Xbox developers just gained support for another free game engine with ‘Defold’
Defold 1.14.0 officially adds support for Xbox consoles, providing approved developers with another free game engine option for Microsoft’s platform. Originally created by King—the studio behind Candy Crush—Defold is now owned by Microsoft. The engine has evolved significantly since its origins in mobile game development, where it powered titles like Blossom Blast Saga, and already maintains support for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation consoles.
This announcement reflects Xbox’s ongoing effort to simplify and streamline the development process for its platform. By extending official hardware support to Defold, Xbox is expanding the toolkit available to independent and professional developers, making it easier to bring games to Microsoft’s consoles. The free, accessible nature of the engine positions it as a valuable resource for studios of various sizes.
The development also highlights Microsoft’s ability to leverage its owned properties to strengthen its gaming ecosystem. As a free, multi-platform engine now supporting Xbox, Defold becomes an increasingly practical choice for developers targeting multiple console platforms simultaneously, potentially contributing to a more diverse game library across Xbox’s hardware lineup.