One of 2024âs biggest hits, the boss fight-fueled action adventure Black Myth: Wukong, is finally coming to Xbox Series X/S. It releases there on August 20, exactly one year after it made its original console debut on PlayStation 5, once again stoking rumors that a Sony exclusivity deal was what it kept it off the competing platform.
Microsoft randomly broke the news of the upcoming port on Thursday night, just a few days ahead of its big summer showcase. Black Myth: Wukong will be available to pre-order on Xbox starting June 18, with the game 20 percent off until July 11. That discount will also be available on PS5 and PC, developer Game Science saying it wanted to give players a heads up in case they were planning on buying the game before then.
But the real question remains why Black Myth: Wukong took so long to arrive on Xbox in the first-place. Many assumed the only explanation was an exclusivity deal with a Sony, whose Hero Initiative focuses on scouting high-quality games in the Chinese market and helping bring them to a global audience. However, Black Myth was never announced as one of those. Microsoft helped fuel those rumors with an opaque comment released back in summer 2024 ahead of the gameâs launch
You are the Destined One.
Black Myth: Wukong is coming August 20. Pre-order begins June 18! pic.twitter.com/5z89gUYxNV
â Xbox (@Xbox) June 6, 2025
âWeâre excited for the launch of Black Myth Wukong on Xbox Series X|S and are working with Game Science to bring the game to our platforms,â a Microsoft spokesperson told Windows Central at the time. âWe canât comment on the deals made by our partners with other platform holders, but we remain focused on making Xbox the best platform for gamers, and great games are at the center of that.â
While Game Science has always claimed it was optimization issues on Xbox Series S that was holding the port up, Forbesâ Paul Tassi reported that an exclusivity agreement of some kind was in place. IGN contradicted Game Scienceâs position and reported that âno tech issueâ that would delay Black Myth on Xbox had been reported to Microsoft. Giant Bombâs Jeff Grubb, however, claimed there was no marketing agreement in place between the two companies. The whole saga left everyone confused and let console warriors on both sides claim vindication.
20 August is some sort of sacred day for them.. let's name it, "Wukong's Day".
The first reveal was in 20 August 2020, and since then, they did have new updates about their title every year on the exact same day.
20 August 2020: reveal
20 August 2021: 13m gameplayâ Lunatic Ignus (@ignusthewise) June 6, 2025
So why is Black Myth now just happening to drop on Xbox Series X/S exactly 365 days after it came to PS5 if there wasnât an exclusivity deal in place? âBringing Black Myth:Â Wukong to Xbox Series X|Sâand ensuring the experience met our internal quality standardsâwas no easy feat,â the Chinese studio wrote in a newly published FAQ. âFortunately, we were able to complete this challenging task smoothly within the first year of the gameâs official release.â
Others, meanwhile, have suggested August 20 just happens to be a special date for the studio. âGame Science has been using August and the 20th for announcements since 2020,â gaming consultant Daniel Camilo told Infinite Combo. X user ignusthewise pointed out that the development team has been using August 20 for all its big drops, including gameplay trailers and reveals, for years. Not everyone is convinced, and they probably never will be unless Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer himself comes out and denies the rumors. Until then, millions of new players will get a chance to finally see why Black Myth won 2024âs Player Voice award at The Game Awards.
