Microsoft and Platinum RPG Scalebound cancelled, sources claim

Scalebound, the RPG tie-up between much-loved developer PlatinumGames, has been canceled, sources claim.

Reports from Eurogamer and Kotaku outline the situation fully, but we can confirm that over the course of the weekend we at RPG Site heard similar. We understand a formal announcement is to be made tomorrow, January 10th.

Scalebound was announced back in E3 2014. It had E3 and Gamescom press conference demonstrations that failed to wow, but in 2015 and 2016 we were guided through private live demos of its world by Hideki Kamiya, who described the game as a dream project. The live demos were much more promising, featuring things like NPCs, towns, and proper full-on RPG mechanics. That, we understand, is no more.

Sources tell us that poor communication between Microsoft Game Studios and Platinum led to a difficult and protracted development of the game. These difficulties saw high levels of stress that caused some development staff to take a hiatus from work. Compounding events ultimately meant that the work on the game fully came to a stop in late 2016.

This'll be the third high-profile Microsoft Game Studios cancelation in recent times, and the second RPG - Fable Legends was canned stunningly close to release, and Phantom Dust was shelved before gameplay was ever shown. This news and the pattern formed of course raises further questions about Microsoft's game portfolio and their ongoing plans for the Xbox business.

When contacted Microsoft promised they'd share more news on Scalebound in the near future, but we are confident that news will be the sad confirmation of a cancelation. Microsoft has also removed the Scalebound section from the official Xbox website.