Chinese developer S-Game has addressed claims that its action RPG Phantom Blade Zero is a PS5 console exclusive. Phantom Blade Zero wooed fans over when it was first shown off at May 2023’s PlayStation Showcase. The game was listed for release on the PS5 and PC, leading fans to believe that S-Game had some sort of an exclusivity arrangement with Sony. Not quite.
Phantom Blade Zero won’t be on Xbox but it’s not formally a PS5 exclusive
Following a great showing at the Summer Game Fest 2024, S-Game published an FAQ on X which clarifies that there is “no exclusive deal at this time” for Phantom Blade Zero. Releasing the game on PS5 and PC is simply a dev decision that was made for reasons that we don’t know.
It’s quite possible that S-Game doesn’t have the resources to release Phantom Blade Zero on Xbox Series X|S, especially since the Series S requires extensive optimization that have seen games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Black Myth: Wukong push Xbox launch.
Elsewhere, S-Game reiterated that Phantom Blade Zero isn’t a soulslike. It will come with multiple difficulties that make the game approachable for all types of players. Unlike Stellar Blade, dying or interacting with checkpoints won’t result in players being forced to face mobs of enemies all over again.