The GSK guys (and girls) are tough. Led by Rainbow Six Siege’s IQ, these close-protection experts are equipped with an armored helmet that passively cancels the additional damage of headshots. And that’s not all. Their first tactical ability allows them to place up to three clusters of electrified barbed wire to block access routes. These objects remain fortunately destructible. The GSK is also equipped with the Active Defense System, or ADS, a cutting-edge gadget that automatically knocks down enemy grenades in a defined area for about twenty seconds. Finally, when the pressure becomes too much, the GSK can draw its ultimate: the G52 tactical shield, an inviolable metal plate with blinding flashes. That said, to fire, you will have to temporarily lower your defense.
The hunt is on
The Germans will be coming with their arms full of gifts with three new weapons to unlock in the free season pass. A balanced assault rifle, the LVOA-C is described as “an M4 on steroids” with a higher rate of fire, but a reduced range and increased recoil. Similarly, the L115 sniper rifle serves as a compromise between the different options available, between speed of use and reliable damage, with good effectiveness from the upper chest according to Ubisoft San Francisco. But the smart guy who can shake up the meta is the sawed-off shotgun, a secondary weapon that replaces our standard pistol. Enough to blow away your opponent in close combat without further ado. However, this weapon will let us run less quickly than pistols and suffers from a very limited range.
True to his rule of three, XDefiant will also introduce three cards, one per month, starting with Clubhouse today. Taken from Rainbow Six Siege with some changes, this card takes place in a club bikers topped with filthy rooms, with an attached garage. Some thematic details, like drones or abandoned barricades, will complete the immersion. We will also be able to access the exterior of the building with a parking lot and a warehouse to expand the map and make it compatible with more modes. Clubhouse will be followed by Rockefeller (colorful coliseum in New York) and then Daytona (racing circuit inspired by The Crew).
Who says “first season” says “official launch of the ranked mode”. The ranked mode is played in 4v4 with a dedicated playlist including the modes Occupation, Domination, Zone Control and Escort, with small adjustments to ensure a more suitable competitive environment. For example, the zones of Occupation alternate according to a pattern predefined to promote strategy. The ladder is divided into seven ranks – bronze, silver, gold, ruby, emerald, diamond and then Legends – each subdivided into ten tiers to make us sweat. Each rank will have associated rewards at the end of the season, but the top 500 shooters will get exclusive trophies to crown their success. Ubisoft San Francisco specifies that the ranked playlist will evolve over the seasons with different modes and that each season will be preceded by a short training period where the matches will count for nothing, just to understand the specificities before jumping in the deep end.
Ubisoft San Francisco ends with a short Q&A session. With a few things to mention: a Prestige mode coming soon, more mastery weapon skins (including three in the first season), keyboard-mouse support on consoles soon, private matches and killcam coming soon… Finally, note that Capture the Flag mode is coming today and that a “Bomb!” mode inspired by Counter-Strike (with bombs to clear or protect) will arrive during the first season, or in three months at the most.
XDefiant launches its first season today. Patch notes can be found here.
