xDefiant: Ubisoft's F2P Shooter Closes Amid Studio Downsizing

Ubisoft has announced the closure of XDefiant, a free-to-play shooter game, with servers set to shut down in June 2025. Dive deeper to understand the reasons behind this decision and what it means for the game's community.

XDefiant is Shutting Down its Servers on June 2025

“Sunset” Process Initiating

Ubisoft will commence the shutdown process for XDefiant on December 3, 2024, which will prevent new players from downloading, registering, or purchasing the game and its DLCs. Additionally, Ubisoft is preparing to issue refunds for in-game purchases.

"For those who purchased the Ultimate Founders Pack, you will receive a full refund. Additionally, players who have made VC and DLC purchases since November 3rd, 2024, will also be fully refunded. Please note that processing these refunds will take up to 8 weeks."

Players can expect to receive their refunds by January 28, 2025. If a refund is not received by this date, players are advised to contact Ubisoft for assistance. Note that only the Ultimate Founder’s Pack qualifies for a refund; the Founder’s Pack and Founder’s Pack Elite do not.

Why is Ubisoft Shutting Down XDefiant?

Marie-Sophie Waubert, Ubisoft’s Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, explained the decision to shutter XDefiant in a blog post dated December 4. The game struggled to maintain a viable player base in the highly competitive free-to-play market.

"Despite an encouraging start, the team’s passionate work, and a committed fan base, we’ve not been able to attract and retain enough players in the long run to compete at the level we aim for in the very demanding free-to-play FPS market," she stated. "As a result, the game is too far away from reaching the results required to enable further significant investment, and we are announcing that we will be sunsetting it."

Half of the Team Transitioning to Other Roles

Half of the XDefiant team will transition to other roles within Ubisoft, while the other half will leave the company. The decision also affects the studios involved in the game's development, leading to closures and downsizing.

"Almost half of the XDefiant team worldwide will be transitioning to other roles within Ubisoft," said Waubert. "This decision also leads to the closing of our San Francisco and Osaka production studios and to the ramp down of our Sydney production site, with 143 people departing in San Francisco and 134 people likely to depart in Osaka and Sydney."

This follows recent layoffs at Ubisoft's American studios, affecting 45 employees in San Francisco, California, and North Carolina on August 16, 2024, and 33 employees at Ubisoft Toronto. The company is providing severance packages and career assistance programs to support those affected.

Leaving the Game on a Positive Note

Despite its initial success and record-breaking 5 million users shortly after its May 21, 2024 release, XDefiant did not meet Ubisoft’s profitability goals. The game attracted 15 million players over its lifetime but was deemed not sustainable.

"Free-to-play, in particular, is a long journey. Many free-to-play games take a long time to find their footing and become profitable," remarked XDefiant’s Executive Producer Mark Rubin. "It’s a long journey that Ubisoft and the teams working on the game were prepared to make until very recently. But unfortunately, the journey became too much to sensibly continue."

Rubin expressed gratitude towards the game's community, highlighting the positive and respectful communication fostered between players and developers.

"To our players, THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart, I want to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible community that has grown around XDefiant. Your passion, creativity, and dedication have inspired us every step of the way."

Season 3 is Still Releasing Amidst Shutdown Announcement

Though the shutdown is scheduled for next year, XDefiant's Season 3 will launch as planned. While details are sparse, speculation suggests content inspired by the Assassin’s Creed series may be included.

According to the game’s Year 1 Roadmap blog post from September 2024, Season 3 will introduce a new faction, weapons, maps, and a new mode. However, only players who purchased the game before December 3, 2024, will be able to access this final season due to the ongoing "sunset process."

The original blog post has been replaced with the shutdown announcement titled "Our Message to Players."

Ubisoft Pulling the Plug on XDefiant Reported Early On

Rumors about XDefiant's struggles surfaced as early as August 29, 2024, when Insider Gaming reported on the game's declining player base. Despite denials from Rubin in the Year 1 Roadmap blog post, the shutdown announcement confirms these concerns.

"Is the game dying? No, the game is absolutely not dying," Rubin had previously stated. "We know there are things we need to improve, like Netcode/Hitreg and adding more content to progression, but the game is doing well."

Sources suggested that Ubisoft executives were pinning their hopes on Season 3 to revive interest. However, the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between XDefiant's Season 2 and Season 3 may have impacted player engagement. Ultimately, Ubisoft chose to end support for XDefiant before the launch of Season 3.