Skill-based matchmaking is absent in XDefiant’s casual playlists, yet players are undecided on how “sweaty” the game is without the system.
With XDefiant enlisting the talents of Call of Duty veterans, one of the game’s focal points was theremoval of skill-based matchmaking(SBMM), at least in casual playlists. The maligned matchmaking system has been under fire as players believe it ditches fun for stricter team balancing, making the experience harsher for many players.
However, many players flooding into XDefiant have found that the lack of SBMM doesn’t exactly equate to “pub-stomping” every match.
XDefiant’s subreddit is full of posts critical of the “sweaty” nature of matches, many of which point towardsCall of Duty’s player basejumping ship to Ubisoft’s shooter.
In response to the myriad of “sweat” posts,one player sharedthat just because SBMM isn’t in XDefiant, it doesn’t mean the game will be easier for everyone.
The OP went on to explain that the removal of SBMM isn’t an “easy-mode switch,” and that players will have good and bad matches.
This opinion wasn’t unpopular, with many saying this should serve as a “reality check” for players who thought they were higher-skilled due to the effects of SBMM.
“People are finally realizing that they’re not as good as they thought,” said one player.
It’s important to note that XDefiant’s “Welcome Playlist,” an introductory mode for players up to level 25, does feature SBMM. Although it is clearly stated in the game, this alone may have a “placebo effect” on playersone Reddit reply noted.
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Many may have disregarded that memo, expecting the game’s opening hours would be a cakewalk.
With Ranked Play still not a feature in the game, hopefully, the mode’s arrival in the future will alleviate the struggles many players are experiencing.
John Esposito was a Games Writer on Dexerto’s US team, specializing in Call of Duty, Valorant, and other first-person shooter games. He also has bylines at GameRant, Twinfinite, and Jaxon, covering everything related to gaming.
