Beast of Reincarnation

Beast of Reincarnation is an action RPG developed by Game Freak and published by Fictions, scheduled to launch on 4 August 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass. It is Game Freak's first AAA title and the first mainline release from the studio not connected to the Pokémon franchise. Directed by Kota Furushima, who previously worked on the battle system and sound for various Pokémon titles, the game was first pitched through Game Freak's internal Gear Project initiative and has been in development for approximately six years. Originally announced in May 2023 under the working title Project Bloom as a partnership between Game Freak and Private Division, it was publicly revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2025. Art direction has drawn widespread comparisons to Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke, and the game's announcement trailer accumulated two million views.

Set in the year 4026, the game takes place in a post-apocalyptic Japan where a parasitic plant blight called the Blight has swept away human civilisation. Players control Emma, a swordswoman navigating this overgrown ruined world alongside her canine companion Koo. The parry system is the spine of combat: successfully parrying an attack charges power in Koo, who can then deploy special moves called Blooming Arts, including vine-based crowd control and a giant spider lily platform that launches Emma into a diving strike. Time slows when selecting which Art to use, giving the combat a tactical rhythm that RPG players will recognise. The world is constructed vertically, with Emma using vine manipulation to double jump, form temporary platforms, and traverse vegetation-covered terrain. As the bond between Emma and Koo deepens, new skills and equipment slots unlock, with the companion relationship central to both the story and progression systems.