PQube and Rocket Panda Games have announced that the release date for their anime beat-em-up Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate has been delayed into April.
“The release date for Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate, originally scheduled for Thursday 13 February 2025, has been postponed to Thursday 17 April 2025,” Masaki Sakari writes.
“First and foremost, we want to extend our sincerest apologies to you – everyone eagerly awaiting the game’s release. While the single-player experience is nearly complete, we encountered unforeseen delays with the implementation and testing of the online modes.
“Enabling online cross-play multiplayer across all platforms (Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch) is an incredibly challenging feature, but we’re committed to our mission of letting our awesome fans play together at launch.
“The delay is entirely my responsibility as the producer. We kindly ask for your patience until the new release date of April 17. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.”
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate has seen the developer fully rework and rebuild the game in Unreal Engine 5, promising “revamped and smoother gameplay,” local and online co-op, and Versus Modes for up to 8 players worldwide with cross-platform support.
Alongside visual and gameplay improvements, there are also new characters and the inclusion of enemies as playable characters in Arcade Mode. The game’s soundtrack has similarly been remastered, letting you choose between a brand new soundtrack composed by all-girl J-rock band the Phantom Breakers or the classic version.
The publisher has outlined the game’s key features, which include:
- Revamped gameplay – Gameplay has been rebuilt from scratch in Unreal Engine 5, giving smoother gameplay and flashier special attacks.
- Online co-op and vs modes – Team up with friends in local co-op or challenge up to 8 fighters from around the world with cross-platform online play.
- Play as the enemy – Take on the role of powerful adversaries from the Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds universe, each with their own distinct combat style and abilities in Arcade Mode.
- Remastered Soundtrack – Players can choose an all-new soundtrack composed by all-girl J-rock band The Phantom Breakers or the classic versions from Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds or Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive.
Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate will be released at retail and digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch worldwide on 17 April 2025.
