Phantom Blade Zero has been a hot topic in the gaming community this year. Despite being slated for a 2026 release, the action game has already garnered significant attention, with many fans eagerly anticipating its launch.

So far, S-Game has only confirmed a PS5 release for Phantom Blade Zero, and it appears the team doesn’t have an exclusivity deal. Unfortunately, an Xbox release seems unlikely as a developer recently dismissed the platform as unnecessary.

The Souls-like genre is immensely popular on all platforms, including Xbox. Therefore, this news will likely disappoint Xbox fans who were hoping to eventually play Phantom Blade Zero.

According to a report, the team behind the game recently explained their decision to bypass the Xbox platform. This information was revealed at ChinaJoy 2024, where PlayStation showcased both Black Myth: Wukong and Phantom Blade Zero. The Japanese gaming giant’s involvement led to immediate speculation about possible exclusivity. However, both Chinese studios quickly refuted these speculations. Black Myth: Wukong has already been confirmed for Xbox, although Game Science announced an unspecified delay for the Xbox release.

Developers mentioned that PlayStation is aiding the studios with testing and marketing, but neither team is contractually bound to exclusivity. They reportedly have the final say on which platforms to support. An anonymous developer behind Phantom Blade Zero had some striking comments about Xbox. The developer highlighted PS5 and PC as the most promising platforms and ignored Microsoft’s consoles. As the developer said:

“No one needs this platform (Xbox).”

The developer elaborated that Microsoft’s ecosystem is challenging to work with. He also noted that Xbox is unpopular in Asia, making it not worth the effort to develop a high-quality port.

While such comments aren’t new, the developer’s words were certainly blunt. It’s well-known that Xbox has struggled to gain popularity in Asia, but the gaming giant has recently shown interest in exploring the market.

Unfortunately, it appears that Microsoft still has a lot to prove, as many developers remain unconvinced by its current initiatives.

Source: Tech4gamer