No Rest for the Wicked May Initially Skip Xbox Due to Market Conditions, Says Moon Studios
Moon Studios’ highly anticipated top-down action RPG No Rest for the Wicked may not launch on Xbox initially, as revealed by studio founder and game director Thomas Mahler. In a conversation on the game’s official Social account, Mahler shared that due to current market conditions, the team is currently prioritizing a PlayStation 5 release and is even considering a potential launch on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 before Xbox.
"By the way, given current market conditions, we might only release on PlayStation 5 and potentially Nintendo Switch 2 for the time being. We'll have to discuss things with Microsoft to see what makes sense for Xbox," Mahler stated.
He later clarified via a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the platform decision isn’t final, but acknowledged that supporting PlayStation 5 makes the most business sense at the moment:
“There’s nothing to officially confirm yet. We want to support consoles, and just looking at the numbers, PS5 makes the most sense at the moment. Ultimately, we’ll ship on all platforms, but likely not at the same time!”
No Rest for the Wicked entered Early Access on PC in April 2024, initially under publisher Private Division. Earlier this year, Moon Studios reclaimed full publishing rights, making this their first self-published title. While critically praised for its art direction and gameplay mechanics, the Early Access launch was marred by review bombing, prompting Mahler to publicly ask fans for positive reviews to balance the reception. This challenging start may have informed the studio’s platform strategy, aiming to focus on the most financially viable platforms first.
From a market perspective, the move appears calculated. PlayStation 5 continues to dominate console hardware sales, with a substantial install base. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch 2, expected to launch with strong momentum, could present another opportunity for a lucrative release. In contrast, Xbox has been struggling with hardware sales, exacerbated by Microsoft’s own decision to release many first-party titles across platforms, reducing Xbox exclusivity appeal. Unless a Game Pass partnership is established, independent developers like Moon Studios may find it harder to justify resource allocation for Xbox ports at launch.
The irony of this situation isn’t lost on the gaming community. Moon Studios rose to prominence through its celebrated Ori franchise, which debuted exclusively on Xbox and was one of the platform’s most beloved indie successes. Now, due to shifting economics and strategic priorities, the studio may be sidelining the very platform that helped elevate its reputation.
Moon Studios has not ruled out an Xbox version entirely, but fans hoping for a simultaneous console launch may have to wait. With no confirmation yet on Game Pass involvement, and given the current console landscape, it’s clear that developers are now weighing platform support more strategically than ever.
Would you prefer a delayed Xbox launch if it ensures better performance and features? Or should Microsoft be doing more to support games like No Rest for the Wicked at launch? Let us know in the comments.
