Bandai Namco Reveals Echoes Of Aincrad, A New Sword Art Online RPG

Bandai Namco teased the announcement of a new RPG earlier this week, and it paid that off yesterday with the reveal of Echoes of Aincrad. The title arrives this July and is tied to the popular Sword Art Online franchise.

The game unfolds in the floating castle of Aincrad, with players controlling a customizable hero who is one of thousands of trapped souls there. “What seemed to be a dream adventure has now become a fight for survival. Among thousands of trapped souls, your journey is yours alone; will you rise, endure, and forge bonds that define your destiny? Or will you perish while facing enemies stronger, faster, and more ruthless than you imagined?” reads the game’s official synopsis.

To conquer Aincrad, players must build and master a character capable of utilizing different combat styles and weapons in a system that encourages flexible progression. You’ll also have an AI partner (this is a single-player game) to build synergy with and adapt their skills and gear to your advantage, but Bandai does not specify how this system works as of yet. Echoes of Aincrad’s world features diverse cities, dungeons, and other environments. The trailer shows the players roaming open plains, a cave, and a small village.

Echoes of Aincrad is coming on July 10 to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.