Xbox adventure game Towerborne has had its release shuffle, but it was overshadowed by the announcement that Microsoft’s PC and Xbox game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will also be heading to PlayStation 5 after a period of limited exclusivity.
Developer Stoic of The Banner Saga was planning to release Towerborne on Xbox and PC simultaneously, right into the first day of Game Pass. However, a new trailer for Towerborne appears below, indicating that it is now a “limited-time exclusive on Steam.”
That implies that on September 10, Towerborne will launch on Steam Early Access. Microsoft announced in an Xbox Wire post that an Xbox Game Preview will be released soon and that a full, currently free-to-play launch is scheduled for 2025. Additionally, Towerborne features cross-progression, so your achievements will transfer to the platform of your choice.
The Banner Saga’s successful Kickstarter campaign served as justification for game director Daniel McLaren’s choice to debut the game in early access.
“Kickstarter is the promise of something, and Stoic’s history has always been about interacting with our gamers,” McLaren stated. We can now say, “Hey, you do not have to wait for us this time; we can give you a game right now.” “For Stoic, that worked out extremely well.”
“Xbox, PC, and Xbox Game Pass players will instantly feel the benefit of the refinement Towerborne will undergo during the early access period and beyond,” according to a statement from Microsoft, following the debut of Steam early access.
It is safe to say that Xbox fans have been vocal in their debate on Towerborne Steam’s first launch and full debut in 2025. While some people support the release approach, others point out that Towerborne was long promoted by Microsoft as an Xbox game released by the firm; now, it will launch on Steam first, further alienating the company’s remaining core platform audience.
Naturally, this all contributes to the growing perception that Microsoft’s gaming division is less interested in focusing on Xbox console exclusives these days, as more titles are expected to arrive on competitors’ platforms and the company is planning to enter the mobile market with its app store. The general approach is evident, even if Microsoft executives continue to emphasize the value of consoles for Xbox and have even hinted at next-generation consoles and an Xbox handheld in the future. All of this occurred at the same time as Microsoft closed several studios due to declining Xbox Series X and S sales and laid off an astonishing 1,900 employees from its gaming division this year.
