XDefiant Set to Shut Down Following Season 4 Conclusion

Following nearly months since its debut, Ubisoft’s anticipated free-to-play multiplayer FPS, XDefiant, is rumored to be shutting down after Season 4. Initially positioned as a strong competitor to Call of Duty, the game experienced a significant influx of players at launch. Nevertheless, it has struggled to maintain its player base, witnessing a noteworthy decline. Popular leaker Shaun Weber recently shared via his X profile that the development team may suspend live support for XDefiant post-Season 4. Currently, the game is still in Season 2, with Season 4 expected to wrap up its inaugural year of content.

Continue reading for further insights on the potential discontinuation of XDefiant.

Will XDefiant be discontinued?

As per the leak, various sources have indicated that if the player count does not improve through Season 4, the game is likely to lose official support. When it launched, XDefiant boasted around 850,000 concurrent players. However, this number plummeted to approximately 20,000 within five months, marking a substantial decline for a multiplayer title.

Despite receiving initial acclaim from FPS fans, one of the major factors behind XDefiant’s struggle to keep its community engaged is its inadequate post-launch support. Although it is offered as a free-to-play title, it has not provided enough ongoing content compared to Call of Duty to maintain player interest. While developers did introduce features like Ranked Play and a Battle Pass, subsequent seasons lacked a variety of new maps and game modes to captivate players.

Moreover, the FPS gaming market is highly competitive currently. Challenging established giants in the industry is inherently tough, which means XDefiant needed to offer unique and innovative experiences. Although the game collaborated with well-known Ubisoft franchises such as Ghost Recon and Watch Dogs, many fans feel it has not lived up to its potential.

The leaker also disclosed that a research team at Ubisoft has been actively engaging their testers for feedback through internal sessions. Based on this feedback, they may determine the future trajectory of XDefiant. Unfortunately, given the current situation, the outlook for Ubisoft’s supposed Call of Duty competitor does not appear promising.

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