DayZ PS4 and Xbox One Versions Still On the Way
By Jasmine Henry 23 September 2016
DayZ‘s creative director Brian Hicks confirms that the PS4 and Xbox One versions aren’t dead, though 99 percent of the team is focused on developing the PC version.
All the way back in 2014, zombie survival game DayZ was announced for Xbox One and PS4. Although there were question about whether the game is too broken for consoles, with the title having sold over three million copies on Steam Early Access in just one year, the sheer popularity of the game and the excitement surrounding it seemed to outweigh that for many console gamers.
However, progress on DayZ for consoles has been less than stellar, as in November 2015, developer Bohemia Interactive said that the console prototypes had been delayed in to 2016. Console gamers have been especially worried as a result, but Bohemia now confirms that is still very much working on bringing DayZ to PS4 and Xbox One and that the project isn’t dead.
Speaking to Eurogamer, the game’s creative director Brian Hicks states that “no it’s not dead at all” before again stressing again “it’s not dead at all.” Hicks explains that the reason for radio silence regarding DayZ on PS4 and Xbox One is because “99 percent” of the Bohemia team is working on the PC version of the game, also calling PC its “flagship” platform.
Moreover, Hicks reveals, “We can’t really move DayZ over to these platforms, at least on a playable level for consumers, until the base engine, Enfusion, is complete.” As such, console development won’t begin in full until 2017, with an Xbox Game Preview launch being looked at (it seems that a PS4 early access release would also be considered, though Sony has not yet introduced such a program).
While the delay is certainly disappointing for those who wanted to try out the MMO on consoles, the delay isn’t a huge shock either. DayZ has been available via Steam Early Access for almost three years and PC players are growing antsy about when the game will be complete.
According to a previously released DayZ roadmap, a full release on PC was expected in early 2016. However, since the game has missed that deadline by miles, it makes sense that Bohemia would delay the console versions in order to do right by its large and preexisting PC player base.
Console gamers have also come to expect these kinds of setbacks too, as they aren’t particularly uncommon. ARK: Survival of the Fittest on PS4 has been delayed in order for developer Studio Wildcard to work on the PC version of the dinosaur MMO, while The Elder Scrolls Online for PS4 and Xbox One was famously delayed too.
Ultimately, the hope is that all versions of the game will work fine and will avoid frustrating bugs and issues. Nevertheless, in DayZ‘s case the wait has been so long already that PS4 and Xbox One players would be forgiven for feeling a little weary.
DayZ is currently available in Steam Early Access on PC, and is set for release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as well.
Source: Eurogamer
