← all stories

Mortal Shell II

Mortal Shell II is scheduled to launch on August 20, 2026, with a demo available on Steam and pre-orders open, though the PS5 physical edition has been halted due to demand exceeding supply.

Synthesized from 3 Yomimono stories · updated Jul 17

Cold Symmetry and Playstack are preparing to release Mortal Shell II on August 20, 2026, following a successful open beta in June. The beta, which launched during Summer Game Fest 2026, let players experience the first three hours of the game and earned a "Very Positive" rating on Steam with 92% of roughly 4,600 user reviews positive and a peak of about 8,000 concurrent players. Some progress from the beta carries over to the full game, and playing the beta unlocks a prologue skip and a pioneer skin.

The sequel discards the original's stamina mechanic in favor of step dodges and perfect guards. It features a compact open world with over 60 dungeons, where players strengthen characters by donning the remains of fallen warriors to gain their abilities and stats. The game is coming to PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. A limited-time PC demo is available on Steam, covering the prologue and an early open-world area with about three hours of content.

Pre-orders are open for the standard edition and the Devout Edition, which includes 72-hour early access and eight shell skins. However, the PS5 physical edition's pre-orders were halted days after the release date announcement after demand outstripped forecasts. Playstack apologized and warned that restocking before the August 20 launch is unlikely. The shortage coincides with a broader debate about physical media, including a petition for continued physical game production that has surpassed 150,000 signatures and Sony's plan to end disc production for new PlayStation games after January 2028.

Key facts

Release date
August 20, 2026
Platforms
PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Open beta Steam rating
92% positive from approximately 4,600 user reviews, peak 8,000 concurrent players
Combat changes
Removes stamina in favor of step dodges and perfect guards
World design
Compact open world with over 60 dungeons
Developer and publisher
Developed by Cold Symmetry, published by Playstack
PS5 physical edition pre-orders
Halted due to demand exceeding forecasts; restocking before launch unlikely
Original game sales
500,000 copies worldwide

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 · August 20 · 2026-07-16
Release
game · 2026-08-20 · worldwide · 2026-07-08
Release
game · 2026-06-06 · Steam · 2026-06-06
Release
game · later in 2026 · PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S · 2026-06-06
Announced
PS5 physical edition pre-orders halted · 2026-07-16

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/mortal-shell-ii. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

Jul 16

Mortal Shell II PS5 Physical Edition Pre-Orders Halted as Demand Outstrips Supply

Playstack has apologized for the PS5 physical edition of Mortal Shell II being unavailable for pre-order due to demand exceeding forecasts. The company warned that restocking before the August 20 release is unlikely. The shortage comes amid ongoing debate about physical media, with a petition for continued physical game production surpassing 150,000 signatures and Sony planning to end disc production for new PlayStation games after January 2028.

Jul 8

Mortal Shell II Release Date Set for August 20

Publisher Playstack and developer Cold Symmetry have announced that Mortal Shell II, the sequel to the 2020 souls-like dark action RPG, will launch on August 20, 2026. The game is coming to PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Pre-orders are now open for the standard edition and the Devout Edition, which includes 72-hour early access and a set of eight shell skins. A limited-time PC demo is available on Steam, allowing players to carry over some progress to the full game. The demo covers the prologue and the early open-world area, offering about three hours of content. The game features a compact open world with over 60 dungeons, a combat system that removes stamina in favor of step dodges and perfect guards, and the ability to don the remains of fallen warriors to gain their abilities and stats. The open beta, which ran in June, earned a "Very Positive" rating on Steam, with 92% of approximately 4,600 user reviews positive and a peak of about 8,000 concurrent players. Mortal Shell II is the studio's first major sequel after the original game sold 500,000 copies worldwide.

Jun 6

Mortal Shell II Open Beta Launches on Steam With First 3 Hours Playable

Playstac launched an open beta for the dark action RPG 'Mortal Shell II' on Steam on June 6, 2026, during the Summer Game Fest 2026 digital event. The beta lets players experience the first three hours of the full game, and some progress carries over to the final release. Playing the beta also unlocks a skip of the prologue in the full version and grants a pioneer skin. The game is a sequel to the 2020 title 'Mortal Shell' and is described as an open-world single-player action RPG. It features a compact world with over 60 dungeons, where players strengthen characters through exploration and take on high-difficulty battles. The full version is scheduled for release later in 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Japanese language support is already included in the beta.