Sony just confirmed a broadcast State of Play specially reserved for Phantom Blade Zero, the ambitious wuxia action game from studio S-Game. The broadcast aired on August 17, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. Pacific time (9:00 a.m. August 18 Vietnam time), revealing nearly 20 minutes of completely new gameplay on PlayStation's official Twitch and YouTube channels.
Pre-order officially opened, attractive early gifts
Alongside the announcement of State of Play, Phantom Blade Zero has also officially gone on pre-order on PlayStation 5, Steam and the Epic Games Store. Pre-orderers will receive the Treasure Basin accessory and the Legacy outfit, both of which can also be unlocked through regular gameplay.
Donnie Yen: from creative consultant to motion capture actor
A notable highlight of the project is the participation of a martial arts star Donnie Yen, who has served as a creative consultant for Phantom Blade Zero since 2023, brings his experience in martial arts choreography and cinematic action to the game's combat design. He also contributed to the facial and movement motion capture for Mó Yuan, the father of the main character Soul.
Phantom World is full of mystery
The latest pre-order trailer only reveals the beginning of Soul's journey, from battles on his speeding chariot to confrontations with former teammate The Hunt. The upcoming State of Play promises to introduce entirely new characters who will play a central role in the storyline, while also showcasing the level of gameplay customization players can build for themselves in the dark wuxia land known as Phantom World.
- State of Play air date: August 17, 2026, 7:00 p.m. PT
- Development studio: S-Game
- Launch date: October 29, 2026, on PS5 and PC
- Creative advisor: Donnie Yen (from 2023)
- Pre-order offers: Treasure Basin accessories, Legacy apparel
Broadcast Time, Platforms and Story
According to the PlayStation Blog, the State of Play starts at 7:00 p.m. PT on August 17, which is 9:00 a.m. in Vietnam, 10:00 a.m. Beijing time and 11:00 a.m. JST on August 18, and runs nearly 20 minutes of gameplay. Reports afterwards said the show introduced new story characters and player-made builds.
On the story, per RPG Site and other game outlets, Soul is brought back to life by a mysterious figure but has only 66 days to live. In that time he must find a cure for his worsening condition and face the people who murdered his leader. That is the groundwork for the Phantom World setting mentioned above.
The game launches on October 29, 2026 on PS5 and PC (Steam and the Epic Games Store), after S-Game pushed it back 50 days from September 9 to upgrade character models and environments (per RPG Site and Gematsu). RPG Site lists the standard edition at $59.99 and the Deluxe Edition at $69.99.
