XDefiant is more competitive than ever!
XDefiant is already well-rounded, but the new ranked mode will present a unique challenge for uber-competitive players. But before you jump into the game, it’s worth checking out how XDefiant’s ranked mode actually works.
Since its release, XDefiant has been without a ranked mode, but that hasn’t stopped players from grinding hard in casual game modes.
It’s safe to say that XDefiant is inherently an extremely competitive game, and now Ubisoft has added a new wrinkle with ranked, a game mode specifically for serious players who want to earn RP (Ranked Points).
Fortunately, it works similarly to competitive queues in other popular shooters, but here’s a rundown of XDefiant’s rated mode to jog your memory.
How does the XDefiant ranked mode work?
The XDefiant ranked mode will be played between two teams of four players, matched by skill. This means you will be queued against those within your MMR (MatchMaking Rating). If you win, you get RP and vice versa.
To be fair, the ranking system will match you against players 15 levels above or below your current rank in XDefiant. You can also call it your hidden MMR fund. While progression is purely based on wins and losses, your personal performance will be factored into RP distribution.
For example, if you botted in a game your team won, you will be awarded less RP compared to your team’s top scorer. Points earned for contributing to the goal will also be counted.
This approach will help individual players not bear the full brunt of a loss due to bad teammates. In other words, if you are the top scorer and your team loses, you will lose less RP compared to other players.
All XDefiant ranks and RP explained
There are a total of seven rank divisions in XDefiant, each containing ten levels, with the exception of the highest rank, Legends. Each level equals 100 RP.
Here are all the ranks with their names:
- Bronze
- silver
- Gold
- Ruby
- Emerald
- diamond
- Legends
In XDefiant ranked mode, you need a total of 100 points to advance to the next level. For example, if you are Bronze, you will need 100 RP to become Bronze 2 and so on until you reach Silver. Of course, losing RP will slow down progress.
If you’re looking to 4-stack, you’ll want to find players in the same MMR pool that are anywhere below or above 15 levels of your current position.
For example, if you’re a Gold 1, you can only queue with players above Bronze 5 and Ruby 5. This restriction gets tighter at positions above Diamond, where you can only play as a pair.
The ranking will reset every new season. By default, the reset rank for all players will be silver unless you are bronze. In that case, you start at the same level you were last season
New players will be happy to know that they will be able to practice in ranked mode without losing their precious RP. Ubisoft called it the Ranked Practice Period, which will take place one week before each season.
XDefiant rated rewards
At the end of each season, all players will receive some kind of reward that will reflect their rated achievements. The list of the top 500 players in XDefiant will be published on the game’s official blog. These players will also receive an exclusive reward starting in Season 2.
The reward for the top 500 players teasing in the trailer is a bright orange M4A1 skin. For Season 2, Ubisoft announced the LVOA-C skin for top players, a newly announced weapon.
XDefiant rated game modes
Ubisoft has announced four different game modes for XDefiant rated, with Capture The Flag coming soon. Familiar game modes will work a little differently in competitive queues:
- Occupied: In Occupy, teams of four compete for a moving point that rotates in a predetermined order. So aiming won’t be enough, but the team with a better understanding of the rotation order can gain an advantage.
- Domination: Each team will have five minutes to play on one side of the map. The 10-minute mode will be divided into two halves.
- Zone control: Teams will alternate as attackers and defenders, but there’s a twist. The defending team will be able to slow down the progress of the attacking team by standing in the zone.
- Escort: This game mode will play the same way as casual.
That’s all you need to know about the XDefiant ranked mode before you dive into the competitive frenzy of Season 1.
READ MORE: The Best LVOA-C Armament for the XDefiant – A Powerful New Assault Rifle