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Ubisoft announced the end of XDefiant on December 3, 2024, but the game did not go offline that day. New downloads, registrations and purchases stopped immediately; existing players could continue until Ubisoft closed the servers in June 2025. Refunds covered the Ultimate Founder’s Pack and certain recent purchases—not every player or every purchase.
What happened to XDefiant?
Ubisoft discontinued development of its free-to-play shooter and began winding down its online service on December 3, 2024. The company said the game had not attracted and retained enough players to compete sustainably in the free-to-play first-person-shooter market or justify continued major investment. Ubisoft’s announcement did not disclose a complete public financial breakdown.
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That announcement was the start of a sunset, not an immediate shutdown. Players who had accessed the game before the cutoff could keep playing while the planned Season 3 content arrived. Ubisoft scheduled the servers to close on June 3, 2025; contemporary reporting confirmed the service was offline by June 4. Ubisoft’s community notice set out the shutdown plan.
XDefiant shutdown timeline
- May 21, 2024: The game launched on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Ubisoft’s launch coverage lists the platforms.
- November 3, 2024: Start of the 30-day purchase window described in Ubisoft’s detailed regional refund FAQ. Its date and time-zone wording should not be assumed to settle every region’s treatment.
- December 3, 2024: Ubisoft announced the sunset and disabled new downloads, registrations and purchases. Existing players retained access; Season 3 was still planned, but no later content was.
- January 28, 2025: Ubisoft’s stated date for players to contact support if an expected automatic refund had not arrived.
- June 3, 2025: Scheduled server shutdown. Reporting the following day confirmed that the servers were offline.
Who qualified for a refund?
Ubisoft announced two main categories for full refunds:
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- Redeemable at US GameStop, EB Games, Babbage's, Electronic Boutique, EBX, Planet X, and Software Etc. stores. Also redeemable online at and GameStop.com and EBGames.com.
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- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
- Ultimate Founder’s Pack: Ubisoft said buyers would receive a full refund regardless of when they purchased it.
- Eligible purchases in the 30 days before the announcement: Purchases made from November 3, 2024, were described in the detailed FAQ as eligible, with refunds processed automatically. That FAQ listed certain DLC and XCoins purchases, including Gold Pack, Starter Pack DLC, Combat Pack DLC and XCoins packages of 500, 1,000, 2,100, 5,750 and 12,000 units. See Ubisoft’s regional FAQ for its specific terms.
The detailed list comes from Ubisoft’s regional FAQ, so platform, region, currency and transaction type may affect how a particular purchase was handled. It is not evidence that every storefront used identical wording or mechanics.
Which purchases were excluded?
The FAQ specifically excluded the regular Founder’s Pack and Founder’s Pack Elite from the special shutdown refund. Nor did Ubisoft promise to refund all historical XCoins, DLC, cosmetics or purchases made outside the stated recent-purchase window. The refund announcement was limited; it was not a blanket reimbursement for everyone who had spent money in the game.
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Did players have to request refunds?
Ubisoft said eligible refunds would be automatic through the platform where the content was bought and could take up to eight weeks to process. Its notice said to contact Ubisoft Support if the refund had not arrived by January 28, 2025. That original processing period has long passed. If you still have an unresolved case, contact Ubisoft Support with your order confirmation, transaction ID, Ubisoft account details and payment records.
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Can you still play XDefiant if it is installed?
No—not through Ubisoft’s official service. XDefiant had no offline mode, so an installed client does not remain playable after the servers close. Ubisoft’s FAQ said players could use remaining XCoins and access progression, activities, rewards and achievements only while the service remained online. It did not promise a separate refund for unused currency unless the underlying transaction met the refund criteria, or transfer of progress to another game.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened to the XDefiant teams?
In its corporate release, Ubisoft said about half of the worldwide XDefiant team would move to other roles within the company. It also announced the closure of Ubisoft San Francisco and Ubisoft Osaka and a ramp-down of production in Sydney. Ubisoft cited 143 departures in San Francisco and 134 likely departures in Osaka and Sydney. Team transfers, studio closures and departures are distinct impacts; the staffing figures were Ubisoft’s estimates in that release. Read the corporate announcement.
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- The perfect gift for anyone who loves to play—including you. Choose from over 1,000 new, classic and indie games – delivered directly to your Nintendo Switch system.
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- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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