xDefiant, Ubisoft's F2P Shooter, Shutters As Studios Close and Downsize

Ubisoft's free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, is officially ending its run. Server closures are scheduled for June 2025. Here's what players need to know.

XDefiant Server Shutdown: June 2025

The "Sunset" Begins

Ubisoft confirmed the XDefiant server shutdown date as June 3, 2025. The shutdown process ("sunset") commences December 3, 2024, halting new player registration, downloads, and in-game purchases. Refunds for eligible purchases are underway.

Ubisoft states: "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. Processing may take up to 8 weeks." Refunds are expected by January 28, 2025. Contact Ubisoft for assistance if a refund isn't received by then. Note that only the Ultimate Founders Pack is eligible for a full refund.

Reasons Behind the Shutdown

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 unsustainable.

Impact on the Development Team

Approximately half of the XDefiant 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.

Reflecting on XDefiant's Journey

Despite a strong initial launch (5 million users shortly after its May 21, 2024 release and 15 million total players), XDefiant ultimately proved unprofitable. Executive Producer Mark Rubin acknowledged the challenges of the free-to-play market and the long-term commitment required. He expressed gratitude for the positive player community and the unique developer-player interactions.

Season 3 Release and Subsequent Shutdown

While the game's future is short, Season 3 will still launch as planned. Although details are scarce, speculation points towards Assassin's Creed-themed content. The original Season 3 roadmap, mentioning new factions, weapons, maps, and game modes, has been removed from the website. Access to Season 3 will be limited to players who acquired the game before December 3, 2024.

Early Reports and the Reality

Insider Gaming's August 2024 report on XDefiant's declining player base, initially denied by Rubin, unfortunately proved accurate. The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between Seasons 2 and 3 likely further impacted XDefiant's player retention.

The decision to shut down XDefiant highlights the challenges and risks inherent in the free-to-play gaming market.