Kenneth Williams 
Despite a lot of excitement at launch, dwindling player numbers and low spending will result in XDefiant shutting down just seven months after launch.
On December 3, 2024, Ubisoft has announced that is shuttering XDefiant. New content for Season 3, which has already been developed, will still release at an undetermined date. However, players will no longer be able to download the game or create new accounts for it. Following the short shelf life of Concord is a rough fate for any game, but XDefiant’s initial hype and quick downturn could be a sign of more AAA shutdowns in the near future.
Here’s what fans should know about XDefiant shutting down,
Why is XDefiant shutting down?
Ubisoft cited low player numbers and spending as the main reason why it is mothballing XDefiant.
In a statement posted on X, executive producer Mark Rubin said that “many free-to-play games take a long time to find their footing and become profitable,” and added that Ubisoft was willing to wait “until very recently.” Back in August, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson reported that the dramatic falloff in player numbers and spending meant the game was on “borrowed time.” Henderson also reported that the release of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 resulted in high anxiety for XDefiant’s future at the studio.
This change in direction contrasts with an official blog post from back in September, where Ubisoft said that the game was “doing well” and remained committed to supporting the game through at least a fourth season.
Long-time games industry reporter Stephen Totilo stated that the Ubisoft San Francisco and Osaka studios will be closed as part of the XDefiant shutdown. According to Totilo, “up to 277 people” are expected to be laid off, with half of the XDefiant team expected to be moved to other projects.
The game started off strong by eclipsing 1 million unique players in just its first few hours after its May 2024 release and 8 million by the end of the week.
When is XDefiant shutting down?
XDefiant is shutting down on June 3, 2025, and the game is already being taken away from digital storefronts.
No players will be able to download the game or register beginning December 3, 2024, and the servers will be shut down on June 3, 2025. Any players who made purchases in the last 30 days will be fully refunded within the next eight weeks. Ubisoft has not announced plans for a final goodbye to the game, and it will likely just disappear when June 3 rolls around. Until then, players are free to hop on and keep playing the game.
