LAST XDefiant Content Patch: New Factions, Updates, Rewards
It's a sad day when an online video game shuts down its servers, especially when the game in question hasn't had much time to show what it has to offer. Ubisoft has encountered many roadblocks for its long-awaited 2024 releases, including Skull And Bones and even the free-to-play XDefiant. Released in May of 2024, XDefiant hasn't even been on the marketplace for an entire year, but Ubisoft has already decided to shut it down permanently in 2025.
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Although the action-packed xDefiant is a free-to-play game, it hasn't gained much of a following in the competitive community, and a shrinking player base is never good for a live-service shooter. Older shooters like Rainbow Six Siege and Fortnite offer an alternative to Ubisoft's newest title, so it's difficult for a first-person shooter to gain a following of fans in 2024. Keep reading if you want to find out everything about Season 3 of XDefiant and when you can expect the FPS to cease operations forever.
When is XDefiant Shutting Down?
Dear Players,
— XDefiant (@PlayXDefiant) December 3, 2024
Important message: XDEFIANT IS SUNSETTING!
Thank you for your incredible support and dedication to XDEFIANT. We regret to inform you that we are initiating the sunset process starting today, December 3, 2024.
As a result, new downloads, player registrations and… pic.twitter.com/h0kXRowL5T
The official XDefiant X account posted a farewell letter to players on December 3rd explaining that the shooter will shut down indefinitely following June 3rd, 2025. It seems that the decision is final, as new players can't even create accounts. Certain in-game purchases from the 30 days prior to December 3rd may be eligible for refunds. Since XDefiant is completely free for its fan-base, there won't be any need to issue refunds for the Ubisoft FPS.
Why is XDefiant Shutting Down?
Since XDefiant is a free-to-play game, it requires quite the success to continue to be viable on the market. It's difficult to compete in 2024 because there are so many fun-filled shooters to play on every platform. XDefiant didn't do much to stand out from the FPS crowd, although its faction system was fairly unique.
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Though XDefiant won't be available after June 3rd, those who enjoy its action-packed gameplay can still play for the next six months. A game's player count will determine whether it's worth investing more money into new seasons, but XDefiant didn't make the cut compared to previous Ubisoft titles.
The Final Patch Notes for XDefiant
Season 3 is live now! We want to thank our community for all the support you've given to XDefiant since our very first test.
— XDefiant (@PlayXDefiant) December 18, 2024
Watch the Season 3 Overview: https://t.co/3OYYtoyeYN pic.twitter.com/jFLKzW867X
Though the end is rapidly approaching for XDefiant, that doesn't mean the fun is completely done. Ubisoft is still dedicated to offering basic support for XDefiant fans into 2025. As such, a new content drop happened earlier today which includes the launch of Season 3 and even more unexpected additions.
The most important inclusion in Season 3 is the plethora of new factions being introduced, including an assassin organization that may remind Ubisoft fans of Assassin's Creed. We've compiled the official XDefiant patch notes here, complete with every addition the developers made note of in their final major update.
New Factions
Assassins
Hiding in plain sight through the centuries, the Assassins have waged a clandestine war against their ancient enemies, the Templars, to safeguard human freedom. Assassins combine rigorous combat training, unconventional weaponry, and a sixth sense to track and take out their targets. Their signature Hidden Blade is a one-hit melee elimination.
The Assassins receive combat guidance from Rebecca Crane, the technical genius who developed the Animus 2.0, an advanced model of the machine that lets Assassins relive genetic memories. She guided some of the Order's most well-known Assassins, including Desmond Miles. With Crane's assistance, the Assassins work in the dark to serve the light, combating oppression with lethal force.
Wolves
Ex-special forces gone rogue, Wolves employ an arsenal of Skell Tech drones for both offense and defense. The Wolves trait allows the pack to be a sight unseen, undetected by AI abilities and devices. Their Legion drone acts like a homing proximity mine, while the Stolas is effectively a mobile turret. And their ultra, Drone Swarm, is the last word on area denial.
Blood Dragon
Super-deadly cyber commandos from a dark future where cyborgs and mutants collide. Use your cyberstrength, throw deadly shuriken, strike with your shock punch, or use the Killstar laser to deal massive damage.
New Season 3 Maps
- Mykonos (Arena): Experience the island of Mykonos like the ancient Greeks did, except with more rooftop firefights, in this new map for Season 3. Your itinerary includes sprinting by market stalls, seeking roof access for the high ground, and jumping across boat decks in high-risk flanking maneuvers.
- El Barrio (Arena)
- Jorvik (Linear)
- Animus Anomaly (Tactical): Ancient worlds collide in Animus Anomaly, a new corridor-style map for Season 3. Hunker down among Viking castles, flank around the waterways of ancient Greece, or go out with a boom in the new Defuse tactical variant of BOMB!.
New Maps Originally Planned For After Season 3
These maps were scheduled for later seasons but were too much fun not to release!
Linear
- Skell Complex
- Esperanza
- Himalaya
Arenas
- Carlyle’s Lab
- Enchanted Forest
- Killstar Temple
- Razia’s Realm
- Skell City
- West End
Maps Changes & Fixes
- Adjustments were done to invisible collision and areas where players were able to jump to places that are out of bounds for the map.
- Adjustments to some maps where scrap turrets were also being placed where they’re not supposed to be.
- DUMBO has decked the halls to be more festive for the holidays
- Players can no longer climb and leap their way into what was supposed to be an inaccessible area of some maps, where they were using El Remedio to heal allies and doing other sneaky exploits.
- Many maps have undergone improvements to mantling which should now be fixed in several map locations that previously were not.
- Map voting improvements
New Game Modes
Defuse
This season sees the debut of Defuse, a tactical and slower-paced version of BOMB!. Teams take turns planting and defending bomb sites, yet all players only have one life. Defuse is designed for play on a new "corridor" type map, in this case the Animus Anomaly created exclusively for this category.
Lum Hunt
Catch them if you can, Lums (beings of pure energy possessing of a mindbogglingly sunny disposition) have been placed around the Enchanted Forest map in this variant of Hot Shot. Also available in Private Matches.
VS Bots
There’s now a Vs Bots option where you can face off against varying levels of computers. You’ll even earn XP by battling bots. Although at a slower pace with human enemies.
Tilt
Now available in our Linear playlists, this mode is a simultaneous battle over who can push around Carlos the most, poor robot.
Turbo XD
Super jump your way to victory in this gravity defying mode.
New Party Modes Playlist
From one shot kill, to headshots only, and even no skills allowed, there’s a little something for everyone in this playlist. With no one here to make names for them, we wish you the very best of luck to figure them out.
Ranked
Top 500 Leaderboard
Season 3 sees the debut of the Top 500 leaderboard, which showcases the top 500 players globally each season as they progress through the ranks until the season's end. These top players are displayed in descending order of total Rank Points earned in the current season. Highlighting a player on the Leaderboard displays the following stats:
- Current rank insignia and RP total.
- Win/Loss: Player’s ratio of wins to losses.
- Kill/Death: Player’s ratio of kills to deaths.
- Average Score/Minute: Player’s average score per minute.
- MVPs: Number of times the player earned MVP.
Ranked BOMB!
- With Ability Restrictions still in place, we took it 1 step further and you will only be allowed to use your ability once per life.
- Round timer changed in Ranked BOMB! from 2 mins to 1min 30s, plant and defuse times adjusted, and Round 11 will go to highest scoring team.
Weapon Additions
Famas Assault Rifle
The FAMAS is a burst-fire rifle like the M16A4 but with faster ADS time, movement, and rate of fire. It is slower to reload, however, and inflicts less hurt per shot.
MG5 Light Machine Gun
Despite its shorter range and lower ammo capacity than other belt-fed LMGs, the MG5 with its higher rate of fire makes it a powerful and versatile option for those who can master its challenging recoil.
M1A Marksman Rifle
An agile warhorse built for medium-range battles, the M1A offers a speedy rate of fire but deals less per-shot damage compared to other marksman rifles.
Guns Without Description
The SRS, Diceros, and the M1928 are also joining the roster of guns in XDefiant.
Progression
Prestige System!
Introducing Prestige, an optional new progression system that rewards long-haul dedication with flashy cosmetics and extravagant emblems that showcase your experience to other players. Available to anyone who has completed their Base Challenges, Prestige resets player progress in exchange for an eye-catching Prestige Emblem. All starter and owned weaponry are locked – except the M4, M9, and frag grenade – but can be earned as players earn XP and Prestige Tokens to access their original gear plus new weapons until they complete the current Prestige Tier and acquire the next eye-catching emblem. Players can opt out of Prestige at any time and recover their weapons, or they can commit to unlocking the final Prestige Emblem, the ultimate display of dedication.
Faction Mastery
Allows players to level up characters, earn prestigious rewards, and track their progression within the game
Badges!
Badges are part of a mysterious new challenge-based progression system where players earn Badges for performing impressive feats and engaging with the game in creative ways. All Badge challenges have hidden requirements, encouraging players to go online and engage with the XDefiant community. Badges can also evolve, requiring players to complete the challenge a second or third time but with more challenging requirements for success.
Pristine Weapon Mastery Skin
A new Pristine Weapon Mastery skin is unlocked at weapon level 50 as an early reward to encourage players to pursue Weapon Mastery. These new Pristine skins are like unmarred, fresh-from-the-factory versions of these weapons. Pristine skins are retroactively applied to any weapons that have already reached level 50.
Daily Rewards & Credits
- Players can now earn various rewards just for logging into the game. Bigger rewards are granted every 5th and 10th login. The days do not have to be consecutive.
- Credits are a brand new in-game currency. Use Credits to buy cosmetics from previous seasons, giving you the opportunity to get any skins you may have missed back then, but you have everything now, so that’s nice
Fixes And Changes
Some Challenges, particularly those related to faction characters, weren't progressing on the main menu, but now they are.
NEXT: When Does XDefiant Go Offline? Shut Down Times, Refund Details, and More
Michael Caruso is a journalist of five years who works to share his passion for gaming with the world. Throughout his career, Michael has written for various video game and news publications, focusing his writing on entertainment and the well-being of the environment. When Michael isn't writing, he can be found playing his guitar or immersed in a virtual world.