Scalebound Release Date for Xbox One Hit with Huge Delay

Those excited to get their hands on a great new game that isn’t a direct sequel to something they’ve already played might be a bit disappointed with Microsoft’s Xbox One entertainment console this year. Video game developer Platinum Games has confirmed that the Scalebound release date has been postponed until 2017 at the earliest.

Platinum Games announced that it was delaying the Scalebound release date this morning in a post on its blog.

Each year Microsoft hopes that games produced exclusively for its Xbox One entertainment console will convince shoppers to purchase it over Sony’s PS4. What’s more, serious gamers like to try out new titles that haven’t been experienced yet. Scalebound was to be one of the games in Microsoft’s 2016 line-up that wasn’t a direct sequel to some other title. Scalebound is a role-playing game that features a magical dragon. The dragon is to be the player’s constant companion and main weapon.

The note about the Scalebound release date delay begins with a small progress update on the title itself. “Development on the game is going well and we’re really happy with how it’s coming together”, the note from the Platinum Games team begins.

“Scalebound is one of the biggest games Platinum Games has ever created: an epic adventure filled with exploration and fantasy gameplay, inventive multiplayer and action-packed battles on an unbelievable scale – all set in a beautiful and evolving world. It’s the game our team has always dream of making.”

Platinum says that the game is so vast that it has no choice but to cancel its original plans for a Scalebound release date this holiday season and shift the release in a big way. The studio isn’t discussing exactly when in 2017 when can expect the game. This new window will give the studio “the time needed to bring to life all the innovative features and thrilling gameplay experiences,” the studio says. The post doesn’t share any more details about what those plans are either.

Scalebound was one of the unexpected announcements that Microsoft packed into its 2015 Xbox Media Briefing during the Electronic Entertainment Expo tradeshow in June. Microsoft, which is publishing the game, has kept quiet on new details about the game since its reveal.

Theoretically, getting more time to develop the game’s mechanics should lead to a better experience for everyone. That Microsoft and Platinum revealed the Scalebound release delay so early in the year is definitely good news. It’d have been a shame to get closer to the release window and then hear of a delay.

Read: 6 Exciting Exclusive Xbox One Games for 2016

Being open about the delay certainly won’t make up for the delay entirely. In fact, Microsoft has a bit of a public relations problem at this point. The company staked its reputation on offering what it described as the “greatest games line-up in Xbox history,” last year. Halo 5: Guardians, Forza 6 and Gears of War Ultimate Edition made their deadlines. Quantum Break, Gigantic and Fable Legends all missed their release dates. Adding Scalebound to this heap of delayed games doesn’t help that.

It’s worth noting that Microsoft does have other exclusive games coming in 2016 to Xbox One. ReCore, the other surprise game that announced at E3 2015 is still arriving on time. Microsoft recently confirmed that ReCore will be among the games it offers on both Xbox One consoles and PCs running its Windows 10 operating system.

Presumably, Microsoft will have more to say about ReCore, Scalebound, Gears of War 4, Halo Wars 2 and the rest of the games that it plans to launch in 2017 and 2016 over the next few months.

The Xbox One starts at $349.99 without a Kinect sensor or an extra controller.