Ubisoft, a highly regarded game publisher, and Ubisoft San Francisco, its development partner, have disclosed an unfortunate revelation to fans of their multiplayer first-person shooter game, XDefiant. It has been officially announced that the game will be taken off download lists, marking the start of its eventual withdrawal. The game servers are set to cease operation on June 3, 2025.
Even though new downloads and player registrationsis will be kaput starting December 3, 2024, existing players have assurance of their gameplay continuity alongside the release of forthcoming content until the aforementioned server shutdown date.
Ubisoft San Francisco and Ubisoft Osaka, two significant entities of the brand, are also marked for closing, leading to a layoff of almost 277 employees. Half of the XDefiant team, however, will be reassigned to other projects.
Here is a word from XDefiant’s Executive Producer, Mark Rubin, to the game’s loyal fanbase:
With deep regret, I need to announce the ultimate cessation of XDefiant. From today, there will no longer be provision for new downloads and player sign ups. Season 3, however, is still on course and you can expect its content soon before the servers halt permanently on June 3, 2025.
Your investments will not be unrequited, especially for those who procured the Ultimate Founder’s Pack. The Plan is for you to have a full refund, alongside any other purchases made within the past 30 days. Your refunds will process automatically, and more information could be sought on the official site, XDefiant.com.
The journey from the get-go was a daring one with Ubisoft and the development team stepping on to create a revolutionary arcade shooter, XDefiant. Casting off Skill-Based Matchmaking to reclaim the old-school arcade shooting experience, while also delving into the risky domain of free-to-play gaming was no mean challenge. It was a commendable venture on Ubisoft’s part as well as the collaborative development team.
Successfully establishing a free-to-play game is a long and arduous journey; one that the teams were willing to embark on until recently when it became infeasible. More often than not, many such games take quite a while before turning profitable.
The decision to discontinue XDefiant, naturally, comes with a tremendous sense of loss. My appreciation goes to every gritty developer impacted by this turn of events. Their incomparable commitment and ardor bolstered our game to remarkable levels. Each of them can proudly testify to their devotion.
What they accomplished was a testament to their capability, as proven by the early response from our gamers. Upon XDefiant’s release, it toppled internal records, becoming the quickest to pass five million users and it eventually attracted over 15 million players. This remarkable feet isn’t an easy one to achieve, given its genre. For this, I extend my gratitude to each developer who poured their heart into making this game.
I would like to reiterate the importance of sincere, transparent communication between developers and players. The ‘player-first’ approach partnered with a mutually respectful, non-toxic discourse has been one of the defining elements setting XDefiant apart. This is a standard I aimed for from the inception of the game, and I hope it leaves a positive impact on how our industry interacts with players and communities.
To our community, my sincerest thank you. Your enthusiasm, innovation, and fervor have served as inspiration at every junction of this journey.
With entire love and admiration,
Mark Rubin, Executive Producer
Leave a Reply