As dawn peeks over the horizon, gamers around the world are eagerly booting up their systems. Today, June 21 at 10:00AM PT, marks the initiation of XDefiant’s Open Session, an unreserved invitation for players to explore the free-to-play 6v6 arcade shooter. Straddling PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5, the session gives a sneak peek of what to expect from the game’s official release slated for later this summer.

What does this entail for the seasoned veterans who partook in April’s Closed Beta? They’re already harnessing early access as you read this. The Open Session is built upon feedback and learning from the Closed Beta, and now the question arises – what has changed?

Let’s take a step back and walk through the threshold of XDefiant’s game studio where Ubisoft News sat down with Executive Producer Mark Rubin, to unravel the elements that have been reformed.

Netcode Revolutionized Central to the revamp is a brand new netcode, which is essentially the backbone of how the game’s server and client interact. Rubin divulges that this transformation, which took a year and the craftsmanship of their top engineers, aims to alleviate the grievances players voiced during the Closed Beta about being shot from behind walls or succumbing shortly after taking refuge around a corner.

The Open Session serves as a crucible to test the mettle of this netcode. Rubin remarks, “From what we’ve seen, a lot of those issues have been vastly improved.” He also emphasizes that this is a stress test before the official launch and despite the improvements, there might still be a few hiccups, which is standard for any netcode.

Strengthened Servers Flicker the pages back to the eve of the Closed Beta when the XDefiant team unearthed a bug that only manifested in a live environment. This led them to reconfigure their servers, which inadvertently bred unanticipated glitches. Rubin assures that the Open Session is fortified with enhanced server stability, returning to the original, extensively tested server type.

Introducing DedSec Faction Amongst the intriguing features, the Open Session introduces players to DedSec, the fifth faction, for the entirety of the session. Players can seize this window of opportunity to unlock DedSec at launch by earning 125,000 XP and claiming it through their Ubisoft Connect account.

Balancing Libertad Faction There’s been much ado about the Libertad faction being overpowered. Let’s reminisce the outcries during the Closed Beta. Rubin affirms that they’ve listened but uncovered a disconnect between community sentiment and actual data. The rebalancing is an amalgamation of player feedback and objective data, and includes adjustments such as the reduction of the BioVida Boost’s healing rate.

Enhanced Console Gameplay If you’re a console player, expect a smoother experience with significant improvements in controller latency and a slight strengthening of aim assist. Rubin details the XDefiant team’s philosophy of preserving player skill by not making aim assist overbearing.

From netcode overhauls to intriguing new factions, XDefiant is not merely launching an Open Session; it is laying down a canvas for players to etch their experiences and feedback, thereby shaping the final masterpiece that will soon grace the gaming community.

As the clock ticks and fingers dance on controllers and keyboards, it’s evident that the XDefiant team has woven player feedback into the very fabric of the game. It’s now up to the players to don their headsets, take a deep breath, and plunge into the tapestry that is the XDefiant Open Session.

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