Phantom Blade Zero has likely sold over one million copies ahead of its official launch, according to estimates from Alinea Analytics. Rhys Elliott, head of market analysis at the firm, calculates that approximately 850,000 units were sold via Steam and PlayStation 5, with an additional 80,000 copies purchased after the review embargo lifted, GRYOnline.pl reported.
Asian markets drive million-copy sales milestone
The 850,000 figure does not include sales from Chinese platforms Tencent and WeGame. Elliott states that once these figures are included, total sales certainly exceed one million copies. This growth is heavily concentrated in Asia, where Alinea Analytics reports 62.5% of all sales come from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Regional dominance is most evident on Steam, where players from these areas account for 75.9% of purchases. On PlayStation, the share from these regions is 24.9%. While the trend mirrors the success of Black Myth: Wukong, Elliott cautioned against expecting an identical phenomenon.
Did you know? S-Game describes the game’s visual style as “kungfupunk,” blending Chinese martial arts with dark fantasy and mechanical inventions.
Phantom Blade Zero launches October 29
The game debuts on PC and PlayStation 5 on October 29, 2026, according to Interia Gry. The standard digital edition is priced at 299 PLN in the Polish PlayStation Store, while the Deluxe edition costs 349 PLN. The Deluxe version includes two additional character outfits, a digital artbook, and the soundtrack.
Players seeking a physical copy will face a longer wait; Interia Gry reports the boxed version for PS5 is not scheduled until 2027. The game will not feature a Polish language version, and the price in Polish zlotys is reportedly the highest in the world.
Unreal Engine 5 uses path tracing for lighting
Built on Unreal Engine 5, the title utilizes path tracing to handle lighting and shadows. CD-Action reported that the game is generally well-optimized, though it requires a significant shader compilation period—taking 12 minutes and 30 seconds on a system with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Performance tests on a Steam Machine indicated that the CPU often becomes the bottleneck rather than the GPU.
On PlayStation 5, Digital Foundry analyzed three distinct graphical modes as reported by PPE:
| Mode | Target FPS | Resolution/Details |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 60 FPS | 900p to 1080p |
| Balanced | 40 FPS | Between Performance and Quality |
| Quality | 30 FPS | Up to 1440p |
Digital Foundry noted that the Performance mode is the most stable choice for both PS5 and PS5 Pro, as the Balanced mode suffers from uneven frame pacing. The PS5 Pro version adds a toggle for ray-traced reflections, global illumination, and shadows, but does not significantly increase frame rates over the base console.
Critics praise combat while S-Game prepares day-one patch
The game currently holds a 91/100 average on OpenCritic based on 29 reviews, naEKRANIE.pl reports. Reviewers have praised the boss battles and the dynamic combat system. However, some critics raised concerns: Marco Cocomello cited a confusing plot and disappointing PC performance, while Johnathon Cariati of Console Creatures noted minor technical glitches.
To address these issues, S-Game will release a day-one update. This patch is intended to eliminate various bugs and improve overall performance, specifically targeting ray tracing and path tracing stability.
Pro Tip: If playing on PC with a lower-end CPU, reducing graphics settings may not significantly increase FPS, as the processor often limits performance before the GPU does.
Phantom Blade Zero Quick Facts
Will there be a physical release? Yes, but the boxed version for PS5 is expected in 2027, per Interia Gry.
What is the story premise? Players control Soul, a warrior with only 66 days to live, who must uncover a conspiracy in a “kungfupunk” world, according to Interia Gry.
Is there a Polish localization? No, the game does not offer a Polish language version.
The game’s current trajectory follows the pattern of Black Myth: Wukong, which dominated the 2024 market specifically within the Chinese gaming sector.