Defiance Is Coming Back… in Pog Form! XD
Okay Bart… I mean… gamer, I don’t know if you remember, but Defiance was one of those addictive action MMOs that even worked on a toaster. Trying to be objective here, but really, Defiance had it all: off-road vehicles, several of them in fact, a few races and genders to choose from, and just three Ark Hunter classes to develop, which sooner or later ended up armed to the teeth shooting at everything that moved. When Ark Falls happened, it was epic to see tons of players going back and forth in their vehicles, trying to arrive in time to loot or just be part of it.
Well yes, my friend, Defiance will be back soon, on April 18th to be specific, just like the video below confirms: We Are Back, Sooo Back!
The Story of Defiance
Defiance was developed and published by Trion Worlds, and it was released back in 2013, presenting itself as a third-person shooter MMO with a story tied to the TV series of the same name aired by Syfy, which, given the show’s average reception, was a rather ambitious bet, let’s say. A few years later, in 2018, Defiance 2050 was released, also by Trion Worlds, which was basically a remaster or revision of the original game, adapted for more modern systems, with slightly improved graphics, class adjustments, and progression system tweaks. Both games were released as f2p titles.
After the release of Defiance 2050, Trion Worlds was acquired by the company gamigo AG, and shortly after, the servers for both games were permanently shut down in April 2021. I personally remember that moment, as I was online when it happened, just like many of my teammates, gathering in our usual spots, firing every weapon we had, and racing and jumping vehicles among ourselves… If by chance you were one of those, tell me it doesn’t tug at your heart to remember that. In fact, you can still find videos about that specific moment on YouTube.
The Return of the Ark Hunters
After the servers shut down, the community managed to keep the flame alive and the nostalgia going for the game. This caught the attention of Fawkes Games Ltd, an independent studio focused on reviving classic titles, so they decided to step in, turning this addictive MMO into their new target, which brings us directly to this March 2025, when Fawkes finally announced that they had acquired worldwide development and publishing rights for both Defiance and Defiance 2050 on all platforms. Their current initial plan is to relaunch the original 2013 version of Defiance on PC this coming April 18th, in less than a month! This way they expressed their wish to offer players an experience faithful to the game they remember, with the possibility of expanding to consoles.
Before Fawkes’ announcement, another independent developer known as Zovix had embarked on a passionate project to recreate the game from scratch, which he had called Project Defiance. This effort, built using the Unity3D engine, had already been in modest development for a couple of years and had progressed to the point of allowing players to explore part of the game’s official map. However, the official rights acquisition announcement crushed this effort. Zovix shared on his Discord channel how his conversation with the Fawkes representative went, both in very good terms. The developer’s final stance was that, while it was a bit sad to have dedicated more than two years of his life to this project, it undoubtedly meant good news for all lovers of the game, among whom he obviously includes himself, since Defiance would finally return, and they wouldn’t even have to wait as long as he had imagined.
Do You Know or Remember What Defiance Was About?
Defiance is set in a post-apocalyptic future, after a catastrophic event known as the Pale Wars, which radically changed Earth. The arrival of several alien races known as the Votan, who were seeking a new home after the destruction of their solar system, sparked tensions with humanity. These tensions escalated into full-scale conflict between both species. After years of war, a significant part of the planet was devastated, and the incomplete terraforming process created a mutated and dangerous ecosystem. The world of Defiance presents itself as a wild and unstable environment, where humans and aliens must learn to coexist and survive among ruins, constant threats, and forgotten technology.
The game’s story takes place in what used to be the San Francisco Bay Area, now a completely transformed region with collapsed structures, terraformed zones, and new hostile life forms. The player takes on the role of an “Ark Hunter,” a tracker of advanced technology and alien relics from crashed ships known as “Arkfalls.” Hired by a scientific or military organization called Von Bach Industries, the protagonist must travel this new world completing missions, collecting resources, and facing threats from both savage creatures and armed groups vying for control of the territory.
On top of the whole war and exploration vibe, the game incorporates elements of science fiction and conspiracy, with storylines related to genetic experiments, artificial intelligence, and buried secrets of the past. As the player progresses, they uncover more about the hidden history of the Votan-Human conflict, the interests of various factions, and their own role in a world where order has collapsed. Defiance mixes third-person shooter gameplay with MMO stuff, allowing players to interact, cooperate, or compete in a dynamic and persistent environment.
When it comes to races and classes to choose from, if Fawkes is focusing on the original 2013 version, then let’s say we’ll have more freedom when creating our character, since we won’t be limited by predefined classes and will be able to evolve it entirely to our liking, depending only on the gear we use and mainly on the EVO skills we develop and equip for use in the battlefield.
So…
That’s about it, I think I’ve covered everything important regarding the news of Defiance’s return. Sure, I could tell you this is one of those games you just have to play, but I wouldn’t be being arbitrary. Defiance managed to capture a wide audience, but in general, it was usually more appealing to specific tastes, so it probably isn’t for everyone. BUT, what I can assure you is that if you like fun, dynamic games with wide movement in an open world, or at least with pretty big boundaries, co-op gameplay, lots of players online doing the same mega missions at the same time, in the middle of bullet storms and explosions, then chances are you’ll like Defiance!
Anyway, you already know everything, we just have to wait until April 18th, less than a month!! to finally enjoy this game once again, the one that once captured hearts and burned so many of our hours in the past. And of course, while we wait, duh!! Drop by the comments and tell me what you think about Defiance and its comeback! Have you played it before? Will you play it again? Never heard of it? I want to know it all! You know gamer, I’ll be reading you! 😉
Images Source: Fawkes Official YouTube Channel, Defiance Official Website
