- A Japanese developer says that smaller studios can’t afford to make Xbox ports due to limited demand.
- He says Series consoles aren’t stocked in major retail stores across Japan, and it’s the same in many other regions.
- Therefore, many studios find that spending resources on an Xbox port is just not worth it.
This generation saw Xbox retreat from many notable regions around the globe, with Series consoles taking a huge hit. Reports suggested that Microsoft simply lacked the funds in regions like Europe for marketing, so its presence also declined in Asia, including Japan.
Therefore, this led many studios to ignore Xbox Series consoles in favor of PS5 and Switch 2. A Japanese developer now clarifies that smaller studios can’t afford to make Xbox ports due to limited demand and availability.
Why it matters: Xbox’s declining presence is having severe effects on how developers perceive the brand globally, with many now opting to skip out on making ports in favor of PC and other platforms.
While confirming a potential sequel for Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin on X, Japanese character and environment modeler Y-Koichi also addresses a fan query about an Xbox port.
He goes on to say that Studio Edelweiss is simply unable to afford developing for Xbox despite Koichi’s strong sentimental attachment to the brand over the years.
we just can’t afford to spread ourselves across multiple platforms like that. In Japan, it’s not even stocked in major retail stores, you know…
-Japanese Developer, y-koichi.
Favoring Xbox over other platforms despite its low demand and retail stock makes no sense with limited resources, after all. It’s the same story with many other indie to mid-sized studios, especially in non-Western regions.
Series X|S consoles are absent from major retailers across Japan, and players report the same dilemma across other parts of the world.
However, the upcoming Project Helix generation is expected to improve Xbox’s perception among both players and developers under Asha Sharma.
Do you think Xbox will be able to recover its declining brand image in the next generation under the new CEO? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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