XDefiant executive producer Mark Rubin says developers like Activision are too focused on making the most money, instead of deg a good game that players naturally gravitate towards. Rubin says games like Call of Duty, which they've previously worked on, strategically keep hold of players by focusing on engagement tactics over quality material. Ubisoft's failed multiplayer FPS was positioned as a rival to CoD, but after struggling to gain popularity, it was taken off stores by the Assassin's Creed and Far Cry maker late last year.
season 3 representing the game's final update. If you still have the game installed, you've got a few short weeks to enjoy it, but if you deleted it, you're locked out for good. Ahead of XDefiant's imminent closure, Rubin has responded to a fan with their thoughts on the current state of videogames, particularly Call of Duty.
"A lot of games, Call of Duty included, just focus on how to make the most money possible out of the player base," Rubin, who formerly worked as an executive producer at Call of Duty studio Infinity Ward, says. "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."
"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 [sic] 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.
"And I just want to add that there are some great people at Activision and their studios," Rubin continues. "I just think they evolved into something they weren't and haven't been able to escape."
The precise shutdown date for XDefiant is Tuesday June 3. The free-to-play game will have been online for just over a year, and available on storefronts for even less than that.
If XDefiant's imminent closure makes you hungry for more, check out all the co-op games currently available on PC.
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