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ECHOES

Echoes is a name shared by several unrelated games and a game mode, with the most prominent being Bandai Namco's Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad, which launched in July 2026 to mixed reviews and strong sales. Other titles using the name include the free Steam adventure ECHOES, the action RPG Fading Echo, and the Metroidvania Maseylia: Echoes of the Past.

Synthesized from 27 Yomimono stories · updated 5d ago

The name Echoes appears across multiple distinct projects covered by Yomimono in 2026. The largest is Bandai Namco's Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad, an action RPG that retells the Aincrad arc from the perspective of a regular player rather than Kirito. It launched July 9 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in Japan, and July 10 on PC via Steam and in the West. The game debuted at No. 2 on the Japanese Steam sales ranking and No. 5 in Japan's weekly physical sales, but reviews were mixed, with a Metascore of 60 on PC and 64 on PS5. Critics praised the story while criticizing repetitive design and technical issues.

Bandai Namco promoted the game with an unusual limited-time 18-minute anime promo that was removed from the internet on July 6, and a demo that covered the beta test chapter. The full game includes a permadeath Death Game Mode that deletes save data, normally unlocked after clearing the story, with early access in Deluxe and Ultimate Editions. Aimer performs the theme song "Live to Survive."

Separately, solo developer Nobigo released the free adventure game ECHOES on Steam on July 31, 2026, which reached a 100% positive rating from 41 user reviews. The game follows a young man and a broken android girl over five days in a post-apocalyptic world, with three endings and a playtime of 30 minutes to one hour. Other titles include Fading Echo, a French action RPG with a water-transformation mechanic, and Maseylia: Echoes of the Past, a 3D Metroidvania from Sol Brothers. The name also appears in Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea, delayed to October 15, and Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age, which received a Switch 2 version.

Key facts

Release date
Echoes of Aincrad launched July 9 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in Japan, and July 10 on PC via Steam and in the West. ↗
Metascore
Echoes of Aincrad has a Metascore of 60 on PC (9 reviews) and 64 on PS5 (34 reviews). ↗
Steam debut
Echoes of Aincrad debuted at No. 2 on the Japanese Steam sales ranking as of July 13, 2026. ↗
Death Game Mode
Death Game Mode is a permadeath option that deletes the save file upon character death, normally unlocked after completing the game once. ↗
Theme song
Aimer performs the theme song "Live to Survive" for Echoes of Aincrad. ↗
Free Steam game ECHOES
The free adventure game ECHOES released on Steam on July 31, 2026, with a 100% positive rating from 41 user reviews. ↗
ECHOES playtime and endings
ECHOES has three endings and an estimated playtime of 30 minutes to one hour. ↗
Harvest Moon delay
Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea was delayed to October 15, 2026, from September 24. ↗
Maseylia release
Maseylia: Echoes of the Past launched on Steam on June 19, 2026, with a console version announced for overseas markets. ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Release
game · July 31 at 19:00 · Steam · 2026-08-07
Release
game · 2026 · worldwide · 2026-07-06

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/echoes. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

3d ago

Seorin: Ark of Echoes Is a Defense RPG About Mental Health

At BIC2026, Seoul Economic Promotion Agency's booth showed Seorin: Ark of Echoes, a 3D strategy defense RPG from startup Windrome. Development began in April 2026. The game is a modern fantasy where players enter others' inner worlds, called Memoria, to stabilize distorted memories and emotions. Enemies represent emotional fragments like anxiety and loss, and the goal is stabilization, not destruction. The team collaborates with a psychiatric hospital.

6d ago

Call of Duty: Black Ops II Tops PS Store July 2026 Rankings on PS5 and PS4

Sony Interactive Entertainment published the July 2026 PlayStation Store download rankings on August 14, 2026. The 2012 title Call of Duty: Black Ops II took first place in both the PS5 and PS4 categories. The game became playable on current platforms on July 10, 2026, through a surprise release developed by Treyarch and Iron Galaxy Studios. On PS5, Palworld ranked second and Pro Baseball Spirits 2026 third. On PS4, Powerful Pro Baseball 2026-2027 placed second and Monster Hunter: World third. The PS VR2 category was led by Beat Saber, while eFootball topped the free-to-play list for another month. The rankings also cover the US and Canada, where Black Ops II also reached first place on both PS5 and PS4. The PS4 chart featured several older titles, including Dragon Quest XI S, FINAL FANTASY IX, FINAL FANTASY VI, SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE, and Bloodborne. The original Call of Duty: Black Ops appeared at fifth and twentieth on PS4. The port is priced at 5,900 yen, with a 2,950 yen price for PS Plus subscribers.

6d ago

Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea Delayed to October 15

Natsume announced on Wednesday that Harvest Moon: Echoes of Teradea will now launch on October 15, pushed back from its previously announced September 24 release date. The farming sim will be available for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Aug 12

Mushoku Tensei Game Adds Summer Roxy Pickup Gacha and Live Show

The Mushoku Tensei smartphone and PC game Chronicle of Echoes, released July 27, will run a limited pickup gacha for the new five-star character Summer Maiden Roxy from August 13 to August 31. The gacha includes a private time feature. A live stream, Cloecho Info Bureau Vol. 1, airs August 26.

Aug 9

Free Post-Apocalyptic ADV ECHOES Hits 100% Positive on Steam

Solo developer Nobigo released the short adventure game ECHOES on Steam on July 31, 2026. Set in a post-war wasteland, it follows a young man who meets a broken android girl and must decipher her fragmented voice. The game has 41 user reviews, all positive, with praise for its heartwarming story and second-playthrough appeal.

Aug 7

Free Steam Game ECHOES Depicts Five Days With a Broken Android Girl

Solo developer Bigo will release the short adventure game ECHOES for free on Steam on July 31 at 19:00. The game follows a young man and a broken android girl over five days in a post-apocalyptic world. Players decipher the girl's broken voice through simple puzzles. The game has three endings and an estimated playtime of 30 minutes to one hour.

Aug 5

Echoes of Aincrad Review: A Slow, Familiar Retelling of Sword Art Online

Bandai Namco's Echoes of Aincrad is an action-RPG retelling Sword Art Online from new characters' perspectives. The review notes the campaign takes over five hours to reach character customization and nearly half the game before the plot takes shape. Side-quests are standard MMO filler, and the silent protagonist limits storytelling.

Jul 21

High-Speed Action RPG Fading Echo Launches on Steam and Epic Games Store

French developer Emeteria released Fading Echo today on Steam and Epic Games Store. The action RPG is set in the collapsing Echoverse, where protagonist One can transform into water to fight, explore, and solve puzzles. A launch discount brings the price to 2,070 yen. PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions are planned for late 2026.

Jul 18

Rhythm Heaven Groove Holds Top Spot in Japan's Weekly Game Sales

Famitsu's weekly ranking for July 6-12 shows Rhythm Heaven Groove repeating at No. 1 with 126,073 copies sold (519,451 total). New releases include Magical Girl Witch Trials (No. 2), Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced (No. 4), Echoes of Aincrad (No. 5), and Digimon Story: Time Stranger (No. 6 on Switch 2, No. 8 on Switch). Tomodachi Life remains a steady seller at No. 3.

Jul 18

Game Spark's Weekly Roundup: Mechwarrior 2 Column and Survival Machine Lead

Game Spark published its weekly ranking of the most-read articles from July 10 to 16. The list includes a column on MechWarrior 2's cultural impact, free Epic Games titles, the full release of Survival Machine, and a roundup of Steam games including the co-op horror Cursed Companions. The top spot is not shown in the excerpt.

Jul 14

Steam Ranking: Echoes of Aincrad Debuts at No. 2 Amid Mixed Reviews

ASCII.jp's weekly Steam sales ranking for Japan, as of July 13, 2026, shows Valve's Counter-Strike 2 holding the top spot for another week. Bandai Namco's Sword Art Online title Echoes of Aincrad, released on July 9 (Steam version July 10), enters at No. 2 with a price of ¥8,910. Cygames' Granblue Fantasy: Relink, boosted by its Endless Ragnarok expansion, ranks third. Other notable entries include Pocketpair's Palworld at No. 4, now out of early access, and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Black Flag Re:Sync at No. 9. The ranking also features free-to-play titles Apex Legends, eFootball, and Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond, as well as the indie hit Meccha Cameleon and Kuro Games' Wuthering Waves. Meanwhile, Game Spark's roundup of international reviews for Echoes of Aincrad reports a Metascore of 60 on PC (9 reviews) and 64 on PS5 (34 reviews). Critics praise the story but criticize repetitive design, limited exploration, and technical issues, with some outlets calling it the weakest entry in the series.

Jul 12

Echoes of Aincrad Gets 18-Minute Anime Promo That Vanishes After July 6

Bandai Namco and Game Studio released an 18-minute original anime promo made solely for the action RPG Echoes of Aincrad, set in the Sword Art Online universe. The promo will be removed from the internet on July 6, after which it will be unviewable. The game launches globally July 9/10 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.

Jul 8

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Trailer Shows Death Game Mode

Bandai Namco Entertainment released a new trailer for Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad on Tuesday, previewing the game's Death Game Mode. The mode is a permadeath option that deletes the player's save file upon character death, with no respawns. It is normally available only after completing the game once, but early access is included with the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions. The game launches in Japan on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 9, and on PC via Steam on July 10. The Western release is July 10 across all platforms. Players create their own customizable avatar and explore Aincrad alongside characters like Kirito and Asuna. Aimer performs the theme song "Live to Survive." The game has four editions: Standard, Deluxe, Ultimate, and Aincrad (Bandai Namco Store exclusive). The Ultimate Edition adds a digital soundtrack, digital artbook, an in-game armor pack, and the bonus anime "Unanswered//butterfly," which follows other characters during the original Sword Art Online story. The Deluxe Edition includes expansion DLC and a starter item pack.

Jul 6

Short Adventure Game ECHOES Gets Steam Page, 2026 Release

Developer BIGO opened the Steam store page for the short adventure game ECHOES. Players wake in a ruin and meet an android girl whose speech uses unknown characters that must be deciphered. The game takes 30 minutes to one hour to complete, has three endings, and is due on PC in 2026.

Jul 6

Counter-Strike 2 Tops Steam Ranking, Echoes of Aincrad Debuts at 7th

Valve's Counter-Strike 2 reclaimed the top spot on the Steam sales ranking for Japan as of July 6, 2026, according to ASCII.jp's weekly chart. The free-to-play shooter took first place ahead of EA's Apex Legends in second and Cygames' Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond in third. Bandai Namco Entertainment's new Sword Art Online action RPG Echoes of Aincrad debuted at seventh place ahead of its Steam release on July 10. The game launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 9, with a standard edition priced at 8,910 yen. To promote the title, Bandai Namco is running a Clearance Group Recruitment Campaign through July 17, inviting streamers to play on Very Hard difficulty with Death Game Mode enabled. Participants receive a NerveGear streaming kit and have their names inscribed on a Monument of Life page. Separately, Sony Interactive Entertainment aired a two-part talk show on July 7 and 8 featuring SAO game general producer Takasuke Futami and Echoes of Aincrad production manager Yasuhiro Yawata, who demonstrated character creation and early story content.

Jul 5

New Games Releasing This Week: Black Flag Resynced, Granblue Fantasy Relink, Palworld

Game Spark and Inside have published their weekly roundups of new game releases for the week of July 6, 2026, covering both the Japanese and North American markets. The headline titles this week are 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced', 'GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok', and 'Palworld', all scheduled for release on July 9 and July 10 respectively. 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced' launches on July 9 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. 'GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' also arrives July 9 on PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch 2. 'Palworld' follows on July 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Other notable releases include 'Echoes of Aincrad' (July 9 on PS5, Xbox, PC; July 10 on PS5, Xbox, PC), 'Digimon Story Time Stranger' (July 9 on Switch 2 and Switch), 'Wuthering Waves' (July 10 on Xbox Series X|S), and 'College Football 27' (July 9 on PC, PS5, Xbox). The lists also include dozens of smaller indie and digital-only titles across all platforms.

Jul 5

Maseylia: Echoes of the Past Is a Solid 3D Metroidvania With Rough Edges

Game Spark reviews Maseylia: Echoes of the Past, a 3D Metroidvania on PC via Steam. The game features classic platforming actions like double jumps and grappling hooks, a minimalist story told through lore items, and a combat system the reviewer found outdated. Sequence breaks are possible and encouraged for speedrunning. The reviewer notes missing translations and long death rewinds as rough spots.

Jun 30

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Opening Movie Previews Aimer Theme Song

Bandai Namco Entertainment America released the opening movie for the action RPG Echoes of Aincrad, featuring the theme song "Live to Survive" by Aimer. The song launches digitally Wednesday in English and Japanese. The game launches July 9 in Japan and July 10 worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Jun 28

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Game Streams Second Story Trailer

Bandai Namco Entertainment America released the second story trailer for Echoes of Aincrad, a new action RPG set in the original Sword Art Online world. The game launches July 9 in Japan on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and July 10 on PC via Steam, with a Western release on all platforms July 10. Aimer performs the theme song.

Jun 28

Dragon Quest XI S Gets 50% Off Steam Sale Until July 10

Square Enix is offering Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age on Steam for 2,739 yen, half off its regular 5,478 yen price, through July 10. The Definitive Edition includes voice acting, extra character scenarios, 2D mode, and restriction play options.

Jun 28

VTuber Sakuna Yuki Tries the Echoes of Aincrad Demo, Eyes Death Game Mode

On June 20, 2026, VTuber Sakuna Yuki streamed the demo of the new Sword Art Online game Echoes of Aincrad, which released on all platforms on June 16. The action RPG, based on the Aincrad arc, puts players in the role of a regular player rather than Kirito. Sakuna completed the roughly four-hour demo on Normal difficulty and expressed interest in the full game's Death Game mode, where a game over deletes save data. The full version launches July 9, 2026, with the Steam version following on July 10.

Jun 20

3D Metroidvania 'Maseylia: Echoes of the Past' Launches on Steam

Sol Brothers released the 3D Metroidvania 'Maseylia: Echoes of the Past' on Steam. The game features sci-fi art inspired by Moebius, a connected world, and abilities like double jump and grapple hook. It is available for 2,150 yen with a 20% launch discount until July 4. A console release for overseas markets has been announced.

Jun 16

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Demo Launches With Beta Test Chapter

Bandai Namco Entertainment released the demo for Echoes of Aincrad, the new action RPG set in the Sword Art Online universe, on June 16. The demo covers the entire beta test chapter that opens the full game, letting players experience the period before the official service of the in-game MMO Sword Art Online becomes a death game. Playtime is roughly three to four hours, and save data carries over to the full release. Players control a fixed young swordsman avatar during the beta test, then customize their real appearance when the main story begins. The demo includes five missions, all weapon types, and a tutorial for the combat system, which features light and heavy attacks, sword skills, guarding, dodging, parrying, and a severance mechanic that lets players destroy enemy limbs. Partner character Iori, a hardcore beta tester, accompanies the player and can be ordered into Switch Mode or Free Mode. The full game launches July 9 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and July 10 on PC via Steam. Aimer performs the theme song "Live to Survive." Streaming guidelines restrict full-game streaming to Very Hard difficulty with Death Game Mode enabled until July 17.

Jun 14

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Story Trailer Reveals Demo and Release Dates

Bandai Namco Entertainment released a second story trailer for the action RPG Echoes of Aincrad, set in the original Sword Art Online death game world. A demo arrives June 16. The game launches July 9 in Japan on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and July 10 on PC via Steam, with a Western release on all platforms July 10. Aimer performs the theme song.

Jun 11

Sword Art Online Game Echoes of Aincrad Demo Arrives June 16

Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on June 11 that a demo version of the new Sword Art Online action RPG Echoes of Aincrad will be released on June 16 for PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The full game launches July 9 on consoles and July 10 on Steam. Echoes of Aincrad reboots the Aincrad arc from the original light novel, placing the player as a beta tester trapped in the death game. Character creation lets players customize their avatar's real appearance, which is revealed during the iconic death game declaration scene by Kayaba Akihiko. The demo covers the early first-floor quests Summon and Going Ahead, where players meet partner character Iori and experience the moment logging out becomes impossible. The game offers four difficulty levels plus a permadeath Death Game Mode unlocked after clearing the story. Kirito voice actor Yoshitsugu Matsuoka recorded new lines for the game, which uses the original anime audio for Kayaba's announcement.

May 29

Sol Brothers' 'Maseylia: Echoes of the Past' Gets June 19 Release Date

Developer Sol Brothers announced that the 3D Metroidvania 'Maseylia: Echoes of the Past' will launch on PC via Steam on June 19. The game follows a player searching for a missing father across six biomes, gaining abilities like double jump and grappling hook. A demo is available with positive Steam reviews.

May 27

Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition Gets Switch 2 Version

Square Enix announced a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition, releasing September 24. The port includes graphics and performance optimization modes. The announcement coincided with the original Dragon Quest's 40th anniversary.