Fans awaiting the Xbox One-exclusive action-RPG Scalebound must now endure several more months before they can get their hands on the finished product, as developer PlatinumGames announced that the project will miss its planned 2016 launch date.
Noting that the game is “a truly special project that’s been several years in the making,” PlatinumGames revealed that Scalebound will now hit store shelves in 2017.
Announced at E3 in 2014, Scalebound is a creative take on the action-RPG genre that pairs players up with an AI-controlled dragon companion who aids them in combat. Hideki Kamiya serves as the game’s director, with PlatinumGames veterans Atsushi Inaba and Jean-Pierre Kellams handling producer duties.
“Development on the game is going well and we’re really happy with how it’s coming together,” the game’s development team assured. “Scalebound is one of the biggest games PlatinumGames 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 dreamed of making.”
The studio continued: “In order to deliver on our ambitious vision and ensure that Scalebound lives up to expectations, we will be launching the game in 2017. This will give us the time needed to bring to life all the innovative features and thrilling gameplay experiences that we have planned.”
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Scalebound is among a handful of major releases slated to launch exclusively for Microsoft’s Xbox One console. Microsoft recently showcased Scalebound alongside fellow platform-exclusive standouts Crackdown 3 and Quantum Break at Gamescom 2015.
PlatinumGames has entered a development partnership with Microsoft, ensuring that Scalebound will remain exclusive to the Xbox One after launch. Another high-profile Xbox One exclusive, Rise of the Tomb Raider, will hit PCs later the month, and a PlayStation 4 release is due by the end of 2016.