Ubisoft Pulls the Plug on XDefiant After a Rocky Start

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As a long-time fan who’s seen my fair share of gaming comings and goings, it’s always bittersweet when a game I’ve grown attached to reaches its sunset. XDefiant was a thrilling ride, and I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia as I read the announcement about its closure.

In May of 2024, Ubisoft’s free-to-play shooter game, XDefiant, was released. It rapidly amassed more than 10 million players in its initial two weeks. However, player interaction noticeably decreased over the subsequent months. By August, the number of simultaneous players across all platforms had fallen below 20,000.

In response to these difficulties, Ubisoft declared on December 3, 2024 that they would no longer support XDefiant. From that date, it stopped accepting new sign-ups and downloads. The game servers are set to be turned off on June 3, 2025. Until then, current players can still play the game, with Season 3 content set to be released prior to the final shutdown.

The choice to halt development on XDefiant has unfortunately resulted in a substantial reduction in workforce. Ubisoft is shutting down its studios in San Francisco, Osaka, and Sydney, which will affect about 277 employees – approximately 143 in San Francisco, 134 in Osaka, and the rest in Sydney.

As an enthusiastic gamer, I’m thrilled to share that Ubisoft has promised to return the money spent by players on recent in-game transactions! If you were among those who splurged on the Ultimate Founders Pack or made purchases of virtual currency and downloadable content within the past month, you’ll be glad to know that a refund is coming your way.

Hi there, fellow enthusiasts!

— XDefiant (@PlayXDefiant) December 3, 2024

The decision to close XDefiant underscores the hurdles Ubisoft has encountered with their free-to-play games. This closure mirrors a trend of similar fates for other games within the company’s collection, indicating the struggles in maintaining player engagement and financial success in the competitive world of free-to-play gaming.

Regarding those at Ubisoft impacted by this choice, our priority is currently centered around offering assistance throughout the phase prior to the closure in June 2025.

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2024-12-04 03:44