Barely a day after XDefiant’s season one update, players are already urging Ubisoft to re-evaluate the DedSec Spiderbot ability, which apparently did not receive the comprehensive nerfs promised in the pre-update patch notes.

According to the patch notes dated July 1, the cooldown period for DedSec’s Spiderbot ability, which allows a player to deploy a spider that pursues and incapacitates enemies, was supposed to increase from 25 to 40 seconds. Yet, it seems the Spiderbot retains its original, shorter cooldown. Combined with a “bugfix” that now stops enemies from destroying the Spiderbot when it’s attached, this issue has escalated into a significant concern that XDefiant players are keen to have addressed immediately.

“Frustrated XDefiant players have voiced their concerns in a July 2 Reddit thread, stating, ‘You literally can’t counter it anymore; the game becomes unplayable when everyone opts for Spiderbot.’ The main issue highlighted is that the Spiderbot can stun opponents for four seconds, obstruct vision, drastically reduce movement speed, and inflict considerable damage. In the past, players could look down and shoot the Spiderbot off as it attacked, but this tactic has been rendered ineffective. Now, aside from shooting the Spiderbot as it scurries on the ground, using EMP Grenades, or employing the Hijack ability, players find themselves at the mercy of the ‘facehugger,’ reminiscent of an Alien creature.

Other fans expressed their frustration, saying, ‘It’s an ability with no counterplay and requires no skill to use. It’s seriously unplayable. Spiderbots are rampant, and there’s no way to stop them.’ Some players have started using only DedSec and the Spiderbot ability in protest, hoping to increase its usage rate and prompt Ubisoft to take action.

Before season one, the Spiderbot was already considered a nuisance, especially in a game featuring wallhacks through the Intel Suit or the Firebomb’s instant-kill area effect. For some, the ability to disable and nearly secure a kill with the Spiderbot seems minor. However, implementing the promised cooldown increase and a method to counter the Bot once it attaches could significantly balance this overpowering ability.

As XDefiant’s season one progresses, it remains to be seen if the Spiderbot will be reevaluated.”