Is Steam’s XCOM sale further reinforcement of a desktop-exclusive future for the series?

With news of a PC sequel and Steam pushing a highly discounted bundle, XCOM could be transitioning to a desktop-exclusive future.
With news of a PC sequel and Steam pushing a highly discounted bundle, XCOM could be transitioning to a desktop-exclusive future.

2K and Firaxis Games recently announced that XCOM 2, the highly anticipated sequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, is planned as a Windows-based PC title, with Mac and Linux ports via Feral Interactive. The decision not to follow the game’s multiplatform roots came as a surprise to many players, considering the positive reception of Enemy Unknown’s console releases. GameRankings used a wide pool of reviews to calculate the PS3 and 360 editions to rest comfortably at 86.68% and 88.96% approval rates respectively, quick on the heels of the PC at 89.22%.

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Promotional image released for XCOM 2.

In response to the upcoming sequel, Steam launched an XCOM: Enemy Unknown sale, slashing prices on the original game, its expansion, and a couple extras by as much as 75%. These are all for PC and Mac only, of course. Popularity of the entire bundle, priced enticingly low at $12.49, would predispose new players to XCOM’s desktop format by the time the sequel rolls around, while simultaneously encouraging console veterans to return to the battlefield and adapt to saving humanity with a mouse and keyboard.

Could this mean XCOM 2 is planning on staying desktop-exclusive, rather than releasing future console ports? And if 2K decides to continue the fight against alien invaders in subsequent installments, will they stray from the PC? Tell us any of your predictions, hopes, or fears for the future of XCOM.


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Jackson Ingram
Recent college grad, armed with a backlog of games and too many opinions.