Tech Desk 
Dec 04, 2024
Ubisoft’s team-based shooter, XDefiant, is closing down just months after its official launch in May 2024.
The free-to-play first-person shooter, known for its fast-paced gameplay and unique factions, aimed to rival popular games in the genre but struggled to maintain momentum despite an impressive start.
XDefiant reached more than 10 million players in its first two weeks and got off to a strong start, outdoing all expectations on engagement and revenue.
But its popularity dropped dramatically. As of fall 2024, it was reported that active players were down to below 20,000 across platforms.
Ubisoft take on Ubisoft shutdown
Ubisoft announced that XDefiant will no longer accept new players from December 3rd, 2024. Existing players will be able to play on the servers until June 3, 2025.
All scheduled Season 3 content will be released, and gameplay elements such as progression, rewards, and events will remain open until the servers close. Refunds will be made for the Ultimate Founders Pack and all in-game purchases after November 3, 2024.
This closure is another failure for Ubisoft's live-service plans, after the company shut down Hyper Scape earlier.
According to Ubisoft, several difficult consequences are leading to important job losses, stating: “The closing of our San Francisco and Osaka production studios and 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.”
The XDefiant shutdown reflects the difficulty in maintaining live-service games, even with good launch experiences.
