Black Myth: Wukong Said to Be Delayed on Xbox Due to Exclusivity Deal Between Sony, Game Science

Black Myth: Wukong released August 20 and has quickly become a smash 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 later. Previous reports had mentioned tech issues as the reason behind the game’s delay on Xbox. Now, new information suggests Black Myth: Wukong hasn’t launched on Xbox yet because of an exclusivity deal with Sony.

Sony Deal Said to Be Delaying Black Myth: Wukong Xbox Launch

According to a report from Forbes Thursday, an exclusivity deal is keeping Black Myth: Wukong from launching on Xbox Series S/X, not previously reported technical issues. The information was corroborated by IGN in a separate report Friday, which claimed, citing a source familiar with the matter, Game Science had signed an exclusivity deal with Sony.

Describing the reports of tech issues on Xbox delaying Black Myth: Wukong launch as “inaccurate,” the report claimed that neither Sony nor Game Science had publicised the exclusivity deal, and no tech issues that would delay the game on Xbox were reported to Microsoft.

The new information runs contrary not only to previous reports, but also to Game Science’s statement explaining Black Myth: Wukong’s delay on Xbox Series S/X. Earlier this year, Game Science had claimed in the FAQ section of the game’s website that it needed more time to optimise the title for the platform.

“PC and PS5 users can 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 won’t release simultaneously with the other platforms,” the developer had said. “We apologize for the delay and aim to minimize the wait for Xbox users. We will announce the release date as soon as it meets our quality standards.”

Sony and Game Science have not confirmed an existing exclusivity deal between the two parties. The developer is yet to announce the Xbox Series S/X launch date for Black Myth: Wukong.

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

Last week, a report claimed that Black Myth: Wukong’s launch on Xbox was delayed due to a “tech issue.” More recently, a games industry leaker, citing Xbox insiders and developers, claimed this week that the game was yet to arrive on Xbox as it was suffering from a “Memory Leak” bug that could cause crashes and performance issues on the console. “Due to this issue, the game has not passed Xbox’s bug detection tests and has therefore been indefinitely delayed until they manage to optimize the game for Series X|S,” the leaker said in an X post on Monday.

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