Why Did Ubisoft Shut Down XDefiant Even After Getting 15 Million Players?

Ubisoft’s XDefiant made a strong entry into the scene in May 2024. It hit one million players in just two hours and went on to get 15 million players in total. So why now has it been announced that the game will be discontinued in June 3, 2025?

Executive producer Mark Rubin revealed on December 3, 2024, that the game would no longer be updated or supported. While existing players can access the game until June 3, 2025, the company has stopped downloads and in-game purchases.

Xdefiant Probably Had the Most Potential of All the New Live Service Titles of 2024

The journey of XDefiant began with high expectations. Launched in May 2024, it broke records as Ubisoft’s fastest-growing free-to-play title. The game was marketed as a nostalgic return to “old-school” shooter mechanics, especially with the decision to be free to play and not have skill-based matchmaking.

Hello XDefiant Fans,

I am unfortunately here today to announce that XDefiant will be shutting down.

Starting today (December 3, 2024), new downloads and player registrations will no longer be available. We will still release our Season 3 content in the near future (exact date…

— Mark Rubin (@PixelsofMark) December 3, 2024

Mark Rubin, the game’s executive producer, shared a heartfelt message acknowledging the passion of both the development team and the player base. He described the game as a labor of love and highlighted its achievements despite the odds. However, it is strange because he was also the one who said there were no plans of shutting down.

The free-to-play model is notoriously challenging, requiring consistent updates, strong community engagement, and enough revenue to justify long-term investment. According to a statement by Chief Studios and Portfolio Officer Marie-Sophie de Waubert, player retention and revenue fell short of expectations.

Correction/Update: Cuts expected to be closer to 277, not 177.

Ubisoft SF production studio closing; Ubisoft SF business office remaining open

— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) December 4, 2024

The impact of the game shutting down extends beyond players. Ubisoft announced the closure of its San Francisco and Osaka studios and a significant downsizing of its Sydney production site. Nearly 300 employees face layoffs, with roughly half of XDefiant’s development team transitioning to other roles within the company.

Now We’ll Never Know What Could’ve Been

Despite its short lifespan, XDefiant made a lasting impression on the people who did play it. Fans praised the game’s maps and mechanics comparing it to classic Call of Duty titles. One fan even noted that they believed the game was going to find its footing in the upcoming season.

Gutted. I feel like the game was about to find its footing with Season 3 too. Assassin’s Creed themed season was going to be sick.

I haven’t had this much fun on a shooter since Black Ops 3-4 era Call of Duty and have put nearly 400 hours into the game. The maps are phenomenal… pic.twitter.com/3krxAFQScU

— Anthony (@notblametruth) December 4, 2024

The announcement of the game’s cancellation has gotten people talking about what could have been. A lot of people think that an earlier release date or availability on platforms like Steam might have improved its chances.

The rise and fall of live-service titles have become increasingly common. Only this year we’ve seen huge live service flops like Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League and Concord.

While it ultimately fell short, the game leaves behind valuable lessons for the company and the gaming industry at large. Rubin highlighted the importance of open communication between developers and players, which became a defining aspect of the game’s development.

This “player-first” approach is something he hopes will leave a positive mark on future projects. Ubisoft still has stakes live-service genre and it should apply the lessons from this to its other titles like Rainbow Six.

Would you have liked to see more of XDefiant? Let us know in the comments!