Ubisoft Closes Studios, Shuttering F2P Shooter xDefiant

Ubisoft's free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, is shutting down. Servers will be deactivated on June 3rd, 2025, marking the end of its brief lifespan. This decision follows a period of declining player numbers and ultimately, an inability to compete effectively in the crowded free-to-play market.

The shutdown process begins December 3rd, 2024, with a halt to new player registrations and purchases. Ubisoft is offering refunds for in-game purchases made since November 3rd, 2024, including full refunds for the Ultimate Founders Pack. Refunds are expected to be processed within eight weeks, by January 28th, 2025. Contact Ubisoft for assistance if a refund isn't received by this date. Note that only the Ultimate Founders Pack is eligible for a refund.

Ubisoft's Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, Marie-Sophie Waubert, attributed the closure to the game's failure to attract and retain a sufficient player base. The competitive free-to-play FPS market proved too challenging for XDefiant to sustain itself. This decision will result in the closure of Ubisoft's San Francisco and Osaka studios, and a significant reduction in staff at its Sydney location, with approximately 277 employees impacted. Additionally, approximately half of the XDefiant development team will transition to other roles within Ubisoft.

Despite the closure, Season 3 will launch as planned. While details remain scarce, speculation points towards content from the Assassin's Creed franchise. However, access to Season 3 will be limited to players who acquired the game before December 3rd, 2024.

While XDefiant initially achieved a significant player base of 15 million users, its performance ultimately fell short of Ubisoft's expectations for profitability. This contrasts sharply with an earlier denial of the game's struggles by Executive Producer Mark Rubin, who previously stated that the game was "absolutely not dying." The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between Seasons 2 and 3 likely further impacted XDefiant's player retention. Despite the disappointing outcome, Rubin expressed gratitude to the dedicated player community, highlighting the positive interactions between players and developers.