Xbox Losing Popular New Console Exclusive to PlayStation and Nintendo Next Month
Xbox is losing a popular new console exclusive to both PlayStation and Nintendo next month, or, more specifically, to PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. Today, publisher Annapurna Interactive and developer Nomada announced that its The Game Awards-nominated game, 12 Minutes, is shedding its Xbox console exclusivity on December 7. As you may know, Twelve Minutes debuted back on August 19 via the Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC to divisive critical and consumer reviews. Despite this, it finds itself up for Best Indie Game of the year at The Game Awards.
"Twelve Minutes is a real-time top-down interactive thriller with an accessible click and drag interface," reads an official pitch of the game. "Featuring James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe. What should be a romantic evening with your wife turns into a nightmare when a police detective breaks into your home, accuses your wife of murder, and beats you to death... Only for you to find yourself immediately returned to the exact moment you opened the front door, stuck in a 12-minute time loop, doomed to relive the same terror again and again... Unless you can find a way to use the knowledge of what's coming to change the outcome and break the loop."
On Metacritic, Twelve Minutes boasts scores ranging from 71 to 76, depending on the platform. Meanwhile, on Steam, it only boasts a "Mostly Positive" User Review rating, which is pretty low for Steam, where a "Very Positive" rating is very easy to earn.
Time loops have provided moviegoers with some excellent experiences over the years, but the concept hasn't been explored nearly as often in the world of video games," reads the opening of our own review of the game. "12 Minutes from developer Luis Antonio attempts to replicate the concept of movies like Groundhog Day using a murder mystery as the time loop's focal point. On paper, it sounds like a really cool idea; unfortunately, the experience is hampered by the limits of the video game format, and that prevents it from working in a way that will make audiences feel compelled to stick with 12 Minutes through to the game's climax.
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