Black Myth Wukong is delayed on Xbox Series X|S, hinting at optimization issues on Microsoft's consoles

Black Myth Wukong is skipping the Xbox Series X|S consoles for now and will only be available on the PC and PlayStation 5. While the Xbox version isn't scrapped, it will not be released on the same day as other platforms, which is August 20, 2024. This information comes courtesy of Black Myth Wukong's official FAQ page.

Developer Game Science has stated that the studio needs more time to optimize the game for Microsoft's consoles. The FAQ page also mentions that this title's Xbox version isn't canceled and that Game Science is trying its best to deliver it at the earliest.

Funnily enough, Black Myth Wukong isn't the first time a third-party current-gen offering has been delayed for Xbox. Last year's Game of the Year winner, Baldur's Gate 3, also faced a similar issue.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the author's opinions.

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Black Myth Wukong is delayed on Xbox Series X|S due to optimization issues

According to Game Science's official website, the Xbox Series X|S version of Black Myth Wukong is currently undergoing an optimization process. The studio aims to reveal more details, along with a confirmed release date, once the game "meets (Game Science's) quality standards." The FAQ page for Black Myth Wukong states:

"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. 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."

The Xbox version is delayed due to optimization issues (Image via Game Science)

The wording doesn't paint a clear picture as to why exactly the delay is happening. However, considering that other titles have been subject to postponements in the past — Baldur's Gate 3, for instance — it can be deduced that the Xbox Series S is partly to blame for this.

In terms of hardware, the Xbox Series X and PS5 are quite similar, with the only differentiating factor being the former has a slightly faster GPU and the latter features slightly faster onboard storage. As such, if the PlayStation 5 version can be delivered on August 20, 2024, there's no reason why it can't come out on Xbox Series X simultaneously.

However, since Xbox has a very rigid regulation in place that states there needs to be parity between the features offered on both the Xbox Series X and S, this makes optimizing the version for these consoles a tad difficult for developers. This is especially true for those who are trying to push the envelope of graphical fidelity on current-gen systems.