Guide To XDefiant Skill Based Matchmaking

by  John Uke Last update: December 15, 2024

Ubisoft’s XDefiant is finally out, and fans of shooters are now delving into all the intricacies of the new multiplayer game. However, the funny thing is that the main discussion on the Internet is not around comparisons of XDefiant vs Call of Duty but debates around its matchmaking. Well, does XDefiant have SBMM and how does the matchmaking system actually work? Let’s figure it out in this article.

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Does XDefiant Have SBMM?

Yes, but there is a nuance: the SBMM system is only available in ranked games. In a post in 2022, the developers stated that there will be no SBMM in the XDefiant casual playlist. Instead, it will prioritize matchmaking on latency (ping) and regions where possible to improve the gaming experience. 

So, players will be picked for ranked matches according to their skills, while for casual games, their location will matter. It means that if you live in a region where XDefiant is not that popular, you may encounter problems with matchmaking. Anyway, this is how XDefiant SBMM will work when the first season of this crossplay game begins.

The Reasons Behind The Decision

To understand why Ubisoft made this decision, we should pay attention to the tweet by Mark Rubin, the game’s executive producer. He admits that he is not a fan of the SBMM system, although he does not deny its importance. But when it comes to casual games, Rubin emphasized that the best casual experience, in his opinion, is the ability to get a varied experience from match to match rather than pub stomping. Literally, he said, “I want to play against players better than me, and I want to feel proud of being one of the better players in a match. And I feel SBMM takes away that variety and makes me play the same match over and over again.“

So, in case you’ve wondered, does XDefiant have SBMM, now you know the reasons it will be present only in ranked matches.

How Does XDefiant SBMM Work Exactly?

Let’s start with ranked matches. Here, the XDefiant skill-based matchmaking system gives rank points (RP) the main priority. Next come the same matchmaking priorities as in casual matches, but they may take longer.

Here are the priorities for ranked matches in descending order:

• RP
• Latency
• Party size
• Region
• Input device
• Platform (PC, PlayStation, Xbox)

As you can see, XDefiant has input-based matchmaking, though its priority is not significant. 

As for casual matches, remember that they don’t have SBMM. When searching for a match, priority is given to a fast connection and low ping. For instance, if you’re playing from the US, the game will try to match you with players from the same region to minimize latency. Here are the priorities for random matches in descending order:

• Latency
• Avoided players (i.e., blocked or muted players)
• Party size
• Region
• Input device
• Platform (PC, PlayStation, Xbox)

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