Metroidvania Game With ‘Very Positive’ Reviews Cancels Xbox Release

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Metroidvania Game With 'Very Positive' Reviews Cancels Xbox Release

Highlights

  • Haak, a popular Metroidvania indie game, will not be released on Xbox due to numerous obstacles faced by developers.
  • After struggling with bugs and support issues on Microsoft platforms, the developers have been forced to abandon releasing Haak on Xbox.

As an avid gamer with a penchant for indie titles, especially Metroidvanias, I must say I am genuinely saddened by the news of Haak’s absence on Xbox platforms. Having played and enjoyed this game immensely on PC, the prospect of exploring its post-apocalyptic wasteland on my Xbox was tantalizingly close.

The creators of the indie game Haak, a well-liked Metroidvania title available on Steam, have shared that they are canceling its intended release on Xbox. The developers encountered multiple hurdles during the submission process for Xbox, leading them to make this decision. Regrettably, despite the desire for a version of Haak on Xbox, it appears that the game will not be coming to Xbox platforms, leaving both the developers and fans disappointed.

The game titled “Haak” is an indie creation in the genre of Metroidvania, which debuted in August 2022. Developed by Blingame and published by OKJOY, “Haak” unfolds a story in a post-apocalyptic world devastated by a catastrophe. The main character, Haak, embarks on a journey from his northern hometown towards the south to survive. “Haak” embodies the classic features of Metroidvania, being an action-adventure platformer that involves navigating through different rooms using a laser sword and hook. This game has received “very positive” feedback on Steam, with plans to release it on additional platforms like Xbox. Unfortunately, these expansion plans have been abandoned.

In their latest tweet, the game developers expressed regret that the game ‘Haak’ won’t be available on Xbox platforms due to various hurdles they faced during submission. They encountered multiple bugs in the Microsoft Partner Center which hindered account registration, and the support service had its own set of issues, making it challenging to find resolutions for their problems. Unfortunately, the Xbox support team couldn’t help as this issue fell outside of their jurisdiction and was specifically a matter between the developers and Microsoft.

Haak’s Struggles with Microsoft and Xbox

The creators found it surprisingly challenging and time-consuming that instead of simply transferring a version of Haak for Xbox within two weeks, they spent over a year working through the game’s approval process and Microsoft Partner identity registration. Although Xbox fans have shown great interest in Haak, the developers are now faced with financial difficulties due to these delays. Consequently, after dealing with various hurdles for several months, the team has been compelled to cancel the release of Haak on Xbox platforms.

Indie developer Mad Fellows shared their thoughts on the current situation, pointing out that they didn’t face as many challenges while developing for Xbox, but the delays can be stressful. The Haak Twitter account frankly acknowledged this incident as one of the most problematic publishing experiences they’ve had, stating they encountered fewer issues when publishing on other platforms. Regarding the PS5 version, developers reported that it was progressing fairly well. Despite skipping Xbox release, Haak is a Metroidvania game already available on Nintendo Switch, mobile devices, and PC.

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2024-08-18 19:54