This is why Black Myth: Wukong hasn’t been released on Xbox Series S/X yet
Black Myth: Wukong launched earlier this week and has since climbed to the top of the Steam charts, becoming one of the platform’s most-played games of all time. The action-RPG from Chinese developer Game Science is available on PC and PlayStation, but has yet to launch on Xbox. While Microsoft has not clarified the reason for the delay, the launch of Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox Series S/X has reportedly been delayed due to a “technical issue”.
Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox Series S/X
According to a report by Forbes, Black Myth: Wukong’s Xbox launch has not been delayed due to an exclusivity deal between Sony and Game Science. The game reportedly did not release simultaneously with other platforms on Microsoft’s console due to a “technical issue.”
The report doesn’t clarify what the technical issue is with the Xbox version of the game, but one might speculate it has to do with optimizing the game for both the more expensive Xbox Series X and the less powerful Xbox Series S.
Earlier this year, Game Science had clarified the reason for the game’s delay on Xbox Series S/X in the Frequently Asked Questions section of the game’s website. “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 had said. “We apologize for the delay and aim to minimize the wait time for Xbox users. We will announce the release date once it meets our quality standards.”
Built on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5, Black Myth: Wukong is a graphically demanding title that will likely struggle to run smoothly on Xbox Series S. The underpowered console has previously acted as a roadblock for games launching on Xbox. Baldur’s Gate 3 released on Xbox Series S/X months after launching on PC and PS5 after developer Larian Studios struggled to get the game’s split-screen co-op functionality to work optimally on Series S. The game ultimately released on the platform without the split-screen mode.
Microsoft has a policy of making the gameplay features of both current-generation consoles the same, and the company plans to release games simultaneously on both the Xbox Series X and Series S.
Black Myth: Wukong released on August 20 on PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store) and PS5. Since launch, it has become the second most-played game on Steam, behind PUBG: Battlegrounds, and has surpassed 2 million concurrent players ever on Valve’s platform.
