XDefiant will be shut down and the producer criticizes Activision: "Be more Larian, less Call of Duty"

XDefiant, the free shooter from Ubisoft, will officially be shut down on June 3, 2025, after just over a year online. Released as an attempt to rival Call of Duty, the game never achieved great popularity and was removed from digital stores at the end of 2024. Season 3, themed after Assassin’s Creed, will be the game's final update.

With the shutdown confirmed, executive producer Mark Rubin — who previously worked as a producer at Infinity Ward, the studio responsible for Call of Duty — publicly commented on the current model of the multiplayer gaming industry.

“A lot of games, Call of Duty included, just focus on how to make the most money possible out of the player base,” Rubin stated, responding to a fan on X/Twitter. “They rely heavily on [fear of missing out] marketing and [engagement optimized matchmaking] matches. But I feel like it used to be just more about the quality of the game which would drive players to play.”

The criticism falls on how games like CoD prioritize retention and monetization tactics over investing in game design as the main driver of engagement. According to Rubin, the current model relies on matchmaking algorithms optimized for screen time and aggressive marketing campaigns, such as the famous “FOMO”.

“That means making the game more player-centric. i.e., less engagement-based tactics and higher quality experiences for the players. Better maps, modes, etc. In other words, your game should have a high player count because it’s good and people want to play it, rather than people playing it because the game has a $250 million marketing budget. Everything is just said is very simplified as it would take too long to really go into it. One last simple analogy: Be more like Larian, less like Activision.”

Despite the criticisms, Rubin also acknowledges the talent of the teams involved:

“And I just want to add that there are some great people at Activision and their studios. I just think they evolved into something they weren’t and haven’t been able to escape.”

XDefiant, developed by the team at Ubisoft San Francisco, was revealed in 2021 and faced several delays and closed tests before officially launching in 2024. Despite the promise of seasonal updates and integration of franchises like Far Cry, The Division, and Splinter Cell, the game failed to maintain a solid player base.

With the shutdown, the servers will remain active until June 3 only for those who still have the game installed. Without access through digital stores, new downloads are no longer possible.