Ubisoft announced the closure of its free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, with servers slated to shut down in June 2025. This article details the shutdown and its impact on players.
XDefiant Servers to Close June 2025
The "Sunset" Begins
Ubisoft will officially shut down XDefiant servers on June 3, 2025. The shutdown process begins December 3, 2024, halting new player registrations, downloads, and purchases of the game and its DLC. Ubisoft is committed to issuing refunds for in-game purchases.
"Players who purchased the Ultimate Founders Pack will receive a full refund. Refunds for VC and DLC purchases made since November 3, 2024, will also be processed. Please allow up to 8 weeks for processing. Refunds should be completed by January 28, 2025. Contact Ubisoft for assistance if your refund isn't received by then." Note that only the Ultimate Founder’s Pack is eligible for a refund; Founder’s Pack and Founder’s Pack Elite are not.
Reasons Behind the Closure
Marie-Sophie Waubert, Ubisoft's Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, explained that XDefiant failed to achieve the player base needed to thrive in the competitive free-to-play market. Despite initial success and a dedicated fanbase, the game couldn't sustain sufficient player numbers to justify further investment.
Impact on the Development Team
Approximately half of XDefiant's team will transition to other roles within Ubisoft. However, the San Francisco and Osaka studios will close, and the Sydney studio will downsize, resulting in significant job losses (143 in San Francisco, and approximately 134 in Osaka and Sydney combined). This follows previous layoffs in August 2024 affecting 45 employees across American studios and 33 in Toronto. Ubisoft is providing severance packages and career assistance to affected employees.
A Positive Reflection
While XDefiant's closure is disappointing, it initially exceeded expectations, reaching 5 million users shortly after its May 21, 2024 release and a total of 15 million players overall. However, its long-term performance wasn't sustainable. Executive Producer Mark Rubin highlighted the positive player-developer relationship fostered by open and respectful communication. He expressed gratitude for the community's passion and dedication.
Season 3 Still Launching
Despite the shutdown, Season 3 will launch as planned. While details are limited, speculation points to content from the Assassin's Creed franchise. The final season will only be accessible to players who acquired the game before December 3, 2024. An earlier blog post outlining Season 3's content has been removed.
Early Reports of the Game's Struggles
Insider Gaming reported on August 29, 2024, that low player counts were contributing to XDefiant's struggles. While initially denied, this proved accurate. Reports indicated that Season 3 was seen as a last-ditch effort to revive the game, but the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 likely impacted its success. Ultimately, Ubisoft made the decision to discontinue XDefiant.
