Mortal Shell II
The standalone sequel to 2020's Mortal Shell, out August 20, 2026 on Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Possess fallen warriors, upgrade your combat style, and explore a compact open world of twisted landmarks. It's out now.
What is Mortal Shell II?
It's the sequel to Mortal Shell, the 2020 soulslike that made a name for itself with a clever gimmick: dead warriors' bodies are "Shells" you can possess, each with its own stats and abilities. The sequel keeps that idea and expands everything around it — unrestricted combat, deeper weapon upgrades, and free exploration across an interconnected world.
From Cold Symmetry, published by Playstack. The developers describe it as "expansive yet deliberately compact" — an open world that respects your time, with winding footpaths, derelict temples, forbidden forests, and citadels carved from bone.
What we know about how it plays
- Shells are back, deeper. Awaken and possess fallen warriors scattered across the world — each Shell has innate strengths and unique abilities, and you unravel their secrets through lost memories.
- Adrenaline-charged combat. The sequel leans into unrestricted, high-stakes combat with extensive weapon upgrades.
- Compact open world. Not an endless map — a deliberately sized world where wandering off the path rewards you with story, Shells, weapons and curiosities.
- Standalone. You don't need to have finished the first game to play it.
Release date and price
Mortal Shell II is out now — it launched worldwide on August 20, 2026 on Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Steam page lists the standard edition at $49.99 with no launch discount. The Devout Edition adds up to 72 hours of early access plus two Harbinger skins — the edition the community was watching during the pre-order window.
Standard edition price on Steam as of Aug 20, 2026 (no discount at launch). Devout Edition ($59.99) adds 72-hour early access and the Skeletal + Obsidian Harbinger skins. See the full breakdown on our editions page.
Worth a look if
- You liked the first Mortal Shell and want a bigger, faster version of that combat
- You're into soulslike action but want something more compact than a 60-hour epic
- You want to try it before buying — the open beta is free on Steam right now
Hold off if you're burned out on the genre — this is unapologetically a soulslike, and the Devout Edition's early-access window is the only timed perk worth deciding on now.
Quick facts & FAQ
- When does it come out? August 20, 2026 worldwide.
- Is there early access? Yes — the Devout Edition grants up to 72 hours of advanced access before the official release.
- Is there a beta? Yes, a free open beta is available on Steam, PS5 and Xbox — it covers the prologue and the first explorable region.
- What platforms? PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. No Switch version announced.
- Do I need to play the first game? No — it's a standalone sequel.
Watch it
Official release date trailer: Mortal Shell II — Official Release Date Trailer.