PlatinumGames Expresses Regret That Microsoft Took the Blame for Scalebound Cancellation

Canceled video games often amass a following from players saddened that they'll never get to play a game that was previously announced. Scalebound is one of those games, and when news broke that the Xbox One exclusive would not be coming out, players expressed their frustration at Microsoft. It's something PlatinumGames regrets.

In an upcoming interview with VGC, Platinum studio head Atsuhi Inaba said it "wasn't easy" to watch Microsoft receive the brunt of fan anger after it was announced that Scalebound was canceled. This despite the fact that Microsoft only served as publisher to the Platinum-developed title.

"Watching fans getting angry at Microsoft over the cancellation wasn't easy for us to watch, Inaba said. "Because the reality is, when any game in development can't get released it's because both sides failed."

Scalebound was going to be a big action RPG where the human player character could partner with a dragon in combat. Unfortunately, Inaba says that the project just wasn't shaping up the way it needed to. Inaba also admits that Platinum "didn't do all of the things that we needed to do as a developer."

Rumors began spreading that Scalebound could find a second chance on the Nintendo Switch, similar to how the company stepped in for Bayonetta 2 and 3. But Inaba says Microsoft ultimately holds the Scalebound IP, though Microsoft has shown willingness in recent months to go beyond its Xbox platform.

Regardless of whether or not Scalebound ever returns, Inaba says that its cancellation helped Platinum grow as a studio. Its next game is Astral Chain for the Nintendo Switch, directed by Nier: Automata designer Takahisa Taura.

Thanks, VGC.