Abzu and The Pathless studio's stunning new adventure game Sword of the Sea gets a release date, and it's right around the corner

The PlayStation State of Play showcase went live today, giving fans a glimpse of some of the most impressive-looking games yet to come – including Sword of the Sea, the upcoming atmospheric adventure from Giant Squid Studios.

Giant Squid Studios, the developer behind indie gems like Abzu and The Pathless, unveiled its upcoming game two years ago alongside a breathtaking announcement trailer.

Its projected launch window was set as 2025, but the team provided no specific release date – until now, that is. During Sony's latest State of Play, Giant Squid Studios revealed a brand-new trailer and a concrete release date: August 19 of this year.

The trailer also highlights more of Sword of the Sea's gameplay, and it's as stunning as fans of Giant Squid Studios' previous titles would expect. Sand-surfing across glittery dunes and soaring through glistening waters, the quiet protagonist scales every environment thrown their way atop the Hoversword – an object the dev describes as moving "like a snowboard, skateboard, and surfboard all in one."

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As Giant Squid Studios explains on the PlayStation Blog accompanying the new trailer, Sword of the Sea offers players a zen spiritual journey through its various land and waterscapes. "In Sword of the Sea, surfing across the landscape can actually evoke a state of meditative calm and flow," writes the dev. It's a peaceful adventure, the very same kind the seasoned team is already regarded so highly for.

"When you finally get to play Sword of the Sea, take in the vibrant color, the living world, and the enchanting score by Austin Wintory," advises Giant Squid Studios. "We hope the experience will give you the indescribable, spiritual combination of rush and tranquility that makes surfing so special."

Need even more to look forward to? Here are some other new games coming this year and beyond.

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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.