Black Myth Wukong’s Game Director Suggests Series S Optimization Is Holding Back Xbox Release

SUMMARY

• Feng Ji, the game director of Black Myth Wukong has finally confirmed the reason behind the delayed launch on Xbox consoles.
• The delay is due to optimization challenges with the Xbox Series S's limited shared memory.
• So there is no PlayStation exclusivity deal; the delay is purely technical, not contractual.

Black Myth Wukong is one of the most visually stunning and culturally significant games in recent years. But one thing that has puzzled fans around the world is its mysterious absence on Xbox consoles. There were a lot of rumors speculating why, but we have a more concrete report now.

Xbox users are still waiting to play this game. | Image Credit: Game Science

According to Game Science’s director, Feng Ji, the main obstacle lies in optimizing the game for the Xbox Series S. He says the process has mainly been hindered by its limited 10GB shared memory. This has been a recurring problem with Microsoft’s lower-tiered console and it raises the question of whether Game Science should even bother with a series S release.

It seems there was never an exclusivity deal for Black Myth Wukong

It was never about PlayStation vs Xbox. | Image Credit: Game Science

Feng Ji, the game’s director, recently confirmed that the Xbox Series S’s shared 10GB memory is a significant barrier to releasing Black Myth Wukong on the console. Writing on Weibo, Feng stated that optimizing the game for the Series S without extensive experience

The game has already become a cultural phenomenon setting sales records since its August 2024 release. With over 20 million copies sold and nearly $1 billion in revenue, Game Science has little incentive to prioritize the Xbox release. Feng Ji has emphasized that any Xbox version must meet the same benchmarks as the PC and PS5 editions before launch.

This is a big step for China’s gaming industry. It’s one of the first Chinese games to achieve global recognition while staying deeply rooted in its cultural origins. With the success of other titles like Genshin Impact and Honor of Kings, Chinese developers are proving they can compete with Western and Japanese studios in the AAA space.

The Xbox Series S is just hard to optimize for

How do developers tackle this problem? | Image Credit: Game Science

The challenges faced by Wukong are part of a growing concern among developers about creating games for the Xbox Series S. While the console is more affordable than the Series X, its lower specifications make it harder to meet the quality standards expected of modern AAA games. Some developers have expressed regret over the Series S’s limitations, with one even wishing it “never existed.”

Microsoft faces a tough decision: Should they relax certification standards for the Series S to accommodate demanding titles, or maintain parity at the cost of delays and developer frustrations? For Game Science, the focus remains on delivering a polished product, regardless of the platform.

The situation also raises questions for Microsoft. Maybe Microsoft should allow developers to release games exclusively for the more powerful Xbox Series X, bypassing the Series S altogether. While this approach could alienate a segment of Xbox’s user base, it might also attract more developers to the platform by reducing optimization headaches.

For Game Science, this compromise could mean a quicker path to bringing Black Myth Wukong to Xbox players without sacrificing quality.

As it stands, Black Myth Wukong has no official release date for Xbox. While Game Science remains committed to bringing the game to Microsoft’s consoles, the technical hurdles suggest that the wait could extend well into 2025. For now, Xbox players must decide whether to remain patient or explore the game on other platforms.

Do you think we’ll ever see the game release on Xbox? Let us know in the comments!

Written by Daniel Royte

Articles Published: 667

Daniel is a gamer through and through with a passion for gaming in his veins. His current adventures have taken him into the world of Elden Ring, Wuthering Waves, and Genshin Impact, amongst others.