All game modes in XDefiant

✓ At a glance

• There are currently five game modes in XDefiant, played on arena and linear maps – Domination, Occupy, HotShot, Escort, and Zone Control.
• Most game modes will look familiar to seasoned FPS players, with the twist coming in the form of XDefiant Faction system.

XDefiant is a free-to-play FPS from Ubisoft poised to mix up the team shooter genre. Like most games in the genre, there is a plethora of maps and game modes to play around with. Unlike some others, however, the maps and game modes in XDefiant are split between Arena and Linear modes, differentiating how the teams approach each one. This can result in adapting your choice of weaponry and Faction to accommodate your strategy around the objective. It remains to be seen how will the current maps synergize with the game’s announced ranked mode, meant for more competitive players.

Game Mode	Description
Domination	Score points by controlling up to three zones on the map.
Occupy	Score points by controlling one zone that shifts around the map.
HotShot	Score points by collecting tags from dead players.
Escort	Attackers push the objective to the endpoint on the map, while defenders try to prevent them.
Zone Control	Attackers capture linear zones along the route, while defenders try to push them back.

XDefiant arena game modes

The maps in arena game modes are designed around large areas to allow for intense firefights. These maps also have elevations and flanking positions that funnel towards the main area, reminiscent of old arena shooters. Goals vary between each mode, which currently includes Domination, Occupy, and HotShot. All arena modes will play on one of these ten maps:

Arena map	Map from
Arena	XDefiant
Attica Heights	Ghost Recon Phantoms
Dumbo	The Division
Echelon HQ	Splinter Cell
Emporium	The Division
Liberty	The Division 2
Mayday	XDefiant
Nudleplex	Watch Dogs 2
Pueblito	Far Cry 6
Showtime	XDefiant

Domination

The goal in Domination game mode is to rack up the highest score at the end of the round. To do this, teams will have to capture and hold one or more zones on the map. There are three static zones on the map, and the team holding the zone gets a ticking point. It’s possible to hold multiple or even all three zones, in which case your team will get ticking points, while the enemy team gets none. 

Occupy

The winner of the Occupy game mode is the team that accumulates the most points at the end of the round. To do that, your team needs to occupy and hold a single marked zone for a while. The zone will change positions during the round, meaning that the teams will have to scramble to reoccupy the new position. The team that occupies the zone will generate points, while the other team needs to supplant them to be able to get points for themselves.

HotShot

HotShot could prove to be the most intense arena game mode upon launch. In this mode, fallen players drop tags when they die – both enemies and allies. You can collect those tags to earn points for your team. However, tags are counted on an individual level too. Because of that, the player with the most tags is declared HotShot. They get speed buffs, but their position is also constantly marked on the map for everyone to see. The winner is the team with the highest score at the end of the round.

XDefiant linear game modes

The maps for linear game modes are structured differently from arena maps. Instead of large open areas, these maps are more, well, linear. They are longer and provide a distinct beginning and end. That is because they follow a more structured pattern, with modes that facilitate teamwork to fulfil objectives. There are currently only two linear game modes, Escort and Zone Control, each with their distinct objectives. They will be played across one of the following four maps:

Linear map	Map from
Meltdown	XDefiant
Midway	XDefiant
Times Square	The Division
Zoo	The Division

Escort

Escort is the recognizable “push the objective” gameplay style that you may recognise from other games. One team is designated as attackers pushing the package, while the other is defenders who have to stop them. This game mode is time-limited, and the map has checkpoints along the route that can extend the timer. If the attackers push the package to the end zone before the time runs out, they win. Otherwise, the defenders score the victory.

Zone Control

In Zone Control, the map’s route is dotted with five successive target zones. Once again, there will be an attacking team and a defending team. The attackers have to capture each zone in order. Meanwhile, the defenders have to push back the attackers, reclaiming the zones. If a zone is reclaimed, the attackers have to occupy it all over again. The winner is the team with the most zones held at the end of the round.