XDefiant to Shut Down in June 2025, Marking Another Ubisoft Closure
Ubisoft’s XDefiant, the free-to-play arcade shooter once hailed as a rival to Call of Duty, is officially shutting down by June 3, 2025. The announcement, made on the game’s X account, comes as a blow to fans and highlights the challenges of sustaining live-service games in a competitive market.
Closure Timeline and Refunds
The “sunsetting” of XDefiant begins immediately. Here’s what players need to know:
- New Access Restrictions: New players can no longer join, and existing players cannot make purchases.
- Refund Policy:
- Players who purchase the Ultimate Founders Pack will receive full refunds.
- Purchases made within the last 30 days are also eligible for refunds.
- Season 3 Rollout: Despite the closure, the planned Season 3 content will still be released ahead of the final shutdown.
A Risky Endeavor
Executive Producer Mark Rubin addressed the closure in a candid statement:
“Not only were we trying to shake up the genre by removing Skill-Based Matchmaking (SBMM) while bringing back a more ‘old-school’ arcade shooter experience, but we were also diving into the high-risk, high-reward realm of free-to-play,” Rubin said.
Rubin emphasized that while XDefiant aimed to deliver a unique experience, the challenges of maintaining profitability in the free-to-play space became insurmountable.
“Free-to-play… is a long journey that Ubisoft and the teams working on the game were prepared to make until very recently. But unfortunately, the journey became too much to sensibly continue.”
Ubisoft’s Struggles with Live-Service Games
XDefiant launched on May 21, 2024, but faced significant hurdles from the start. While Ubisoft has had some success with live-service games like Rainbow Six Siege and For Honor, XDefiant now joins the company’s list of failed ventures alongside Hyperscape, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Frontline, and The Division Heartland.
Notably, Rubin had previously dismissed rumors of XDefiant’s demise just two months ago, insisting the game was “absolutely not dying.” However, internal struggles with the game’s performance and profitability suggested otherwise.
Layoffs and Studio Closures
The shutdown also comes with major layoffs and restructuring across Ubisoft:
- 277 Job Cuts:
- 143 employees in San Francisco.
- 134 employees in Osaka and Sydney.
- Studio Closures: Ubisoft is shuttering its production sites in San Francisco and Osaka while scaling down its Sydney operations.
- Redeployment: Half of the XDefiant team worldwide will transition to other roles within Ubisoft.
The Legacy of XDefiant
XDefiant was positioned as a fresh take on the first-person shooter genre, appealing to fans of fast-paced, arcade-style gameplay. However, its brief lifespan reflects the volatile nature of live-service gaming, where even ambitious projects can fail to secure a sustainable player base.
With its closure, Ubisoft faces yet another challenge in regaining its foothold in the live-service market. Whether the lessons learned from XDefiant will shape the company’s future endeavors remains to be seen.
