Echoes of Aincrad is an action RPG developed by Game Studio Inc. and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, set in the world of the Sword Art Online franchise. For the first time in the series, you don't play as Kirito — you create your own avatar, one of the 10,000 players trapped inside the floating castle of Aincrad, and live an original story that runs alongside the events fans know.
Combat is real-time action built around HP, Stamina and SP management, six distinct weapon types, and an AI partner system that lets you bring one companion — each with unique support skills — into every quest. Towns act as your base for upgrading weapons, buying consumables and enhancing stats, while checkpoints across each floor support exploration of an expanding map.
True to the franchise premise, an optional Death Game Mode raises the stakes to their logical extreme: if your character dies, your save file is deleted — permanently. It can be layered onto any of the four difficulty levels, from Story to Very Hard.
The game launches July 9, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and July 10, 2026 on PC via Steam. Read the full FAQ →