This Week at Ubisoft: XDefiant Open Session, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Second DLC Out Now

This week at Ubisoft, XDefiant hosted an Open Session ahead of its launch; Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope launched its second DLC; and The Division Heartland announced an upcoming Closed Beta. Check it all out and more in this week's roundup of all Ubisoft news.

XDefiant Open Session: What You Need to Know

XDefiant's Open Session is live now until 11:00PM PT tonight, June 23, giving all players on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 a chance to dive into the free-to-play shooter ahead of its launch later this summer. Several updates were implemented in the game based on feedback from the Closed Beta that took place in April, including a new netcode, increased server stability, a rebalanced Libertad faction, and more. Ubisoft News spoke to Executive Producer Mark Rubin to learn more about these updates.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope New DLC, The Last Spark Hunter, Now Available

The Last Spark Hunter, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope's second DLC, is available now exclusively on Nintendo Switch. In the new story, Mario, Rabbid Peach, and the rest of the Heroes are trapped on a new planet Melodic Gardens, where they must face Kanya, the last of Cursa's Spark Hunters, and her Mecha King Bob-Omb. A new planet, new enemies, new allies, and an adventure filled with music and nature await in The Last Spark Hunter, available with Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Gold Edition, Season Pass, or as a standalone purchase.

The Division Heartland Closed Beta Starts June 27

The Division Heartland, the upcoming PvEvP survival action shooter, announced it will have a Closed Beta starting on June 27 for PC players located in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Those interested in participating can register via the official site, and, if selected, will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Just Dance 2024 Edition - Creative Director Discusses New Features and Just Dance+ Year 2

Just Dance 2024 Edition releases on October 24 for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, bringing 40 new songs from popular artists and new features to the franchise. To learn more about the 2024 Edition, Ubisoft News spoke with Creative Director Matthew Tomkinson about a new era of Just Dance, why some of the new features were implemented, what players can expect with Just Dance+ Year 2, and more.  

Trackmania Announces Assassin's Creed Mirage-Themed Competition

On June 19, Assassin's Creed Mirage came to Trackmania, bringing five new tracks inspired by the game and kicking off the first Ubisoft Club Tournament. The tournament is taking place on June 27 at 11:00AM PT, and will start with a Time Attack seeding phase on two of the five tracks. From there, the top 64 players will race it out to earn their spot in the Grand Final. The winner will receive an Assassin's Creed Mirage PC game code, as well as a special t-shirt and steel book.

Ubisoft+ Spotlight - Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

(Editorial note: This is a series of quick weekly highlights written by Ubisoft News team writers that feature games available with a Ubisoft+ subscription. We hope you'll enjoy reminiscing with us, or perhaps discover something new.)

Brittany Spurlin, Writer/Editor: Welcome to the story of a Prince who was supposed to die, now hunted by Death itself. Prince of Persia: Warrior Within takes place seven years after the events of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, and the Prince has been hunted all those years by the Dahaka, an immortal incarnation of Fate that seeks divine retribution since the Prince cheated death. Now, in order to thwart Fate itself, the Prince has to seek out the origin of the Sands and destroy them before they can be made. Join his journey to the Island of Time, where he'll encounter new enemies, mysteries of time, and an Empress who will prove crucial to his quest.

While the game keeps several gameplay mechanics from The Sands of Time (like time manipulation and dual wielding), Prince of Persia: Warrior Within introduces several new features for players. Notably, in addition to being able to slow and rewind time, players can now fast-forward. The game also introduced a more free-form fighting system to the franchise, allowing players to better customize their fighting styles by using different weapons, combat environments, and enemies in battle. Prince of Persia: Warrior Within also introduces nonlinear world exploration, allowing players to return to the same location multiple times - sometimes in its past or future, as well as its present.

You can play Prince of Persia: Warrior Within today with a Ubisoft+ subscription.