Xbox’s next exclusive game, or at least its next console exclusive game, as it doesn’t have exclusive games anymore, is going to be Steam Deck Verified at launch. This means, ahead of its release, Valve has tested the game on Steam Deck and can confirm it works start to finish and works well with its built-in display and controls. Unfortunately, there have been “Verified” games in the past that don’t run very well on the Steam Deck, which has watered down the significance of this label. But more often than not, this is a good sign.
The Xbox console exclusive game in question is not actually developed or published by Xbox, but it will nonetheless be a console exclusive when it launches tomorrow, April 14. This game is Replaced from Belarusian developer Mad Cat Studios and publisher Thunderful Games. Not only is this an Xbox console exclusive, but one that Xbox fans have been waiting a long time for. As you may know, the game was revealed in 2021 and slated to release in 2022. Four years after this original release date, it is finally arriving. And when it does, it will be priced at a humble $20 and be available via Xbox Game Pass alongside two other new additions.
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Free Demo Is Promising
Replaced is set to be the debut release from the aforementioned studio, so, despite its promise, there should be some hesitation on just how much it can deliver. That said, there is a free demo available for the game that has been earning positive scores with consumers. To this end, it has an 87% approval rating after 877 user reviews. It’s possible this slice of the game is better than the rest, but what’s more likely is that this is indicative of what the game’s broader reception will be.
That said, the game being good and running well on the Steam Deck are two different matters. This won’t be a very technically demanding game, though, so there is no reason for it not to run well on the Valve machine.
Replaced will be included with PC Game Pass at its launch, but right now, this is the only subscription service it will be available with.
All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the conversations currently happening on the ComicBook Forum.
