Ubisoft Shooter 'xDefiant' to Cease as Studios Restructure

Ubisoft has announced the closure of its free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, with servers scheduled to shut down in June 2025. This article details the shutdown and its impact on players.

XDefiant Server Shutdown: June 2025

The "Sunset" Begins

Ubisoft will officially sunset XDefiant on June 3, 2025. The process starts December 3, 2024, preventing new players from accessing the game or purchasing DLCs. Refunds for in-game purchases are underway.

"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 issued. Please allow up to 8 weeks for processing. Refunds should be completed by January 28, 2025. Contact Ubisoft support for assistance after this date." Note that only the Ultimate Founder’s Pack is eligible for a refund.

Reasons Behind the Closure

Marie-Sophie Waubert, Ubisoft's Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, explained that XDefiant failed to achieve the player base needed for sustainability within the highly competitive free-to-play market. The game fell short of projections, making further investment unviable.

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 134 anticipated in Osaka and Sydney). This follows previous layoffs in August 2024 affecting 45 employees across American studios and 33 in Toronto. Ubisoft is providing severance and career support to affected employees.

A Positive Reflection

Despite an initial surge of 5 million users shortly after its May 21, 2024 release (and a total of 15 million players overall), XDefiant's performance ultimately didn't meet Ubisoft's long-term financial goals. Executive Producer Mark Rubin acknowledged the challenges of the free-to-play market and the difficult decision to cease development. He expressed gratitude for the positive player community and the unique developer-player interaction.

Season 3 Release and Prior Reports

While the game is closing, Season 3 will still launch. Details remain limited, though speculation points to Assassin's Creed-themed content. A previous Year 1 roadmap blog post (since removed) outlined plans for a new faction, weapons, maps, and game modes. Access to Season 3 will be limited to players who acquired the game before December 3, 2024.

Insider Gaming's August 29, 2024 report on XDefiant's low player count, initially denied by Rubin, proved prescient. The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between Seasons 2 and 3 likely contributed to the game's declining popularity.