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 scheduled to shut down on June 3, 2025. This decision marks a surprising end to the game's relatively short lifespan. The "sunset" process begins December 3, 2024, halting new player registrations, downloads, and in-game purchases. Ubisoft is committed to issuing refunds for eligible purchases.

Refund Information:

Full refunds will be provided for the Ultimate Founders Pack. Refunds for in-game currency (VC) and DLC purchased since November 3, 2024, are also guaranteed. Processing may take up to eight weeks, with refunds expected by January 28, 2025. Contact Ubisoft support for assistance beyond this date. Note that the standard Founder's Pack and Founder's Pack Elite are not eligible for refunds.

Reasons for Closure:

According to Ubisoft's Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, Marie-Sophie Waubert, XDefiant failed to achieve the player base necessary for sustainability in the competitive free-to-play market. Despite initial success and dedicated fans, the game fell short of expectations for long-term growth and profitability, making further investment unsustainable.

Impact on Ubisoft and the XDefiant Team:

The closure will result in significant restructuring 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, resulting in job losses for 143 employees in San Francisco and 134 in Osaka and Sydney combined. This follows previous layoffs in August 2024 across several Ubisoft American studios. Ubisoft is providing severance packages and career assistance to affected employees.

A Positive Reflection:

Despite the closure, XDefiant's Executive Producer, Mark Rubin, highlighted the positive aspects of the game's development and community engagement, praising the respectful and open communication between developers and players. While the game achieved an impressive 5 million users shortly after its May 21, 2024 launch and a total of 15 million players throughout its run, it ultimately proved financially unviable for Ubisoft.

Season 3 and Prior Reporting:

Despite the shutdown, Season 3 will launch as planned. While details are scarce, speculation points to content from the Assassin's Creed franchise. This season will be the last, accessible only to players who acquired the game before December 3, 2024. Earlier reports from August 2024 indicated declining player numbers, a claim initially denied by Rubin but ultimately proven true. The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between Seasons 2 and 3 likely contributed to XDefiant's dwindling player base.