The announcement that PlatinumGames’ cooperative dragon adventure was canned follows speculation that the game was in trouble, and ongoing rumors that the game had developmental difficulties. Originally shown off as an Xbox One exclusive prior to the console’s release, it now seems unlikely to ever see the light of day.
While there is a chance that PlatinumGames will somehow revive the title — three-plus years of work is hard to just throw out — it clearly won’t be under the Microsoft umbrella.
Finding any official material for the game is actually proving difficult. Polygon’s investigation not only noticed the privatized debut trailer for the game, but that the official website has also been replaced with Microsoft’s statement about the game’s cancellation. While there is still an active Scalebound Twitter account, it hasn’t had a lot of activity as of late and features the same statement as its pinned Tweet.
Fortunately for PlatinumGames, while it might have put a lot of time and energy into Scalebound, it does have some other games on the horizon. Nier: Automata, with its Bayonetta, Final Fantasy, Shadow of the Colossus vibe is coming to PS4 and PC this spring and it has a couple of mobile offerings on the horizon, too.
However Scalebound represented PlatinumGames’ soul Xbox One production title at this time. We have to wonder if part of the reason for the cancellation is down to a soured relationship with Microsoft.
