Mark Rubin denies XDefiant's shutting down rumor, reveals future planning for the game

Recent rumors had suggested that XDefiant would shut down after Season 4. However, executive producer Mark Rubin has denied these claims and even revealed future plans for the title. Although XDefiant enjoyed a massive surge at launch and was hailed as COD Killer, it struggled to retain its player base, leading to shutdown speculations.

Rubin’s statement dismissed the rumors and outlined the game’s roadmap moving forward. This article delves into his statement, read on to learn more.

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Mark Rubin's statement regarding the rumors of XDefiant's shutdown and future plans

Popular leaker Shaun Weber recently took to X, claiming multiple sources had hinted that XDefiant would end its support after Season 4 if it failed to attract and retain enough players. This caused concern among fans, but Mark Rubin soon clarified the situation through an X post stating that there are no plans to shut down the game after Season 4.

In his statement, Rubin said:

To be crystal clear there are NO plans to shut down after season 4. I've literally been in meetings as of last week to discuss our Year 2 plans. But, right now we are super focused on improving the technical experience (which includes netcode) and adding more content for Seasons 3 & 4. We have done very little marketing so yes our numbers are down but that is just to give the team the time to get the game in a better place before we do bigger spends on marketing to bring new players to the game and to bring back players that have left.

The development team is currently focused on resolving technical issues while also planning additional content for Seasons 3 and 4. Among the technical improvements, netcode optimization is a key priority, ensuring smoother gameplay by synchronizing player actions regardless of internet speed to create a fair and balanced experience for everyone. With improved netcode, lags and delays will be minimized, enhancing the game’s overall performance.

Regarding player retention, Mark mentioned that they have done limited marketing, resulting in a drop in player counts. However, he explained that the team prioritized refining the game before promoting it actively. Once the desired improvements are achieved, they plan to invest more in marketing to attract both new and returning players.

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In conclusion, Ubisoft's current top priority is refining and polishing the title to eliminate technical issues. Once that is achieved, the focus will shift to marketing through additional engaging content, which is expected to attract new players and bring back those who left. It is also confirmed that there are no plans to shut down XDefiant in the near future.

Check out our other XDefiant articles:

• XD Y1S2.2 patch notes (October 8, 2024): Gameplay changes, weapon and factions updates, and more
• What is Quad Shot in XD? New limited-time mode explained
• All XD Season 2 Ranked rewards and how to get them