Phantom Blade Zero Devs Clarify Xbox Comments

S-GAME has finally addressed the contentious statement made by an anonymous source at ChinaJoy 2024. Discover the specifics of the commotion and the Phantom Blade developers’ response.

S-GAME Responds to the ControversyNobody Needs Xbox, Media Outlets Say

S-GAME, the developers behind Phantom Blade Zero and Black Myth: Wukong, finally issued a statement on Twitter(X) addressing assertions made by an anonymous source. Multiple media outlets present at the ChinaJoy 2024 event last week reported on the alleged Phantom Blade Zero developer who made contentious statements towards Xbox.

The studio issued a statement on Twitter(x), reaffirming their dedication to making the game widely available.

"These purported statements do not represent S-GAME’s values or culture," the statement reads. "We believe in making our game accessible to everyone and have not ruled out any platforms for Phantom Blade Zero. We are hard at work on both the development and publishing fronts to ensure that as many players as possible can enjoy our game at release and in the future."

The dispute started with an anonymous claim—purportedly from a Phantom Blade Zero developer—in a Chinese publication. Fan translations rendered it as "no one shows any interest in Xbox." This spread, with sites like Aroged reporting Xbox as "a platform lacking demand, particularly in Asia." But, Brazilian outlet Gameplay Cassi misinterpreted this as "nobody needs this platform" when referencing Aroged.

S-GAME's response neither confirmed nor refuted the anonymous source. Yet, their assertion holds some merit. Xbox's Asian popularity significantly trails PlayStation and Nintendo. In Japan, Xbox Series X|S sales barely hit half a million units in over four years. Conversely, the PS5 sold a million units in 2021 alone.

The platform's availability in many Asian nations also poses a challenge. In 2021, Southeast Asia lacked retail Xbox support, with Singapore as the sole distributor of consoles, games, and accessories. This compelled other Southeast Asian retailers to source Xbox stock from foreign suppliers.

The dispute intensified with speculation of an exclusive agreement between S-GAME and Sony. While the studio previously confirmed receiving development and marketing assistance from Sony in a June 8 interview with a Chinese content creator, they have since refuted rumors of an exclusive arrangement. In their Summer 2024 Developer Update, S-GAME emphasized that "in addition to PlayStation 5, we’re planning to release it to PC as well."

Although the studio has not affirmed an Xbox release, their recent response to the dispute leaves the door open for the possibility of the game arriving on the said platform.