Ubisoft has announced the closure of its free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, with servers shutting down in June 2025. This article details the reasons behind this decision and its impact on players.

XDefiant Server Shutdown: June 2025

The "Sunset" Begins

Ubisoft will officially cease XDefiant's operations on June 3, 2025. The shutdown process commences December 3, 2024, halting new player registrations, downloads, and in-game purchases. Refunds for eligible purchases are underway.

Ubisoft states: "Players who purchased the Ultimate Founders Pack will receive a full refund. Refunds for VC and DLC purchases made since November 3, 2024, will also be issued. Please allow up to 8 weeks for processing; refunds should be completed by January 28, 2025. Contact Ubisoft support for assistance after this date." Note that only the Ultimate Founder's Pack is eligible for a refund.

Reasons for Closure

Marie-Sophie Waubert, Ubisoft's Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer, explained that XDefiant failed to achieve the player base needed to thrive in the competitive free-to-play market. Despite initial success and dedicated players, sustained growth proved insufficient to justify further investment.

Impact on the Development Team

Approximately half of XDefiant's team will transition to other roles within Ubisoft. However, the San Francisco and Osaka studios will close, and the Sydney studio will downsize, resulting in significant job losses (143 in San Francisco, and approximately 134 in Osaka and Sydney combined). This follows previous layoffs in August 2024 across various Ubisoft American studios. Ubisoft is providing severance and career support to affected employees.

A Positive Reflection

Despite reaching 5 million users shortly after its May 21, 2024 launch (and 15 million total players), XDefiant's performance ultimately fell short of Ubisoft's expectations. Executive Producer Mark Rubin acknowledged the challenges of the free-to-play market and the length of time needed to build a profitable player base. While disappointed, Rubin expressed gratitude for the community and highlighted the positive, respectful interactions between players and developers.

Season 3 Release and Subsequent Shutdown

Despite the closure announcement, Season 3 will launch as planned. While specifics are limited, speculation points to Assassin's Creed themed content. However, access will be restricted to players who acquired the game before December 3, 2024, due to the "sunset" process. A previous blog post outlining Season 3's content has been removed.

Early Reports of XDefiant's Struggles

Insider Gaming reported on August 29, 2024, citing internal sources, that XDefiant faced low player numbers. While initially denied, this proved accurate. The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 between Seasons 2 and 3 likely further impacted XDefiant's player base.