Developer Cold Symmerty has announced that its upcoming soulslike Mortal Shell 2 will be released on August 20, 2026. Mortal Shell 2 is a sequel to the 2020 soulslike Mortal Shell, and was initially revealed last year during Summer Game Fest 2025. Soulslike fans looking for a gritty new dark fantasy experience will want to mark August 20 on their calendar to dive into Mortal Shell 2 on day-one.
The original Mortal Shell debuted in 2020 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store, releasing on Steam a year later. The game received an Enhanced Edition for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2021 and a Complete Edition for Nintendo Switch in 2022. While Mortal Shell is a somewhat short game with some rough edges, its gameplay is largely seen as an underrated gem that Mortal Shell 2 plans to polish.
Mortal Shell 2 Sets August 20 Release Date
In the latest trailer for Mortal Shell 2, Cold Symmetry solidifies August 20 as the game’s release date, coming a little over a year after it was first announced. Mortal Shell 2 features an interconnected dark fantasy world with action RPG combat similar to other soulslikes like Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Players will take on the role of the Harbinger, tasked with seeking the bodies of forgotten warriors, known as the titular Mortal Shells, to claim as their own, taking on their abilities for unique styles of combat.
Their Flesh Is Your Weapon. Mortal Shell II is a standalone sequel action-RPG with adrenaline-charged, high-stakes combat. Possess warrior Shells, dethrone false gods, redeem a ravaged world.
What’s That Weapon?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Mortal Shell 2 differentiates itself from games like Dark Souls, Nioh 3, and Lies of P with these Mortal Shells, which players can swap between to change their play style. Each Shell functions like a class, allowing players to adjust their abilities and weapons to suit their preferred method of combat. So far, only four of Mortal Shell 2‘s eight playable Shells have been confirmed, including:
- Harros the Vassal
- Tiel the Acolyte
- Eredrim the Venerable
- Proxima the Broodseeker
Back in June, Mortal Shell 2 held an Open Beta for the game, allowing players to experience the first three hours of gameplay with progress carrying over to the full release. Included in Mortal Shell 2‘s launch are 60 dungeons for players to explore, which is a significant step up from Mortal Shell 1‘s limited content. Mortal Shell 2 also looks to have even more boss variety than the original Mortal Shell, forcing players to adopt new strategies and master the game’s signature Harden mechanic to defend against critical attacks.
For players interested in Mortal Shell 2 but wanting to try the original beforehand, Mortal Shell was given away as an Epic Games Store freebie in the past, so it’s worth checking to see if they’ve claimed it. Mortal Shell 2 is planned for launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, but only PS5 will be getting a physical disc release. There are a lot of soulslikes releasing this year that fans of the genre will want to keep an eye on, such as Valor Mortis, Phantom Blade Zero, and FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods. However, fans won’t have to wait long to get their fill of the action with Mortal Shell 2 launching next month.
- Released
-
2026
- Publisher(s)
-
Playstack
- Franchise
-
Mortal Shell
