Massive Upheaval: Xbox Removes Highly Acclaimed FromSoftware Game from Its Platform
Xbox players face disappointment as a beloved classic FromSoftware game mysteriously disappears from the platform, leaving fans uncertain about its future availability
Highlights
Enchanted Arms, FromSoftware's game from 2006, has been mysteriously removed from the Xbox Store, leaving players in the dark about its absence and any possibility of its future return.Prior to gaining recognition for their groundbreaking Soulslike games, FromSoftware's earlier titles, such as Enchanted Arms, had a more niche appeal and often received mixed reviews.
Enchanted Arms, a game developed by FromSoftware in 2006, has been delisted from the Xbox Store without any explanation or indication of when it might be available again. This further contributes to the issue of older games not being easily accessible on modern hardware. Considering the studio's ongoing projects, it is unlikely that Enchanted Arms will make a comeback in the foreseeable future. FromSoftware, recognized for the popular Dark Souls series that began in 2011, has been creating games since their debut release, King's Field, on the original PlayStation in 1994.
FromSoftware followed up their success with King's Field by creating a mech combat game franchise called Armored Core, as well as collaborating with various publishing partners to develop several other original IP. In 2006, FromSoftware and Ubisoft joined forces to release Enchanted Arms, a turn-based RPG for the Xbox 360. Until recently, gamers interested in this earlier FromSoftware title could easily access it on the Xbox Store, as it was backwards compatible. However, without any prior notice, Enchanted Arms has been removed from the Xbox Store. As a result, players now require a physical copy if they wish to play it on modern Xbox consoles. The reason behind the delisting remains unknown, and it remains uncertain if the game will ever return. While some delisted games have made a comeback in the past, there is no guarantee that Enchanted Arms will follow suit.
Although FromSoftware now enjoys widespread acclaim and has amassed multiple Game of the Year accolades in recent years, the studio's preceding reputation was less sterling. Prior to the explosive rise of the Soulslike genre, FromSoftware's games were predominantly regarded as niche, often receiving mixed reviews from critics. Enchanted Arms stands as a prime example of this trend. While a handful of publications granted it high marks, numerous others offered lukewarm assessments and failed to perceive anything exceptional about it.
It's always disappointing to see a game getting delisted, especially when it's from a respected developer like FromSoftware. Unfortunately, most classic games are not easily accessible on modern hardware, and the delisting of games only worsens this issue.
While there is a possibility that Enchanted Arms might receive a remaster in the future and become available on modern gaming consoles again, fans shouldn't get their hopes up. FromSoftware is currently occupied with their Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC and the upcoming release of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, which is just a month away. It's highly unlikely that they would prioritize bringing back Enchanted Arms any time soon, if ever.
Enchanted Arms is available for PS3 and Xbox 360.
