Ubisoft’s free-to-play first-person shooter XDefiant, often likened to Call of Duty, is set to shut down by June 3, 2025. The announcement, made via the game’s official social media account, outlined the timeline for its “sunsetting” process, which begins immediately. Despite the closure, Ubisoft plans to release the promised Season 3 content before the game’s termination date.
Effective today, XDefiant will no longer be accessible to new players, and existing players will not be able to make in-game purchases. Ubisoft has confirmed that refunds will be issued for those who purchased the Ultimate Founders Pack, as well as for any transactions made within the last 30 days.
Executive Producer Mark Rubin addressed the challenges of operating a free-to-play game in a statement. He acknowledged the team’s ambition to innovate within the genre by removing Skill-Based Matchmaking (SBMM) and returning to a more traditional arcade shooter format.
“Free-to-play is a high-risk, high-reward endeavour,” Rubin noted, adding that Ubisoft and the development team initially committed to the long-term journey required to make such a game sustainable. “Unfortunately, the journey became too much to sensibly continue.”
The decision to discontinue XDefiant comes just two months after Rubin had publicly denied speculation about the game’s decline. However, Ubisoft’s move aligns with a broader pattern of challenges in the live-service gaming sector.
XDefiant, which launched on May 21, 2024, struggled to gain traction in a competitive market. While Ubisoft has historically demonstrated resilience in supporting live-service games like Rainbow Six Siege and For Honor, it has also faced notable setbacks. Previous projects such as Hyperscape, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Frontline, and The Division Heartland were either short-lived or cancelled before full release.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
The closure of XDefiant is accompanied by significant organisational changes. Ubisoft confirmed layoffs affecting up to 277 employees. Approximately half of the XDefiant team will transition to other roles within Ubisoft, but the company will close its production studios in San Francisco and Osaka and reduce operations at its Sydney site.
In total, 143 employees in San Francisco and 134 in Osaka and Sydney are expected to depart. Ubisoft has stated its commitment to providing support for affected employees during the transition.
Also read | Govt of Assam hosts strategic meet on employment and skill innovation