PS5 Exclusive Phantom Blade Zero Dev States Nobody Needs Xbox

A developer from S-GAME, the studio behind the upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive Phantom Blade Zero, recently made some controversial remarks about the Xbox platform.

During an int erviewat the ChinaJoy 2024 games conference, the developer reportedly stated that “nobody needs this platform” when questioned about the absence of an Xbox version of the game.

This comment suggests a lack of interest in porting the game to Xbox, primarily due to the platform’s limited popularity in Asia and the challenges associated with Microsoft’s ecosystem.

Importance: Speaking negatively about an entire platform can have significant adverse effects on your studio, potentially leading to long-term consequences. The targeted platform’s users might develop a negative perception of your studio, which could result in them being less likely to support your future projects which might end up on their platform.

The developer’s words, as reported by the Brazilian gaming website GamePlaysCassi, indicate that Xbox is not seen as a viable market for Phantom Blade Zero, especially following recent Xbox Series X/S price hikes in Japan, which further dampen the console’s appeal in the region.

Despite being a relatively new studio, S-GAME has garnered attention with the samurai action gameplay of Phantom Blade Zero, as showcased in trailers and its prominent feature at the 2024 Summer Game Fest. The studio has previously developed smaller titles for mobile and PC, making this project their most ambitious to date.

However, the studio’s decision to exclude Xbox at launch has left some players disappointed, reflecting a broader trend where many Asian games favor PlayStation, Nintendo, and PC platforms over Xbox. For example, Black Myth: Wukong, another highly anticipated Chinese game, also delayed its Xbox release, effectively making it a PS5 console exclusive at launch.

The developer’s remarks might reflect a broader industry sentiment, particularly in the Eastern market, where Xbox’s presence is minimal compared to its competitors. This trend can also be seen with larger publishers like Square Enix, who have yet to bring titles like Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy XVI to Xbox.

While there is no confirmed release window for Phantom Blade Zero, Xbox fans remain hopeful that the game might eventually be ported, should the platform’s market share improve.

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