In the past, DayZ designer Dean Hall said that the chances of an Xbox One version of DayZ were slim. Now he thinks it's just as possible as a PS4 version of the multiplayer zombie game.
"We'd certainly consider release on any feasible platform with a realistic publishing model," Hall told GameReactor. "It seems like currently both of the next-gen consoles should provide an environment we can develop inside."
The previous stumbling block to DayZ on Xbox One was the console's lack of self-publishing. However, Microsoft decided last summer to reverse that decision to make the XB1 more inviting to indies. They're also overhauling the certification process so that releasing patches is easier. These changes seem to have cleared the path to DayZ being released on Xbox One.
Hall said that he's had more contact with Microsoft than Sony thus far.
"I've not personally had the opportunity to view the full details of the PS4 whereas I have had the opportunity to talk extensively with Microsoft. The next-gen consoles show very exciting promise. I'm hopeful that they can deliver on that. Am important part of that, from my perspective, is encouraging and supporting third-party creative development to bring the 'edginess' of PC creative development into the console."
Hall added that Kinect has "awesome" potential as well, but it's too early to say whether the feature will deliver on that promise. He's not suggesting that the Xbox One version of DayZ would have Kinect support. It's interesting to imagine what that would look like, though. Voice commands or gestures could make inventory actions quicker. That would be great because UI navigation is one of the weakest parts of the game right now.
In DayZ, players struggle for survival in a post-Soviet state overrun with zombies. They must gather food, weapons and other supplies while fighting off the infected. They must also be wary of other players, who may try to kill them and steal their gear. The game started out as a mod for Arma 2 before launching as a standalone game last fall.
It could take awhile for DayZ to be released on Xbox One and PS4. The game is still in alpha on PC so there's plenty that the developers need to fix or add before it officially launches. Their long to-do list includes driveable vehicles, mod support and player-built structures. It's unclear whether Hall and his team will wait until the PC version is done before moving on to consoles. Maybe they'll consider adding new platforms to the mix once DayZ reaches beta.
DayZ's main rival in the survival genre, Rust, may be released on PS4 and XB1 as well. Designer Garry Newman says that they haven't started the porting process, though.
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