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

Ubisoft's XDefiant: A Free-to-Play Shooter's Unexpected Demise

Ubisoft has announced the closure of its free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, with servers slated to shut down on June 3, 2025. This decision follows a period of declining player numbers despite an initially promising launch.

The Shutdown Process

Beginning December 3, 2024, XDefiant will enter a "sunset" phase. New players will be unable to download, register, or purchase the game or its DLCs. Ubisoft is committed to providing refunds for eligible purchases. Full refunds will be issued for the Ultimate Founders Pack and in-game purchases made since November 3, 2024, with processing expected to take up to eight weeks (refunds should be completed by January 28, 2025). Contact Ubisoft for assistance if a refund is not received by this date. Note that the standard Founder's Pack and Founder's Pack Elite are not eligible for refunds.

Reasons for Closure

Ubisoft's Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, Marie-Sophie Waubert, cited the game's inability to maintain a sustainable player base in the fiercely competitive free-to-play market as the primary reason for the shutdown. Despite initial success and a dedicated fanbase, XDefiant ultimately fell short of the necessary player retention to justify further investment.

Impact on the Development Team

The closure will result in significant changes within Ubisoft. Approximately half of the XDefiant team will transition to other roles within the company. However, the San Francisco and Osaka studios will close, and the Sydney studio will downsize, leading to the departure of 143 employees in San Francisco and 134 in Osaka and Sydney combined. This follows previous layoffs in August 2024 across various American studios. Ubisoft is providing severance packages and career assistance to affected employees.

A Positive Reflection

Despite the unfortunate outcome, XDefiant’s Executive Producer, Mark Rubin, highlighted the positive aspects of the game's development, particularly the unique and respectful relationship fostered between developers and players.

Season 3: A Final Chapter

Despite the shutdown, Season 3 of XDefiant will launch as planned, although details remain limited. Speculation points towards content related to the popular Assassin's Creed franchise. However, access to Season 3 will be limited to those who purchased the game before December 3, 2024, as part of the sunset process. An earlier blog post outlining Season 3's content has since been removed.

Early Reports and Contrasting Statements

Insider Gaming reported on August 29, 2024, that XDefiant's low player count was leading to its demise. While Rubin initially denied these claims, the recent announcement confirms the accuracy of these early reports. The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between Seasons 2 and 3 may have further impacted XDefiant's performance.