Fan-favorite RPG developer Nihon Falcom has announced Kyoto Xanadu, a new action RPG set to be released this summer. The announcement comes from Nintendo’s latest Partner Showcase, which confirms the release of the Tokyo Xanadu follow-up for the Nintendo Switch 2. Kyoto Xanadu‘s official website confirms that the game will release on the PlayStation 5 and Steam as well.
Falcom is best known for their Trails in the Sky series of role-playing games. A part of its larger The Legend of Heroes series of RPGs, there have been more than a dozen Trails games released, with fans praising the series for its engaging gameplay and dynamic storytelling. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, the latest game in the Trails series, is a 2025 remake of the original 2004 title. Falcom also develops the well-received Ys series of RPGs, with the latest in the series, Ys X: Proud Nordics, released in Japan in July 2025.
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Developer Nihon Falcom has officially confirmed Kyoto Xanadu, revealed during Nintendo’s February 2026 Partner Showcase, will be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. The influential RPG developer’s latest game serves as a successor to their 2015 action RPG Tokyo Xanadu. In Kyoto Xanadu, players will guide protagonist Rei through a fictional version of Japan where Kyoto is the capital. In this world, a parallel universe exists where monsters roam freely. As these monsters begin to venture across into Rei’s reality, he will join forces with his classmates at Hirasaka Academy, a school for uniquely gifted students, in an effort to stop them. Hirasaka Academy’s ultimate goal is to master the labyrinth known as Xanadu, an intricate maze thought to be the point of origin for the alternate world.
Kyoto Xanadu features a blend of genres, innovating on the beloved action RPG combat that fans expect with an infusion of 2D platforming. As Rei journeys through Xanadu, he will reshape the labyrinth’s terrain, opening new pathways and uncovering its secrets. Powerful enemies will disrupt Rei’s journey, shifting the perspective to allow for action-packed combat. Players will need to use Rei’s recently awakened abilities to take down massive beasts before they can disrupt the border between this world and Kyoto. Outside of Xanadu, players will have plenty to do within Kyoto’s Hirasaka Academy. Rei will attend classes, train, and even socialize with his classmates. Rei’s actions within his school will affect his exploration of Xanadu, enhancing and unlocking his abilities based on his actions in Kyoto.
Nihon Falcom’s status as a premiere developer is well known among fans of role-playing games, having released some of gaming’s most critically acclaimed RPGs. The massive popularity of the Trails in the Sky series, known as Kiseki in Japan, may have helped place the developer on the public’s radar, but it has a history spanning far beyond that series’ 2004 debut. The Trails series began as a spin-off of The Legend of Heroes, a series that was similarly predated by the Dragon Slayer games, which first debuted in 1985. When Falcom released Tokyo Xanadu in 2015, they emphasized a desire to branch out and create something that felt different when compared to their previous work.
Kyoto Xanadu looks primed to continue Falcom’s tradition of being ambitious, while also honoring its past. The original Xanadu, released in 1985 as a part of the Dragon Slayer series, also featured a blend of platforming and role-playing elements. Dragon Slayer is often credited with helping lay the foundation for future action RPGs, with Xanadu featuring ambitious elements like a morality system and equipment that changed your character’s appearance. Kyoto Xanadu looks to pay direct homage to the series’ roots when it launches in summer 2026.
- Released
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2026
- Developer(s)
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Nihon Falcom
- Publisher(s)
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Nihon Falcom
- Number of Players
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Single-player
