We wrote about XDefiant upon release. A great game, for free with some real potential. Whilst we had high hopes, there were some doubts from day one, too.
Focused on objective gametypes only, it seemed like Ubisoft were hellbent on avoiding what could have been their long-term market. All a game like XDefiant needed at launch was a continual run of Team Deathmatch. It’s the success of Call of Duty to an extent, and Xdefiant was a contender to CoD, for sure.
Alas. High-priced cosmetics and no Team Deathmatch at launch, saw players drop-off quickly and not return, even when things were turning around.
And now, sadly, XDefiant is shutting down. Here’s a breakdown of the announcement.
XDefiant is closing down
Ubisoft has announced the closure of its free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, with servers set to go offline on 3rd June 2025. This news comes as a shock to many, especially after the game’s seemingly strong launch earlier this year.
Despite initial success and a dedicated fanbase, XDefiant struggled to attract and retain enough players to compete in the cutthroat world of free-to-play FPS games. Ubisoft admitted that the game fell short of expectations and hasn’t achieved the necessary results to justify further investment.
Consquences
This closure brings with it some unfortunate consequences. Ubisoft is shutting down its San Francisco and Osaka studios, resulting in nearly 300 layoffs. While some team members will be transitioned to other roles within Ubisoft, this is undoubtedly a difficult time for those affected.
Players who invested in the Ultimate Founder’s Pack will receive a full refund, and any purchases made within the last 30 days will also be reimbursed. However, it seems there’s some confusion around refunds for the standard Founder’s Pack, with conflicting information from Ubisoft and XDefiant’s executive producer.
Short ride
XDefiant’s journey has been a bit of a rollercoaster. It burst onto the scene with a reported 1 million players within hours of launch, but player numbers dwindled over time. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot acknowledged the game’s underperformance in September, and attempts to revive it with new content and a planned marketing push seem to have fallen short.
Symptomatic of the state of Ubisoft
This news comes amidst wider challenges for Ubisoft, with the company reporting a nearly 20% drop in overall sales. They’ve also reduced their workforce by over 2,000 employees in the past two years. Despite these setbacks, Ubisoft remains committed to its “games-as-a-service” model, pointing to the success of titles like Rainbow Six, The Crew, and For Honor.
While XDefiant may be fading from the battlefield, it serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by even the biggest publishers in the ever-evolving gaming landscape.
Such a shame
Good idea