Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Crytek Pins Blame For Warface Xbox 360 Cancelation On Microsoft
Following Tuesday's announcement that Crytek will end Warface on Xbox 360 after less than a year, we reached out to the developer for more information. In response, a company representative told us that the decision to cease work on the game came from Microsoft.
“With Microsoft acting as publisher for Warface on Xbox 360, we are bound by their decision to phase out the game on their console,” a Crytek representative told us. “We appreciate their efforts in supporting Warface up to this point, but, like the many players we're hearing from, are sad to see the game leave from Xbox 360.” We were also directed to a post on the Xbox Forums reiterating this point.
In a question-and-answer section of the Warface cancelation announcement, a community moderator shares the reasoning for the termination. “We’re always evaluating our portfolio to ensure that the experiences available on Xbox suit the needs of our community,” he writes. “Player demand and creative direction sometimes mandate that we shift our focus onto other games and opportunities.
When reached for comment, Microsoft representatives confirmed the statement on the Xbox Forums. Warface continues to operate on PC, with Crytek at the helm exclusively. The developer is encouraging Xbox 360 players to make their way to that platform.
“Although we're not in a position to continue Warface service on Xbox 360 for now, we are thinking of incentives we can offer to loyal players if they'd like to join the vibrant Warface community – subscription free – on PC,” Crytek says. “We remain very excited about the future of Warface and its continued growth on other platforms.”
Our Take
With a move toward self-publishing on the Xbox One, chances of this happening moving forward are less likely. Provided developers handle publication on their own, they’ll be in control of their games fates. As for Warface, Crytek’s financial arrangement came at the cost of ceded power to make this decision.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
