Ubisoft has made the tough decision to shut down the servers for XDefiant, their free-to-play shooter game, in June 2025. This unexpected move marks the end of the game's journey, and players are eager to understand the implications of this decision.
XDefiant is Shutting Down its Servers on June 2025
“Sunset” Process Initiating
Ubisoft has announced that the servers for XDefiant will officially close on June 3, 2025. The "sunset" process, which includes halting new downloads, registrations, and in-game purchases, will begin on December 3, 2024. Ubisoft is committed to refunding in-game purchases, with a special focus on those who bought the Ultimate Founders Pack.
"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 refunds are not processed by this date, players are encouraged to reach out to Ubisoft for further assistance. It's important to note that only the Ultimate Founder’s Pack is eligible for a refund; the Founder’s Pack and Founder’s Pack Elite do not qualify.
Why is Ubisoft Shutting Down XDefiant?
Marie-Sophie Waubert, Ubisoft’s Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, explained the reasons behind the shutdown in a recent blog post on December 4. Despite a strong start and a dedicated fan base, XDefiant struggled to maintain a competitive edge in the crowded free-to-play 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 decision to shut down XDefiant has significant implications for the team behind the game. Approximately half of the team members will leave Ubisoft, while the rest will transition to other roles within the company. This move also affects the studios involved in the game's development, leading to closures and downsizing.
"Almost half of the XDefiant team worldwide will be transitioning to other roles within Ubisoft," said Waubert. "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 already begun downsizing, with 45 employees let go across its American studios in San Francisco, California, and North Carolina on August 16, 2024. Ubisoft Toronto also faced layoffs, with 33 employees affected. The company is committed to supporting these workers through severance packages and a career assistance program.
Leaving the Game on a Positive Note
Despite the game's closure, XDefiant had a notable impact. Launched on May 21, 2024, it quickly broke Ubisoft's internal record by attracting 5 million users in a short time. Over its lifespan, 15 million players engaged with the game. However, the financial performance did not meet Ubisoft's expectations.
"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 non-toxic conversations that fostered a unique connection 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
Though the servers are set to shut down in June 2025, XDefiant's Season 3 will proceed as planned. While details are sparse, speculation suggests that content from the popular Assassin’s Creed series might be included. According to the game’s Year 1 Roadmap blog post from September 2024, Season 3 will feature a new faction, weapons, maps, and a new mode. However, only players who purchased the game before December 3, 2024, will be able to access this final season due to the "sunset process" restrictions.
This roadmap was later replaced by the shutdown announcement titled "Our Message to Players."
Ubisoft Pulling the Plug on XDefiant Reported Early On
Rumors about XDefiant's struggles surfaced as early as August 29, 2024, when Insider Gaming reported a declining player count. Despite denials from Rubin in the game’s Year 1 Roadmap blog post, the 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."
Sources suggested that Ubisoft was heavily banking on Season 3 to revive interest. However, the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between Season 2 and Season 3 may have impacted XDefiant's player base. Ultimately, Ubisoft decided to cut its losses and announce the shutdown ahead of Season 3's release.
