Sword of the Sea Appears on Xbox Store Listing

The acclaimed atmosphere surfing game is heading to Xbox Series X and S consoles following a new digital storefront discovery.

Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Gaming

Minimalist, flat-color graphic illustration showing stylized sand dunes like ocean waves under a desert sunset, evoking a serene surfing adventure. — Giant Squid is bringing its Grammy-winning atmospheric surfing game, Sword of the Sea, to Xbox Series X and S consoles. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you prefer games to be released on all consoles rather than kept as platform exclusives?

Giant Squid is bringing its adventure game Sword of the Sea to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. The title was recently spotted on the Xbox Store, suggesting a forthcoming release for the platform.

Why it matters

The move expands access to a title that previously gained recognition for its audio design, including a Grammy win. This port allows more players to experience the atmosphere surfing adventure on Microsoft hardware.

Sword of the Sea carries an 88 Metacritic score and offers an average playtime of 3 to 4 hours, with completionists logging about 10 hours. The title is expected to retail for $30 upon its console launch.

The players

Giant Squid

This Santa Monica, California-based independent game studio was founded in 2013 and is known for developing artistic, atmospheric titles.

The details

Developed by Santa Monica-based studio Giant Squid, the game blends exploration with surfing mechanics in an atmospheric setting. The title previously secured a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media.

2013: Giant Squid studio was founded.
2016: Abzu was released.
2020: The Pathless was released.
Last year: Sword of the Sea released on PlayStation Plus.
October 2026: Xbox Store listing for Sword of the Sea appeared.

Culture Shift

This release reflects a broader trend of high-profile independent games moving from timed exclusives to multi-platform availability. It follows the pattern set by the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, which recognized the title for excellence in musical scoring.

Players can expect to spend between 3 and 10 hours to complete the game depending on their engagement with side objectives. The anticipated $30 price point makes this adventure title more accessible than many full-priced flagship releases.

The takeaway

Players looking for shorter, high-fidelity experiences may find value in the compact 4-hour runtime of this title. Managing completionist goals is recommended for those who wish to extend the adventure up to 10 hours of gameplay.