Last night’s Ubisoft Forward broadcast gave us our first real look at the first season of live service content XChallenging and it’s going to be a pretty substantial update.
Most importantly, season one will introduce an entirely new faction, GSK, which comes from Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. They will join the five existing factions, bringing the total number in the game to six. A short reveal trailer, that was posted to the official XChallenging X/Twitter account during the show hinted at some of the new faction’s potential special abilities. We saw a GSK operator wielding a large riot shield equipped with a flashlight that could stun enemies, and later barbed wire was visible on the ground.
In addition to the new faction, the arrival of season one will bring the release of three new cards that will be added monthly. The cards are Clubhouse, Daytona and Rockefeller. The addition of Clubhouse continues the broad line Rainbow Six Siege theme of the season, as it is a popular competitive card in that game. These maps come alongside a new capture the flag game mode.
Three new weapons are also coming, with the trailer showing a new sniper rifle in action. Season one marks the introduction of Ranked Progression, allowing players to earn rewards through Ranked play. There were hints of some of the new skins that will be added, including what appears to be a Skull and bones inspired rifle, complete with its own rigging and miniature wheel.
Of course, season one also includes the introduction of a new battle pass for you to work your way through. Its full launch is scheduled for July 2, 2024.
A free-to-play crossover shooter, XChallenging is currently available for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5 and PC. To celebrate the broadcast, those who log in and play a match in the next 48 hours will unlock three free Eruption weapon skins, so be sure to collect these if you’re an avid fan.