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Ubisoft shutters XDefiant as creator Mark Rubin leaves gaming

Crippling tech debt forced Ubisoft to wind down the once-promising shooter’s servers

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XDefiant character shooter

Overview

  • XDefiant’s servers went offline on June 3, ending service for the free-to-play arena shooter less than a year after its May 2024 launch.
  • Executive Producer Mark Rubin announced his departure from the gaming industry, citing a desire to spend more time with family.
  • Ubisoft disclosed in December 2024 that it would end development after grappling with persistent server issues, inconsistent matchmaking and dwindling player engagement.
  • Rubin and company leadership highlighted crippling tech debt in an engine ill-suited for live-service support, along with scarce engineering resources and limited post-launch marketing.
  • The shutdown led to nearly 300 layoffs and the closure of two production studios, though many former XDefiant developers have since joined other teams.