A brand-new trailer was unveiled at PlayStation's State of Play, spotlighting Phantom Blade Zero's fluid wuxia-inspired combat.

PlayStation's June 2026 State of Play brought fresh news for Phantom Blade Zero fans, but it also came with a change to the game's release plans. 

Alongside a new trailer and confirmation that pre-orders will begin this summer, S-GAME CEO and Phantom Blade Zero creator Soulframe Liang announced that the action title will now arrive on 29 October 2026 rather than its previously scheduled 9 September launch date. The update was shared by Liang in a message posted on the official Phantom Blade Zero X account following the latest State of Play presentation.

Phantom Blade Zero

Release date: 29 October 2026 (delayed from 9 September)

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC

Developer: S-GAME

Why has Phantom Blade Zero been delayed?

According to Liang, the decision was made to allow the team more time to improve the game ahead of launch. "First of all, I want to offer my sincere apologies to all the players who have been following and supporting us. This was not an easy decision," he said before explaining the reason for the delay.

Liang said the studio understood the expectations surrounding the project and did not want to release the game while there was still an opportunity to improve it further. Over the past few months, development efforts have focused on streamlining content and polishing key areas of the game. During that process, Liang said he identified "one final opportunity for Phantom Blade Zero to make another meaningful leap forward."

The additional development time is being used to upgrade character models and rework numerous environments throughout the game. Liang also said the team has devoted extra effort to maintaining the game's visual quality even without ray tracing. "Of course, ray tracing will further enhance the visuals, but our priority is to make sure the core look, atmosphere, and intensity of Phantom Blade Zero come through at full force for as many players as possible."

What improvements are coming during Phantom Blade Zero’s delay?

Liang described the postponement as a focused effort to complete a number of specific improvements before release. "A 50-day delay cannot solve everything. But it does give us enough time to complete a number of clearly defined and genuinely important improvements." He added that these refinements will have a direct impact on players' first experience with the game. While some of the changes could have been delivered after launch, the team believes players who jump in on day one should receive the strongest version of Phantom Blade Zero possible.

Looking back on development, Liang said the project has continued to evolve since its reveal in 2023. He pointed to milestones including the first offline hands-on demo in 2024, as well as the Seven-Star Sword Formation, Lion Dance, and Drunken Sword showcases in 2025, describing each public showing as a significant step forward from the last.

What's next for Phantom Blade Zero?

While waiting, players can still expect more updates over the coming months. Aside from what was shown during June 2026’s State of Play, a new trailer featuring entirely new in-game footage will be released alongside the opening of pre-orders this summer.

Following that, S-GAME plans to host a dedicated State of Play focused entirely on Phantom Blade Zero. Liang said the presentation will run for 15 to 20 minutes and will explore the game's world, combat, exploration, and character progression systems. "The vast majority of what we show there will be brand-new,” he added.

When will Phantom Blade Zero’s dedicated State of Play happen?

The exact dates for both the pre-order launch and the dedicated State of Play presentation will be announced at a later time.  Closing the message, Liang again apologised for the delay and thanked fans for their continued support, adding: “I believe every extra day of waiting will be worth it.”

To find out more about all the games showcased in PlayStation's June 2026 State of Play, check here.