4 free new heroes coming in H2 2026 (no paid characters ever). Rift System adds intense instanced combat. Hero Requests expand character stories (Othello first, then Liza). Sky Island is World 2 expansion (may be paid DLC). PS5 and Switch 2 ports confirmed. First week sales: 200,000+ copies. No gacha, no Battle Pass, no P2W â ever.
â Confirmed Content
1. Four Free New Heroes (H2 2026)
- All 4 new heroes are free â not paid DLC
- Each has unique story, gear and mechanics
- Rolling out over the coming weeks and months
- Base game: 19 heroes â Final total: 23 heroes
- Dana has been revealed as one of the upcoming heroes
2. Hero Requests (Character Story Missions)
- Additional quests exploring hero stories not covered in the main campaign
- Starts with Othello's story, followed by Liza's story
- Runs parallel to the main storyline
3. Rift System (čĢįžįģŧįŧ)
- Rifts appear in the world
- Enter through rifts to battle in other dimensions
- Designed for more intense combat encounters
- New endgame instanced content
4. Sky Island / Floating Island (åĪĐįĐšåēæĐåą)
- New region â World 2
- Adventure on floating islands in the sky
- Distribution model TBD â may be free or paid DLC
- Releases after Orbis (World 1) story DLC is completed
5. Platform Ports
- PS5 version confirmed
- Nintendo Switch 2 version confirmed
- Currently PC-only (Steam)
- No release dates announced for console versions
6. Swimsuit DLC (Cosmetic Only)
- Swimsuit costumes for 3 female characters (Reina, Cerese, and one more)
- Purely cosmetic â does not affect gameplay balance
7. Quality Improvements
âïļ Combat
Better hit impact, smoother controls
ð· Camera
Camera upgrades and fixes
ðŪ Controller
Improved controller support
ðĨïļ UI / UX
Interface additions, accessibility improvements
ð Localization
Translation and voice quality enhancements
âĻ Polish
General bug fixes and quality of life
ð Under Consideration
These features are being evaluated by Hound13 but not yet confirmed:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Photo Mode | In-game photography mode for screenshots |
| HUD Customization | Customizable heads-up display elements |
| Japanese Voice Acting | Japanese language voiceover option |
| Effect Reduction Option | Toggle to reduce visual effects for performance/readability |
| Hold Left-Click Auto Attack | Auto-attack by holding mouse button |
| More Controller Customization | Expanded controller button remapping |
| Open-World Co-op | Invite-code co-op for open world (currently instanced only) |
â No Current Plans
These features have been explicitly ruled out (for now):
| Feature | Notes |
|---|---|
| Housing | No player housing / home system planned |
| Fishing | No fishing minigame planned |
| Battle Pass | No battle pass / seasonal pass system |
| Pause Feature | No pause function (likely due to action combat design) |
| Gacha System | Never â the game explicitly abandoned gacha monetization |
| Paid Characters | All heroes are free â no paid DLC characters |
| P2W Mechanics | No pay-to-win elements of any kind |
ðïļ Estimated Timeline
| Period | Content |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | Discord AMA event (text-based Q&A) |
| June 2026 | Steam Next Fest demo |
| Jul 23, 2026 | Global Steam release (Western launch) |
| Jul-Aug 2026 | First week: 200,000+ sales; PS5 / Switch 2 ports confirmed |
| H2 2026 | 4 free new heroes rolling out |
| H2 2026 | Hero Requests (Othello â Liza) |
| H2 2026 | Rift System launch |
| H2 2026 | Quality improvement patches |
| Late 2026 - 2027 | Orbis story DLC (World 1 conclusion) |
| 2027+ | Sky Island expansion (World 2) |
| 2027+ | PS5 / Switch 2 versions |
Note: Specific dates have not been fully announced by the developer. Timeline is estimated based on official statements.
ð° Monetization Model
Confirmed Paid Content
- Base game: $29.99 one-time purchase
- Cosmetic DLC: Swimsuits and other appearance items (balance-neutral)
- Familiar DLC: Exploration companions (e.g., Griffon)
- Sky Island expansion: Potentially paid (TBD)
Explicitly NOT Doing
â Gacha
No loot boxes, no character pulls
â Paid Heroes
All characters free forever
â Battle Pass
No seasonal pass system
â P2W
No pay-to-win mechanics
Hound13 has committed to long-term support for DragonSword: Awakening. Even after transitioning from live-service to a premium game model, the studio continues to invest in content updates and quality improvements. The strong first-week sales (200,000+ copies) provide a solid foundation for ongoing development.
ðŊ What This Means for Players
Positives
- Free heroes: 4 new characters at no extra cost = great value
- Content expansion: Rift System and Sky Island add meaningful endgame content
- Quality improvements: Combat, camera, UI getting ongoing polish
- Multi-platform: PS5 and Switch 2 versions bring the game to more players
- No-gacha promise: Sticking to the one-time purchase model, no P2W
Things to Watch
- Update pace: New content rolls out gradually, not all at once
- Sky Island pricing: World 2 expansion may be paid DLC
- Unconfirmed features: Photo Mode, open-world co-op still under consideration
- Missing features: Housing, fishing, Battle Pass will not be added
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