Ubisoft has announced the discontinuation of XDefiant in 2025, marking the end of its short-lived journey in the competitive first-person shooter (FPS) market. This decision will also result in the closure of Ubisoft production studios in San Francisco and Osaka, alongside a significant scaling down of its Sydney operations. The announcement comes with the loss of approximately 177 jobs globally, with some team members transitioning to other roles within Ubisoft.
XDefiant is officially shutting down.
Servers will close on June 3, 2025.
Official Statement from Ubisoft Leadership
Marie-Sophie de Waubert, Ubisoft’s Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, shared an email with employees outlining the reasons behind the decision. She emphasized that XDefiant failed to attract a sustainable player base in the highly competitive free-to-play FPS market, making continued investment unfeasible.
“Despite an encouraging start and a dedicated fan base, XDefiant could not meet the high expectations of the market. Consequently, we are sunsetting the game and reallocating resources,” stated de Waubert. She also expressed gratitude to the affected employees, pledging support during the transition.
The servers for XDefiant will remain operational until June 3, 2025, allowing players to enjoy the upcoming Season 3 content. However, no new downloads or player registrations will be accepted as of December 3, 2024. Ubisoft has also assured full refunds for recent purchases, including the Ultimate Founder’s Pack.
XDefiant Official share
Dear Players,
Important message: XDEFIANT IS SUNSETTING! Thank you for your incredible support and dedication to XDEFIANT. We regret to inform you that we are initiating the sunset process starting today, December 3, 2024. As a result, new downloads, player registrations and purchases will no longer be available. Season 3 will still launch. The servers will remain active, and the game will be fully playable until June 3rd, 2025. For those who purchased the Ultimate Founders Pack, you will receive a full refund. Players who made any purchases within the last 30 days will also be fully refunded. Please note that processing these refunds will take up to 8 weeks. For more details on refunds, please visit http://XDefiant.com.
Below is a personal message from our Executive Producer, Mark Rubin.
Thank you for being a part of our journey.
Reflections from XDefiant’s Executive Producer
Mark Rubin, the Executive Producer of XDefiant, shared a heartfelt message to the game’s community, expressing his personal disappointment while praising the development team’s dedication and achievements.
“We broke records, with over 15 million players trying XDefiant, yet we couldn’t sustain momentum in such a competitive genre,” Rubin remarked. He highlighted the team’s bold ambition to create an “old-school” arcade shooter experience without Skill-Based Matchmaking (SBMM) and applauded the community’s passion.
Rubin also emphasized the lessons learned from XDefiant’s journey, advocating for open and honest communication between developers and players as a cornerstone for future projects.
Challenges in the Gaming Industry
The discontinuation of XDefiant reflects broader struggles within the gaming industry in 2024, marked by layoffs, project cancellations, and fluctuating market conditions. Ubisoft itself has faced delays, underwhelming sales, and a notable decline in share prices, prompting speculation about the company’s future, including potential privatization efforts involving Tencent and the Guillemot family.
Despite these setbacks, Ubisoft remains committed to its Games-as-a-Service strategy, drawing on successes like Rainbow Six and For Honor to inform its future endeavors.
Final Chapter for XDefiant
Initially revealed in 2021, XDefiant faced delays before its official launch in May. Despite a strong start, with one million players joining within hours, its popularity quickly waned. Critics described the game as a “respectable FPS” that struggled to differentiate itself from competitors.
Ubisoft’s decision to keep XDefiant servers active until mid-2025 offers a small reprieve for its loyal player base, ensuring the game’s final chapter can unfold with dignity.
