The creative director of No Rest for the Wicked has clarified why the game is not releasing on XBOX and Switch 2 on the same date as PS5 and PC.
Just a couple of days ago, developers announced that No Rest for the Wicked 1.0 is set to launch in October 2026. It will feature 100 hours of content, a new class system, and the final story arc. However, players were left confused because the developers provided a release window only for PS5 and PC, without mentioning other platforms.
Series S and Switch 2 Optimization Issues Have Delayed No Rest for the Wicked’s Release on the Platforms
In a new post on X (formerly Twitter), the creative director of No Rest for the Wicked, Thomas Malher, revealed that the Series S was the reason for the XBOX release delay. Malher first spoke about how the developers spend a lot of time analyzing “what it takes to ship Wicked at the quality level we expect on each platform.” After all this time, they are confident that the expected experience can be delivered on PC, Steam Deck, and PS5 for the October launch.
The issue with the XBOX and Nintendo releases stems from optimization challenges with the Series S and the Switch 2. Malher notes that these platforms require “more hardcore optimizations” because of their “smaller memory budget.” The game No Rest of the Wicked constantly simulates and streams a living, breathing world in the background, which requires loading and unloading large amounts of data while playing.
They do not want to rush the port and deliver a subpar version. Their goal is to make Wicked “feel amazing” across all platforms. Malher’s concluding statement confirms that No Rest for the Wicked will eventually be released on the XBOX Series X/S and Switch 2, but they want to ensure it’s the best version when it arrives.
Check out Mahler’s full statement below:
Folks,
Obviously some people are disappointed that we don’t ship No Rest for the Wicked in October day and date on Xbox and Switch 2 as well.
Since the rumor mill is already going wild on us having accepted some exclusivity deal or something… Folks, chill, none of that is the case.
We’ve spent months assessing what it takes to ship Wicked at the quality level we expect on each platform. PC, Steam Deck and PS5 are where we’re confident we can deliver the experience we want for our October launch.
On Xbox Series S and Switch 2, more hardcore optimizations are required mainly due to the smaller memory budget there. Wicked is constantly simulating and streaming a living, breathing world in the background, loading and unloading huge amounts of data as you play. Every megabyte matters.
We’re not in the business of shipping shoddy ports. We were always insanely proud of being able to ship BOTH Ori games on Switch at 60fps, no compromises. But that took time – and the same thing is true here.
Our goal is simple: Wherever you play Wicked, it should feel amazing. We know what’s required to get there, and we’re continuing that work.
No Rest for the Wicked is coming to all current platforms. We just want to make sure that when it arrives, it’s the best version it can possibly be. *thumbs up*
In other news, No Rest for the Wicked has crossed 1.5 million units sold, within 15 days of the previous milestone in February 2026. Additionally, Moon Studios plans to raise No Rest for the Wicked’s price at full release. What are your thoughts on No Rest for the Wicked’s XBOX release being delayed due to Series S optimization issues? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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