Does XDefiant have skill-based matchmaking? SBMM explained

If you’re steadily getting to grips with XDefiant and find yourself going against some top players, you may be wondering if skill-based matchmaking has a part to play in that – so I’m here to break down how matchmaking works in the game, and whether XDefiant has SBMM.

Several of the best free-to-play shooters feature skill-based matchmaking which aims to place you with players at the same level of skill as you based on an assortment of factors, from playtime to career stats.

Does XDefiant have skill-based matchmaking?

For its unranked casual gameplay, no, XDefiant does not feature skill-based matchmaking.

At the time of writing, XDefiant’s ranked mode is still in the trial stages, so SBMM is not yet factored in through casual gameplay.

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In a post on the XDefiant page, Ubisoft explained the reason SBMM isn’t featured in the game’s casual lobbies:

“We believe that no SBMM is paramount to a fun and varied game experience in the long-term. Frankly, skill-based match making means every casual game is repetitive- constantly repeating matches that are just as stressful and matched as ranked. We believe casual playlist should be fun and no SBMM is the way to do that. If you want that competitive every second counts go all out playstyle - you'll find our ranked mode to your liking.”

So, while we may not see it in casual playlists right now, it may still come to the ranked lobbies once they leave the trial stage.

How does matchmaking work in XDefiant?

In XDefiant, while it doesn’t feature skill-based matchmaking right now, according to the same post as above, matchmaking is determined by six prioritised factors that determine who players are matched with:

Also factored into ranked matches is the inclusion of how many Ranked Points players will accrue during their ranked games which should help to balance out the teams.