A Japanese developer of Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin has pointed out that small companies cannot justify developing Xbox versions due to low demand. The decision, based on sales data and porting costs, reflects a current market reality where certain consoles fall off the radar of independent studios.
Porting and costs: the calculation behind the exclusion 📊
According to the developer, adapting a game to Xbox involves not only technical resources but also specific certifications and tests that raise the budget. For a small studio, the estimated return based on active user numbers on the platform does not offset the investment. This cost-benefit analysis is common in the industry, where niche titles like Sakuna prioritize ecosystems with greater reach, such as PC, Switch, and PlayStation.
Xbox: the console that can't even win over rice farmers 🌾
It seems that not even watering with sweat and tears can make certain games sprout on Xbox. Developers prefer to sow in more fertile ground rather than risk their harvest rotting in a market where players are as scarce as a grain of rice on a diet plate. Perhaps the only thing growing fast there is the list of exclusives that will never arrive.