Scalebound was once one of the most ambitious action projects of its time, combining dynamic combat, music, and a unique system of interaction with a massive dragon companion. This project became one of those rare Xbox One exclusives that generated immense interest but never made it to release. The game was announced back in 2014, but after several years, in 2017, Microsoft officially halted its development.
Recently, the official account of Clovers Inc on X posted a video showing Hideki Kamiya, along with colleagues, reviewing archived gameplay footage of Scalebound. According to the developers, Kamiya nostalgically recalled the game's creation process and emphasized that he still takes pride in the project, despite its cancellation. Later, Kamiya himself retweeted the video with a short but impactful message: "Come on, Phil, let's do this!".
These words were addressed to Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft's gaming division, hinting that Kamiya remains interested in reviving the game. This isn't the first time he has expressed a desire to return to the canceled project. Back in early 2022, he already stated that he would like to discuss with Microsoft the possibility of resuming development.
Discussions about the return of Scalebound arise regularly, but rumors became particularly active in early 2023. At that time, several sources hinted at a potential reboot of the project, though no official statements from Microsoft followed.
In an interview with the Japanese publication Game Watch, Phil Spencer was asked about Scalebound, but he simply smiled and replied, "I have nothing to add at this time".
Even if Microsoft does become interested in this idea, a quick return of the game shouldn't be expected. Currently, Hideki Kamiya is busy working on a new installment of Okami at his studio, Clovers Inc. If Xbox does give the green light to the project, Kamiya will only be able to start development after completing his current tasks. Nevertheless, the fact that the game hasn't been forgotten after all these years gives hope: perhaps one day, players will finally see the long-awaited release.
