This shooter has big problems. Ubisoft shuts down XDefiant and will lay off 277 employees

Ubisoft has decided to shut down its free-to-play online shooter XDefiant, which initially had a good start but failed to compete in a crowded market, especially with games like Counter-Strike 2. The decision has led to major changes at the company, including the closure of two studios and the layoff of 277 employees.

What happened

• Reasons for the shutdown: XDefiant failed to build a large enough audience for sustainable development and financial stability. Despite the support of an active community, the project has not met expectations for attracting new players.
• Future of the game: New downloads and purchases are no longer available, but Ubisoft plans to release a third season of the game, and the servers will remain active until June 3, 2025, so that players can complete their gaming adventures.

Development of the project has been halted, new downloads and purchases have been disabled, but the third season will still be released, and the servers will be operational until June 2025. This decision led to the closure of studios in San Francisco and Osaka, as well as the dismissal of 277 employees. Ubisoft management explained that further investment in the game turned out to be unprofitable.

The closure of XDefiant highlights the challenges facing developers in the free-to-play online shooter market. Ubisoft continues to restructure to focus on more promising projects and adapt to the competitive environment.

Previously with Counter-Strike 2…

Valve has released the first major update for the multiplayer shooter Counter-Strike 2 a year after its release. One of the key new features was the expansion of customization options and the in-game economy. The game has a new section of the store called “Arsenal”, where you can now buy key chains with unique colors for weapons. Each key chain can be hung on only one weapon. The “Arsenal” will also feature special items, skins and collectible sets. Some weapons with unique colors will be available for purchase only for a limited time, which will add an element of exclusivity.

In addition, the game has introduced an arsenal pass and a special currency that can be used to purchase items from the new section. The update includes more than 100 new cosmetic items and skins, which will add even more options for personalization and will fuel players’ interest in collecting unique items.

The patch also makes many technical fixes. Improved character animations in various poses and while moving, fixed audio positioning issues, and made adjustments to maps related to grenade physics. These changes are aimed at improving overall gameplay and fixing minor bugs.