in crowd control and area security. They can deploy electrified barbed wire for area containment, counter incoming enemy devices with an active defense system, and dazzle multiple enemies with lightning charges mounted on their G52-Tactical Shield ultra. Call them Grenzschutzkommando because it’s fun and also accurate.
- Increased Echelon’s Intel Suit cooldown from 30 to 40 seconds.
- Tweaked Phantoms’ Mag Barrier cooldown from 30 to 40 seconds. Mag Barrier hit points have also been reduced from 500 to 400.
- Phantoms’ AEGIS now takes damage from EMP grenades (lob six to disable).
- DedSec Hijack cooldown reduced from 28 seconds (plus the remaining duration of the hacked skill) to 20 seconds (plus the remaining duration of the hacked skill).
For example, say Mag Barrier has 7 seconds left and will be hacked: Cooldown will be 20 plus 7 seconds. Meanwhile, the Failed Hijack cooldown will be reduced from 8 to 5 seconds.
- DedSec Spiderbot cooldown increased from 25 to 40 seconds.
- Adjusted Spiderbot behavior so that multiple Spiderbots will not attempt to hug the same face, nor will Spiderbots continue to ignore faces that have recently hugged multiple times. Some give and take from the Spiderbot kingdom.
- Reduced the cooldown of Libertad’s BioVida Boost from 25 to 20 seconds.
- Fixed Libertad’s Medico Supremo so it no longer disappears after a deployed player respawns as a different faction.
Maps
- Added a new Clubhouse map, a two-story hangout popular with international operators. Ideal for short to medium range firefights. Home to Domination, Occupy, Hot Shot and the new CTF game modes.
Game mods
- Added Capture the Flag, hereafter referred to as CTF. For the uninitiated: You take the enemy flag from their base and transfer it back to your own while protecting your team’s flag. CTF is available on various maps.
Guns
- Improved the flinch hit penalty when firing a sniper rifle.
These changes are intended to improve hit flinch behavior, prevent cases where the camera would move off target on the first hit and back to the target on the second hit, and improve the experience for players sensitive to wild camera movements. Here’s where it gets silly:
- The camera transition speed on a flinch hit has been increased by 25 percent.
- The camera will now always randomly kick up instead of up or down.
- The amount the camera kicks left or right has been tripled.
- Added the L115 Sniper Rifle, which is not as heavy as the TAC-50 and has faster control, although it does slightly less damage and is not as effective at penetrating cover.
- Added LVOA-C, a sleek modified rifle similar to the M4A1. It has a much higher rate of fire than the M4A1, but with that comes more recoil and less range. It also has slightly longer charge and cooldown times.
- Added Sawed Off secondary weapon. This small-bore version of the double-barreled shotgun packs a big boom thanks to its size. Imagine carrying a primary weapon in a secondary slot and that’s it.
- Added new Mastery skins: Titanium Violet (unlocked at weapon level 300), Titanium Azure (unlocked at 350), and Titanium Prisma (unlocked at 400).
- Fixed weapons and optics juddering in first person view when using ADS.
Device
- Added a new and improved visual effect for the flash grenade (replacing the previous effect which was… intense). The new effect is less retina-searing, but still suitably disorienting.
- Fixed an exploit where players could respawn on multiple devices after messing with the “Copy Loadout” option in the lobby, so nice try.
Social
- Added Creator Code program that allows players to choose a creator and earn commissions on XCoin purchases at no additional cost. To see a list of eligible authors, select “Support an Author” in the store.
- Players were able to party with enemy players and voice chat during matches despite being on opposing teams, which seemed shady, so it’s fixed.
- Turned off whispering in text chat.
Sound
- Fine-tuned mix of game voices and sound effects for volume and clarity.
Mixed
- Players participating in the closed beta were to keep Kersey’s Dungaree skin. They didn’t, but now they do.
- Fixed challenges tracking issues with Ubisoft Connect.
- Graphics and sound fixes, various.
- More crash fixes.
Check out our list of the best first-person shooters for Xbox for more fantastic gun games.