After only four months of release, Ubisoft’s free-to-play game XDefiant already has issues. When the game was released in May 2024, it had already amassed a player base of 1 million in only 2.5 hours. The game has struggled to maintain its player base ever since.
According to Dot Esports, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot acknowledged that XDefiant had performed “below expectations” during an investor call. Even though Ubisoft previously had “lower expectations” for the game, this still happens. A roadmap for Season 4 was released a few weeks ago by the official XDefiant X account. It included plans for new weaponry, maps, and game types, but no release dates have been set as of yet. Players still have the option to give up, but this shows Ubisoft hasn’t given up just yet.
Why The Failure Of XDefiant Is A Component Of A Larger Issue
AAA game creators use tried-and-true methods rather than taking a chance on novel approaches. As long as businesses continue to provide what their consumers like, this may sometimes work well and generate a consistent flow of income for them. For example, even though Assassin’s Creed has 13 main series games and 17 spin-offs, and another AC game is reportedly in development, the game’s sales figures remain strong.
However, there comes a time when the gaming business becomes oversaturated. Gamers may have had enough of Call of Duty and Overwatch clones, as seen by titles like Sony’s doomed shooter Concord. In a Reddit remark in response to the news, user MuptonBossman observes that Ubisoft has lost its individuality due to its recent emphasis on trend-chasing.
Unfortunately, season passes are the lifeblood of free shooters like XDefiant; thus, a lack of players also means a lack of revenue. The second season of XDefiant just began; however, because of low player participation, a third season may never come.
We Prefer Division Heartland to XDefiant.
It was discovered earlier this year that XDefiant exists simply because The Division Heartland doesn’t. After four years of development, Ubisoft scrapped Heartland to concentrate on XDefiant.
Choosing a trend over a distinct IP was a bad idea. Instead of a generic free-to-play FPS, The Division Heartland would have introduced something fresh to shooters. I would have liked to see it as a game; therefore, it’s terrible that the one produced instead failed.
The next several months are crucial for XDefiant. Its new Seasons might change the game and Ubisoft’s expectations. However, in such a saturated field, the developer has a serious problem. Only time will tell whether the game will accomplish its ambitions or close like Concord.
Read More: A List of Things That Are Not Known to Be Present at the Summer Game Fest