Ubisoft's Failed Call of Duty Killer - The Disaster of XDefiant
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To many publishers, the explosive rise of free-to-play games promised near-endless earning potential, thanks to microtransactions providing extraordinary amounts of passive income. In 2021, for instance, Call of Duty publisher Activision’s live-service titles generated a staggering $5.1 billion from in-game purchases alone. The lucrative recurring revenue stream inspired other big-name publishing outfits to pursue the development of similar interactive experiences; a number of them chased the trend to their own detriment. Ubisoft, in particular, buckled beneath the weight of its high expectations in this respect, evidenced by the company canceling multiple work-in-progress games. However, even some titles that survived the culling and hit the market fell short, such was the case with XDefiant.
Ubisoft pulled the plug on XDefiant approximately one year after its release, the arena shooter’s constantly diminishing user base playing a crucial role in the decision. Yet, other obstacles contributed to its shortcomings as well, including netcode troubles, gameplay glitches, and allegedly inept leadership. Industry pundits and enthusiasts would argue the writing was on the wall before XDefiant officially went live in May 2024, considering the delays and long periods of uncertainty that beset its pre-release period.
But the first-person shooter did enjoy some success at launch. The game broke a few records and for a time seemed as though it would test the loyalty of Call of Duty faithful. That ship sailed within months, though, leaving behind a compelling gameplay experience that never fully realized its potential.
This is the tragedy of XDefiant.
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