I’ll admit, when Black Myth: Wukong launched last year on PlayStation and PC, I wondered how long Xbox players would have to wait-and whether they’d even get it at all. Now, Game Science has finally made it official: the action RPG phenomenon will hit Xbox Series X|S on August 20, 2025, exactly a year after its debut elsewhere. The news comes with some not-so-subtle context about exclusive deals, porting hurdles, and a chunky pre-order discount. If you’re an Xbox fan who’s been watching from the sidelines, the wait is almost over-but there’s more to this story than just a new release date.
This Xbox release caught my attention not just because Black Myth: Wukong was one of the most hyped action games of 2024, but because the whole saga shines a light on the realities of platform “exclusivity” in 2020s gaming. The official story from Game Science is that bringing the game to Xbox took extra time due to technical demands: “Porting Black Myth: Wukong to Xbox Series X|S and ensuring it met our internal quality standards was no easy feat,” they wrote in a recent FAQ. But let’s be honest—when a major game drops on Xbox exactly a year after its PlayStation and PC launch, it’s hard not to see a classic timed exclusivity deal at play, even if nobody’s willing to say it outright.
It’s an industry pattern we’ve seen for years: Sony (and sometimes Microsoft) helping to fund development or marketing in exchange for a head start. Sometimes, these deals are out in the open (looking at you, Final Fantasy XVI); other times, studios lean on “technical difficulties” or “optimization” as their public-facing rationale. I don’t doubt that making an Unreal Engine 5 game run well on three platforms is challenging, especially for a team like Game Science that’s still relatively new to AAA development. But the timing here is just too clean to ignore.
On the bright side, at least Game Science is giving Xbox players a proper welcome with a 20% pre-order discount that also applies to digital versions on PC and PS5 (for a limited window). This isn’t the usual “early adopter” tax—if you’ve been patient, you’re actually getting a better deal than those who bought in on day one. That’s a welcome move in an industry where late ports often come with no incentive (or worse, full price for an older title). The discount runs from June 18 to July 11 for Xbox and PC, and June 18 to July 3 for PS5. If you’re interested, that’s a window worth watching.
Curiously, Game Science isn’t showing off any new footage, trailers, or Xbox-specific features with this announcement. That suggests the Xbox version is meant to be a straight port, not some “enhanced” edition or content drop. For a game that wowed critics and players with its visuals and challenging “Soulslike” gameplay, that’s probably fine—but it does make you wonder if there might be platform-specific trade-offs or if Xbox players will just be getting last year’s experience, for better or worse.
As someone who’s spent time with Black Myth: Wukong on PC, I can say the game lives up to the hype in a lot of ways: the combat is impactful, the visuals are stunning, and the journey through Chinese myth is genuinely refreshing in a genre dominated by Western fantasy. But it’s also a tough, sometimes uneven ride—perfect for fans of tough action RPGs, less so for those put off by punishing difficulty spikes. If that sounds like your jam and you’ve been holding out for Xbox, your patience is about to pay off (and your wallet might thank you, too).
Ultimately, the Xbox arrival of Black Myth: Wukong is a win for platform parity, even if it took a year and some not-so-transparent dealmaking to get there. Whether this signals broader ambitions for Game Science or just the end of a timed exclusivity contract, it’s a reminder that in today’s gaming world, “exclusive” doesn’t always mean forever—and that patience can sometimes net you a better deal.
Black Myth: Wukong lands on Xbox Series X|S on August 20, 2025, a year after its PlayStation and PC debut. While Game Science points to porting challenges, the timing screams typical timed exclusivity. Xbox players get a rare 20% pre-order discount, but don’t expect new content or features. If you’ve waited this long, you might as well take the deal—just know you’re getting last year’s critically acclaimed action RPG, warts and all.
Source: Game Science via GamesPress