Let me spell it for you, straight from the horse’s mouth. The soon-to-be-released Chinese action RPG Phantom Blade Zero, this excellent videogame that everybody is already referring to as the next big Soulslike, is going to be a PlayStation console exclusive for a complete year, that is, a full year. The latest information now suggests that the game will not be released on any other consoles—which obviously includes you, Xbox—before September 9, 2027. That’s the date. If you don’t own a PS5 or a PC, then you might as well mark that date on your calendar with a big and sad face.

Hold on, PC? Yes, that is the amazing twist. The tweet from HazzadorGamin later further wrote that ‘it’s coming to PC as well’. Hence the ‘other platforms’ mentioned in the original news was a bit misleading. It is a console exclusive and not complete one. But, if you are an Xbox Series X|S user, you will be waiting for three years from the date of its release on PS5 and PC. Man, that is really painful!

What was the online reaction? It was exactly what you would expect. A total mixed bag of indifferent shrugs, anger, and console war banter which never gets old. Some gamers are like “Eh, I can wait a year; it’s no biggie,” forums a user said. Others see it as the continuation of the ongoing platform wars. “Sony still with the timed exclusivity and Xbox over here like kumbaya my lord kumbaya,” one gamer jokingly made fun of Microsoft’s more platform-agnostic approach these days.

And, by the way, that was the reason for the side-debate. Since the game is going to be available on PC from day one, some Xbox gamers were quick to say that they can just play it there. “So Xbox Ally can play? It’s a wrap. Welcome to PC Xbox folk,” one comment went, simultaneously referring to the handheld PC gaming scene. But this argument was quickly dismissed by others. “Still doesn’t mean that my Xbox series x can play it,” was a common counter. It’s the classic divide between the “everything is an Xbox if you think about it” crowd and the people who just want to play on their specific, actual console.

The whole thing has also managed to dig up some recent history, and not the good kind. Another user mentioned Black Myth: Wukong, another giant Chinese action title that was just recently released. They pointed out that the game had a rough time on Xbox back due to performance issues and missing features in comparison to the PS5 version. “Speaking of wukong, the game is still not fixed on xbox… No one is talking about this,” they said. It’s a legitimate concern. If Phantom Blade Zero is indeed getting special treatment, the wait could be longer for the Xbox port. That is why the gamers have every reason to be doubtful.

Then there is the business side of things. One reply simply stated: “What was the point of putting it on steam then?” It is truly a valid argument. If the aim is to maximize the number of sales, then it is strange to cut the audience off a particular console. But that is where the money talks when it comes to exclusivity. It is highly likely that Sony is paying a lot for keeping it off Xbox for the first year, betting that the hype will so significantly drive PS5 and PC sales. It’s probably a no-brainer for the developers at S-Game, especially for a new title aiming to make an impact, hence the deal.

But let’s be honest, this kind of news always causes a stir in the community. “Cornball shit. This is why I love what Xbox is doing,” a player tweeted, clearly fed up with the exclusivity wars. “No one cares about this anymore, except Gen X fanboys. That is precisely why and the gamers want to play games on their preferred platforms.” And he certainly has a point. No gamer can deny that many of them are simply fed up with the waiting game. They see a great trailer, get all pumped up, then eventually realize that they have to wait several months or even years before they can play on their console. That’s a real bummer, though!

So what’s the scoop? Phantom Blade Zero, without a doubt, looks breathtaking. Parrying-friendly fighting in a dark anda wuxia-inspired world is going to touch the hearts of many. But with the manner of release, a major part of the audience will not have access to it, at least for some time. There will be those who patiently wait, maybe even wishing for a price drop by 2027. Some will change to PC if they can.