Defiance Is Back from the Dead: Free-to-Play MMO Shooter Relaunches on PC with a Bang!

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Summary

  • Four years after going offline, Defiance has been relaunched for PC.
  • The revived version of the game is the 2013 original with all of its content updates.
  • Defiance 2050 might also make a comeback, based on fan response to this relaunch. Ditto for the console versions of Defiance.

As a hardcore gamer, I’m thrilled to share that the resurrected free-to-play MMO looter shooter, Defiance, has made its comeback, but only on PC for now. It’s like a second chance at an epic adventure!

Back in the day, I was deeply engrossed in “Defiance,” a game created by the now-closed studio, Trion Worlds. This game was designed to complement the Syfy TV show of the same name, which ran for three seasons and ended back in 2015. Initially launched as a premium game on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC in April 2013, it switched to free-to-play just 14 months after its release. A revamped version of the looter shooter, “Defiance 2050,” made its debut in July 2018. Unfortunately, the relaunch didn’t fare too well, with “Defiance 2050” being one of the lowest-rated free-to-play games during its time. Later on, the German company Gamigo took over Trion Worlds and shut down both versions of “Defiance” in April 2021.

In March 2025, Fawkes Games revealed their purchase of rights for the game Defiance, with intentions to re-release it shortly after. True to their word, on April 18th, the PC version of the game was made playable again online. At present, the only way to obtain Defiance is through direct download from Fawkes Games. It remains undecided whether the publisher will also release the game on platforms like Steam or other digital storefronts.

Defiance 2050 Is Still Offline

The revamped edition of the game is essentially the same as the one launched in 2013, but it includes all the content updates that have been added since then. As Fawkes mentioned earlier, the aim of this relaunch isn’t just to bring back the game itself, but to reinvigorate its entire online community. The company plans to observe the reaction to the relaunch and adjust their strategies accordingly. If the PC version gains enough popularity, Fawkes is open to considering the possibility of resurrecting the console versions of Defiance, according to a statement from the publisher. The potential return of Defiance 2050 will likely hinge on the community’s response to the original game’s re-release.

The newly revamped game Defiance is being referred to as a work-in-progress due to ongoing technical issues that Fawkes is addressing. For instance, transitioning between modes like Expeditions, PvP, or tutorials might cause disconnections at present, and logging in might necessitate multiple attempts. Frequently, Fawkes is restarting the servers of this looter shooter to implement immediate repairs, which means the gameplay might remain unpredictable until these fixes are fully implemented.

Do Old Defiance Accounts Still Work With the New Version of the Game?

The original Defiance accounts won’t function with the rebooted version of the looter shooter. If you wish to play this reincarnation, you will need to establish a fresh account and begin anew. Fawkes has stated they are dedicated to the long-term success of Defiance, but at present, only a small team is working on it until they can gauge the overall interest in the game.

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2025-04-21 17:27