Black Myth: Wukong reportedly delayed on Xbox due to PS5 exclusivity deal

Black Myth: Wukong released on August 20 and has quickly become a hit, selling 10 million copies within three days of launch. The action-RPG from Chinese developer Game Science is available on PC and PS5, with an Xbox Series S/X launch planned for a later date. Previous reports had cited technical issues as the reason behind the game’s delay on Xbox. Now, new information suggests that Black Myth: Wukong has yet to launch on Xbox due to an exclusivity deal with Sony.

Sony deal reportedly delays Black Myth: Wukong Xbox launch

According to a report According to Forbes on Thursday, an exclusivity deal is holding Black Myth: Wukong back from launching on Xbox Series S/X, citing previously unreported technical issues. The information was confirmed by IGN in a separate report report Friday claimed, citing a source familiar with the matter, that Game Science had signed an exclusivity deal with Sony.

Reports of technical issues on Xbox delaying the launch of Black Myth: Wukong were described as “inaccurate” in the report. The report claimed that neither Sony nor Game Science had disclosed the exclusivity agreement and that no technical issues had been reported to Microsoft that would delay the game on Xbox.

The new information not only contradicts previous reports, but also Game Science’s statement explaining Black Myth: Wukong’s Xbox Series S/X delay. Earlier this year, Game Science claimed in the Frequently Asked Questions on the game’s website indicated that more time was needed to optimize the title for the platform.

“PC and PS5 users will be able to enjoy the full game starting August 20, 2024. We are currently optimizing the Xbox Series X|S version to meet our quality standards, so it will not release simultaneously with the other platforms,” ​​the developer said. “We apologize for the delay and aim to minimize the wait for Xbox users. We will announce the release date once it meets our quality standards.”

Sony and Game Science have yet to confirm an existing exclusivity deal between the two parties. The developer has yet to announce an Xbox Series S/X launch date for Black Myth: Wukong.

However, in June, Microsoft did hint at a possible deal between its partners and other platform holders in a statement. “We’re excited to launch Black Myth Wukong on Xbox Series X|S and are working with Game Science to bring the game to our platforms,” the Xbox parent company said at the time. “We can’t comment on the deals our partners have made with other platform holders, but we remain focused on making Xbox the best platform for gamers, and great games are at the heart of that.”

Last week, a report claimed that Black Myth: Wukong’s launch on Xbox was being delayed due to a “technical issue.” More recently, a games industry leaker, citing Xbox insiders and developers, claimed this week that the game had yet to release on Xbox because it was affected by a “Memory Leak” bug that could cause crashes and performance issues on the console. “Due to this issue, the game failed Xbox’s bug detection tests and has therefore been delayed indefinitely until they optimize the game for Series X|S,” the leaker said in an X after on monday.

Black Myth: Wukong is available on PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store) and PS5. Game Science confirmed that the title has surpassed three million concurrent players across all platforms.