Fez 2 will not appear on a Microsoft console due to its restriction on self-publishing
"Fez 2 is to Fez 1 what Zelda 2 was to Zelda 1, but more different."
Fez developer Phil Fish has yet to announce which platforms he'll release the recently announced Fez 2 on, but has stated that it won't be on Xbox.
When asked about potential platforms in an interview with Polygon, his answer was short and to the point: "not Xbox."
His rationale for this is simple: Microsoft won't allow indie developers to self publish on Xbox One. "I would develop for Xbone if they'd let me, but they won't," the developer said on Twitter.
"I'd love to release my games on every platform, but Microsoft is making it impossible for me to release on theirs. It's a shame," he added.
When Polygon asked Fish if Microsoft's recent change of heart about DRM had swayed him, he replied, "I don't think it changes much for me. They didn't change anything about their anti-indie policies."
Conversely, Fish seems pleased as punch about the PlayStation 4. "PS4 seems to be doing everything right," he said. "It's too early to tell how everything is going to unfold but their heart definitely seems to be in the right place."
"With Microsoft they've made it painfully clear they don't want my ilk on their platform. I can't even self-publish there. Whereas on PS4, I can. It's that simple."
This would not be the first time Fish has spoken out against Microsoft, as he criticised the corporation last year when it didn't allow him to patch Fez without exorbitant fees. Though Fish has since said on Twitter that the year-old patch ordeal is "irrelevant to the [current] situation."
I've asked Fish if he would reconsider his stance if Microsoft were to reconsider its self-publishing policies. I'm currently awaiting reply and will update if I hear anything.
Fez's upcoming sequel is still shrouded in mystery, but Fish stated to Polygon, "Fez 2 is to Fez 1 what Zelda 2 was to Zelda 1, but more different."
"The biggest reason is that I just wanted to go back to that world. I want to expand on my little world and its mythology. It's not a case of wanting to recycle ideas we didn't get to put in Fez 1. Since the games are going to be so different, there's not a whole lot that could just carry over."
In other Fez news, Fish tweeted that the Ouya port of the first game is "coming along nicely."