Ubisoft has announced the closure of XDefiant, with servers set to shut down in June 2025. This news comes as a surprise to many fans, and it's important to understand the implications for the game's community.
XDefiant is Shutting Down its Servers on June 2025
“Sunset” Process Initiating
Ubisoft has confirmed that XDefiant's servers will officially close on June 3, 2025, marking the end of this free-to-play shooter's journey. The "sunset" process, which prevents new players from downloading, registering, or purchasing the game and its DLCs, will begin on December 3, 2024. Ubisoft is committed to refunding 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 should expect to receive their refunds by January 28, 2025. If a refund is not received by this date, players can reach out to Ubisoft for assistance. Notably, 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 in a blog post dated December 4. Despite a strong launch, XDefiant struggled to maintain a competitive edge in the crowded free-to-play FPS 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
The closure of XDefiant will see half of its development team leaving Ubisoft, with the remaining members transitioning to other roles within the company. This decision also involves the closure of Ubisoft's San Francisco and Osaka production studios and a reduction in staff at the Sydney site.
"Almost half of the XDefiant team worldwide will be transitioning to other roles within Ubisoft," Waubert noted. "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."
Ubisoft has previously laid off 45 employees in its American studios and 33 at Ubisoft Toronto, offering severance packages and career assistance to those affected.
Leaving the Game on a Positive Note
Despite the game's early success, XDefiant did not meet Ubisoft's long-term profitability goals. Launched on May 21, 2024, it quickly amassed 5 million users and eventually reached 15 million players. However, the game's performance did not sustain the necessary momentum.
"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," said 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 to the community, highlighting the positive interactions and the non-toxic environment 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
Despite the impending shutdown, Season 3 of XDefiant is set to launch as planned. While specific details are scarce, there is speculation that it may include content inspired by the Assassin’s Creed series.
According to XDefiant’s Year 1 Roadmap blog post from September 2024, Season 3 will introduce a new faction, weapons, maps, and a new mode. However, access to this season will be limited to players who purchased the game before the sunset process begins on December 3, 2024.
This roadmap blog post has since been removed and replaced with the shutdown announcement titled "Our Message to Players."
Ubisoft Pulling the Plug on XDefiant Reported Early On
Rumors of XDefiant's struggles surfaced as early as August 29, 2024, when Insider Gaming reported a declining player count. Despite denials from Rubin in the Year 1 Roadmap blog post, Ubisoft's recent announcement confirms these concerns.
"Is the game dying? No, the game is absolutely not dying," Rubin had claimed. "We know there are things we need to improve, like Netcode/Hitreg and adding more content to progression, but the game is doing well."
Insider sources suggested that Ubisoft executives were banking on Season 3 to revitalize the game. However, the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between Seasons 2 and 3 may have impacted player interest, leading Ubisoft to decide on the shutdown before Season 3's launch.
