Ten years. That’s how long it has taken S-GAME to turn a 2016 remake idea into the game you can now pre-order. Phantom Blade Zero launches on October 29, 2026, on PS5 and PC, and pre-orders are already live at $59.99 for the Standard Edition and $69.99 for the Digital Deluxe Edition.
Here’s the catch: depending on where you live, “October 29” might actually mean the evening of October 28. Below you’ll find the exact unlock times, what each edition really includes, the PC specs your rig needs to hit, and a few things worth checking before you hand over your money.
Phantom Blade Zero at a glance
| Detail | Confirmed info |
|---|---|
| Release date | October 29, 2026 (unlocks October 28 in the Americas) |
| Platforms | PS5 (PS5 Pro Enhanced), PC via Steam and Epic Games Store |
| Developer / publisher | S-GAME (Beijing) |
| Standard Edition | $59.99 |
| Digital Deluxe Edition | $69.99 |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
| ESRB rating | Mature (Blood, Violence) |
| Mode | Single-player only |
| Endings | Eight, per Wikipedia |
So when can you actually play it?
Let’s back up a little. The game was first given a September 9, 2026 date at The Game Awards in December 2025. Then, on June 2, 2026, S-GAME pushed it back 50 days to October 29 to buy more polish time.
The studio was upfront about why. “A 50-day delay cannot solve everything,” the S-GAME team said in a statement reported by Vice, adding that day-one players “deserve the best version of Phantom Blade Zero we can deliver from the very beginning.”
That honesty matters to you. A short, specific delay announced months ahead usually signals targeted polish, not a game in trouble.
Now for the timing. The PlayStation Store listing points to a simultaneous global launch, which is why the Steam page shows October 28 for US players. Here’s how that breaks down, based on the listed time reported by Vice:
| Region | Local date | Unlock time |
|---|---|---|
| US Pacific | October 28 | 7:00 PM PDT |
| US / Canada Eastern | October 28 | 10:00 PM EDT |
| Brazil | October 28 | 11:00 PM BRT |
| United Kingdom | October 29 | 2:00 AM GMT |
| Central Europe | October 29 | 3:00 AM CET |
| China / Singapore | October 29 | 10:00 AM CST / SGT |
| Japan / South Korea | October 29 | 11:00 AM JST / KST |
| Australia (Sydney) | October 29 | 1:00 PM AEDT |
The key takeaway here is simple: if you’re on the East Coast, you can be playing before you go to bed on Wednesday night.
Editions, prices and pre-order bonuses
You only have two choices, which keeps things refreshingly simple. Both are digital editions listed on the PlayStation Store and Steam.
| Edition | Price (US) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | $59.99 | Full game |
| Digital Deluxe Edition | $69.99 | Full game, Wulin Legend and Blood-Steel Form appearances, digital artbook, digital soundtrack |
| Pre-order bonus (both editions) | Included | Treasure Basin accessory (+10% Remnant Dust drops), Legacy outfit |
In the UK, Push Square lists the editions at £54.99 and £64.99.
So is the Deluxe Edition worth the extra $10? That depends on how much you care about cosmetics and extras. You’re paying for two outfits, an artbook and the OST. There’s no early access mentioned on the PlayStation Store page, and no season pass or story DLC has been announced.
Here’s the thing about the pre-order bonuses, too. The PlayStation Store notes that both the Treasure Basin and the Legacy outfit can also be earned through normal in-game progression. You’re getting them early, not exclusively.
“At $59.99, Phantom Blade Zero undercuts the $70 standard that most big launches now ask for.”
Phantom Blade Zero PC requirements
If you’re playing on PC, the good news is that the bar isn’t sky-high for a UE5 game. Here’s what the Steam page lists:
| Spec | Minimum (1080p / 30 fps) | Recommended (1440p / 60 fps) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10/11 64-bit | Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 | Intel Core i5-10600K / AMD Ryzen 5 5600X |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | GTX 1660 6GB / Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB | RTX 3060 Ti 8GB / Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB |
| DirectX | 12 | 12 |
| Storage | SSD required | SSD required |
Two details deserve a second look. Both targets assume upscaling is turned on, so native resolution will cost you frames. And the Steam page confirms the game uses Denuvo DRM, which some PC players watch closely for performance impact.
The Steam page doesn’t list Steam Deck verification yet, so handheld players should wait for more info.
What kind of game is this?
You play as Soul, an elite assassin framed for murdering his master. A tainted heart leaves him 66 days to live, and he sets out across a dark, semi-open “Phantom World” loosely inspired by Ming-dynasty China to uncover the conspiracy.
S-GAME calls the style “kungfupunk.” Think wuxia cinema mixed with mechanical prosthetics, industrial ruins and rock music. According to Steam, you get over 30 primary weapons and more than 20 “Phantom Edges,” special skills taken from defeated enemies.
The martial arts pedigree is real. Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen has been a creative consultant since 2023, working on combat feel, and he also provides the face and motion capture for Mó Yuan, Soul’s father, per RPG Site.
How long will it take you? Earlier reports suggested a 20 to 30 hour main campaign, plus roughly 20 hours of side content, according to TechRadar citing Chinese outlets. Side quests can shape the story, which can end in one of eight endings.
What PS5 players get
Console players aren’t getting a bare-bones port. The PlayStation Store lists Phantom Blade Zero as PS5 Pro Enhanced, so owners of Sony’s pricier console should see visual or performance upgrades.
The DualSense gets real attention too. Adaptive triggers simulate weapon tension, like drawing a bowstring, and haptic feedback lets you feel each impact. Add Tempest 3D Audio support, and you’ve got a strong case for playing on the couch rather than at a desk.
Bottom line: if you own both a PS5 and a mid-range PC, the console version is the lower-hassle pick.
The Soulslike question, settled (mostly)
Sounds like a Soulslike, right? Not quite.
Steam’s user tags do include “Souls-like,” and the dark setting and tough bosses invite the comparison. But director Soulframe Liang has said the game is “neither a Soulslike game nor a traditional action game,” as cited on Wikipedia. He prefers the term “wuxia action.”
The difference shows up in the details. TechRadar reported four difficulty settings, from easy to extremely hard, plus mid-boss checkpoints and a boss replay mode. Those are features many Soulslikes deliberately skip.
The key takeaway here is simple: if you love Sekiro but hate losing an hour to one boss, this could be your sweet spot.
PS5 only? Not this time
No. Phantom Blade Zero launches on PS5 and PC on the same day. The PC version is available on both Steam and the Epic Games Store.
What about Xbox? No Xbox version has been announced. If you’re on Xbox this fall, your big October drops are elsewhere, like Gears of War: E-Day and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
Before you pre-order: 5 smart moves
1. Decide whether the cosmetics are worth $10
The Deluxe Edition adds outfits, an artbook and the soundtrack, nothing that changes the game itself. If you don’t care about looks, the Standard Edition gives you the identical experience.
2. Check your PC against the recommended specs
The recommended RTX 3060 Ti target only hits 1440p at 60 fps with upscaling. If your GPU sits below the GTX 1660 tier, expect a rough time, and remember an SSD is mandatory.
3. Set a reminder for the correct local time
US players get the game on the evening of October 28. Mark the right date so you aren’t refreshing the store a day late.
4. Watch for preload details
Neither Steam nor the PlayStation Store had confirmed a preload window at the time of writing. Pre-purchasing now means you’ll likely be ready to download the moment one opens.
5. Plan your October backlog
October is packed. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse lands October 15, and Modern Warfare 4 arrives October 23. Grab your free games from PS Plus this month first, so your wallet has room for Soul’s 66 days.
“Ten years in the making, and you’re less than three weeks away from finally playing it.”
What to do next
Phantom Blade Zero has had a long, winding road, from a 2016 concert announcement to a 2023 PlayStation Showcase reveal to over 1 million wishlists within two weeks of its Steam listing. Now it finally has a firm date, a fair price and specs that won’t demand a brand-new PC.
If you’re on the fence, the Standard Edition at $59.99 is the safe pick, and the pre-order bonuses come with either version. Lock in your platform, check your specs, and pair your headphones with your PS5 so you catch every note of that kungfupunk soundtrack.
Source: Phantom Blade Zero official site, with editions and pricing from the PlayStation Store listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. After moving from September 9 to October 29, 2026, the game is locked in and pre-orders are live on the PlayStation Store and Steam. In the Americas it unlocks on the evening of October 28 thanks to a simultaneous global launch.
You can play it on both. It launches the same day on PS5 and on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. No Xbox or Switch version has been announced.
It borrows some ideas, and Steam users tag it as Souls-like, but director Soulframe Liang has called it neither a Soulslike nor a traditional action game. Reported features like four difficulty settings and boss checkpoints make it friendlier than most of the genre.
The Standard Edition costs $59.99 and the Digital Deluxe Edition costs $69.99 in the US. Deluxe adds two outfits, a digital artbook and the soundtrack, and both editions include the pre-order bonuses.
Based on the listed launch time, it unlocks at 7:00 PM PDT / 10:00 PM EDT on October 28, 2026. That equals 2:00 AM GMT on October 29 in the UK.
S-GAME hasn’t confirmed an official runtime. Earlier reports cited by TechRadar suggested a 20 to 30 hour main story plus around 20 hours of side content, with eight possible endings.
