Beast of Reincarnation is shaping up to be a great action RPG on its own merits, but it's extra exciting that it comes from Game Freak, the developer studio behind Pokemon. In many ways, this high-fidelity solo adventure couldn't be more different but, as Game Freak discussed in its Xbox Developer Direct deep dive, it carries forward an ethos core to the team's creativity that's been informed by decades of work on the monster catcher.
"Plants, animals, and nature" are vital to the themes Game Freak wants to explore across the studio's games. True in Pokemon, Beast of Reincarnation tackles these themes in a different way, blending together sci-fi elements through its futuristic 4026 Japan setting. As a blight spreads in the new game's story, Emma must team up with wolf Koo to cleanse the world – but what saving this world even means remains to be seen.
Beast of Reincarnation release date speculation
Even though Beast of Reincarnation has been in development for six years – making it one of Game Freak's largest and most ambitious projects ever – there's not long to wait until it releases and we can adventure across this blighted future. Beast of Reincarnation will be launching Summer 2026 across all platforms, and will be available at the same time on Xbox Game Pass and as part of the Xbox Play Anywhere program.
Beast of Reincarnation platforms
Not appearing on Nintendo Switch (sorry, Pokemon heads), Beast of Reincarnation is releasing on all other major platforms. With the recent deep dive with Game Freak appearing during the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct, the studio has partnered closely with Xbox. As well as just releasing on Xbox Series X/S, it'll be playable day one on Xbox Game Pass, via Xbox on PC, and on Xbox Cloud – giving it the coveted Xbox Play Anywhere badge. In addition, Beast of Reincarnation will also be available on PS5, and PC via Steam.
Is Beast of Reincarnation on Xbox Game Pass?
And then some! Beast of Reincarnation is releasing on Xbox Series X/S and through Xbox on PC, and will be available on Xbox Game Pass day one and through Xbox Cloud. That earns the action RPG the Xbox Play Anywhere badge, making it one of the biggest new Xbox releases of 2026 and a vital part of the platform holder's portfolio for the year ahead.
That doesn't mean other players are missing out, though. As mentioned above, it'll also be launching on PS5 and PC via Steam too (sorry, Nintendo Switch players, nothing has been announced for that platform yet).
Beast of Reincarnation story and setting
Set in the year 4026, post-apocalyptic Japan has become overgrown and corrupted by the blight caused by the Nushi, one of many malefacts that spread blight across the land. Cursed as a Blighted One (something to do with her groovy ivy-like hair, I imagine), Emma is humanity's last hope as they hurtle towards full extinction. Forging a bond with Koo, a huge and loyal dog, they need to survive the ruins of Japan as they battle malefacts to cleanse the land.
Along the way, they must also battle against the Golems, a 2000-year old splintering of humanity that transferred their souls into mechanical bodies. Between corrupted nature and corrupted science, humanity is on the brink. While the story centers on Emma and Koo, they will have some support through allies like Brad and Kagura, and will also cross paths with Kunai and her own animal ally. But in a world this far gone, what does it even mean to cleanse it?
Beast of Reincarnation trailers
Beast of Reincarnation was first revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2025, with a cinematic trailer introducing us to the post-apocalyptic Japan of 4026 that Emma and Koo will be fighting through as humanity teeters on the brink of extinction. It focuses on the heroic duo battling corrupted, blighted, monstrous animals called 'malefacts', robots, and other enemies.
![[4K] Developer_Direct 2026 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hXn6bvU1Kh4/maxresdefault.jpg)
The 10-minute deep dive from the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 gives loads more information about the world of Beast of Reincarnation and how it plays as Game Freak talks us through the game all the way from discussing its early development. Described as a "one-person, one-dog action RPG", we get a look at post-apocalyptic Japan and the overgrown areas that Emma and Koo will have to explore. Showcasing several malefacts, the large boss-type enemies the pair will be hunting down, we're also told about the Nushi – the biggest of the creatures that's responsible for spreading the Blight that afflicts the world, and summoning dense Blighted Forests across the land.
Within this demo, we get a better look at the Golem faction, made up of humanoid robots that we only got the briefest of glimpses of before. They're a great foil for the nature-driven threat of the blighted creatures, created when a branch of humanity transferred their souls into "mechanical bodies to survive the harsh world" and have been active for 2000 years already. It seems that Golems will make up a large portion of the standard enemy types Emma and Koo will need to fight through. It's a harsh world, but there are other people out there – we also are introduced to Brad and Kagura who will support Emma and Koo, and a mysterious rival to Emma, swordswoman Kunia, who seems to have her own deer companion.
Beast of Reincarnation gameplay
Beast of Reincarnation is true to the "one-person, one-dog action RPG" promise. Combat heavy, Emma and Koo's abilities power one another up. Parry attacks as Emma, for example, and Koo will grow stronger, ready to unleash an attack. Certain commands will slow time to a crawl giving you time to think strategically, primarily when giving commands to Koo, in a way that's not unlike Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Game Freak specifically liken the slow-down to being like a turn-based RPG, which, as they are the Pokemon creators, is interesting.
Though there's a lot of combat, it's up to you how you want to approach fights. Within the developer walkthrough, we're told that they've already seen players diverge in how they like to do battle. Some always get stuck in using melee, others use long range attacks to hang back, or try to stealthily take care of major threats before full-on combat erupts. You can even send Koo in ahead and use Emma more like backup. Both Emma and Koo have their own skill trees as well, and you'll be able to equip more of them as they level up, finding different synergies between their abilities as you progress. Collectible spirit stones can further enhance the bond between Emma and Koo with special effects.
The exact structure of the game isn't quite clear just yet, but some areas seem to be quite large in what we've seen so far. Emma and Koo switch between doing battle with lots of smaller enemies, mostly mechanical, with big boss battles at the moment being against larger malefacts monsters – corrupted animals that represent nature. Throughout all modes of play, Emma and Koo can move quickly, bouncing between plants and ivy with ease.
Beast of Reincarnation development
Beast of Reincarnation has been in development at the Pokemon development studio Game Freak for the past six years. The developer might be best known for its creature collecting RPG series, but it's never been the only project they've worked on. In recent years, Game Freak has also developed the likes of Tembo the Badass Element, Giga Wrecker, and Little Town Hero. Still, Beast of Reincarnation feels like their most ambitious non-Pokemon title to date, a big step forward from their smaller side projects in the past.
The director of Beast of Reincarnation is Kota Furushima, who has worked at Game Freak for a long time. His credits on Pokemon titles span sound management and battle planning, and it's the latter set of skills that definitely comes to the fore in this action RPG. Beast of Reincarnation is a combat heavy experience whether Emma and Koo are fighting groups of small enemies or large, threatening boss battles against massive foes. The pair have an impressive level of ways to synergize skills whether they're approaching fights head-on, at range, or with a pinch of stealth. The flashy, real-time scraps also have a layer of strategy, with time slowing down for you to choose between unleashing certain skills, leaning on Game Freak's turn-based RPG experience.
"Plants, animals, and nature" are core themes for Game Freak in general, whether that's the family fun of Pokemon or grittier sci-fi like in Beast of Reincarnation. The corrupted nature visuals of the blight were the "perfect motif" for exploring the specific flavor of post-apocalyptic 4026 Japan here. Combining overgrown cities with the beauty of rural Japan, concept artist Kazuma Koda helped to create a gorgeous visual style that sets Beast of Reincarnation apart.
Can I pre-order Beast of Reincarnation?
Beast of Reincarnation isn't available to pre-order just yet, but with its Summer 2026 launch window, it should be soon enough. Currently, though, you can add it to your wishlist on certain platforms, like Steam. For those who use Xbox Game Pass, pre-orders won't be necessary, as Beast of Reincarnation will be available on day one through the service, as well as being a part of Xbox Play Anywhere.
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