Predictions

0:13 We think Phantom Blade Zero's combat, which IGN's Travis Northup calls "the most smooth and satisfying action since" Sekiro, carries it past 10 million copies, and that S-Game spends 2027 on an expansion and an Xbox version rather than a sequel.

These are Vi.ki's own predictions and opinions, not reported facts; each says what it rests on and when it can be checked, and we mark it right or wrong when it resolves.

How many copies will Phantom Blade Zero sell?

We think S-Game announces more than 10 million copies sold across all platforms by Jun 30, 2027.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Jun 2027.

Why we think so: S-Game said it sold over 4 million copies in its first 72 hours (Insider Gaming, Nov 2, 2026), after 3 million wishlists before launch (Reception and Previews). A single player game sells most in its first weeks, but holiday sales, the physical PS5 editions due in 2027 (Editions and Pre-order Bonuses) and a possible Xbox version add later waves. We think 10 million in eight months is a bold but reachable mark.

What would prove us wrong: no figure of 10 million or more from S-Game by Jun 30, 2027.

How many people will play Phantom Blade Zero on Steam?

We think Phantom Blade Zero's daily Steam peak is under 120,000 players by Jan 31, 2027, about a seventh of its all-time high.

Confidence: Likely. Check by: Feb 2027.

Why we think so: In Vi.ki's own reading of Steam's counts on Nov 7, 2026, the daily peak rose from 723,876 on launch day to 833,479 on Sunday, Nov 1, then fell to 778,659 on Nov 3, 683,918 on Nov 4, 625,422 on Nov 5 and 575,695 on Nov 6, about a tenth a day after the first weekend. A story of 25 to 40 hours (How Long to Beat) is finished by most players within a month or two, and the fall slows but does not stop until new content arrives.

What would prove us wrong: a daily peak of 120,000 or more in the last week of Jan 2027.

Will Phantom Blade Zero get DLC?

We think S-Game announces a paid story expansion for Phantom Blade Zero by the end of 2027.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Dec 2027.

Why we think so: Soulframe Liang promised eight endings tied to side quests and a world, the Phantom World, that is a "stage" for far more than one story (Story, The Phantom World). The Digital Deluxe Edition holds no expansion, only outfits, an artbook and the soundtrack (Editions and Pre-order Bonuses), so nothing has been sold in advance. With over 4 million buyers and a studio of about 140 people (S-Game), we think an expansion is a faster return than a new game.

What would prove us wrong: no paid story expansion announced by Dec 31, 2027.

Will Phantom Blade Zero come to Xbox?

We think a version for Xbox Series X|S is announced in 2027 and released in Nov 2027 or later.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Dec 2027.

Why we think so: The release date trailer's fine print says the game is not available on other consoles until at least 12 months after release, that is, not before Oct 29, 2027 (Platforms). That kind of clause is written when another version is possible, and the PC version already runs on far weaker hardware than an Xbox Series X (PC System Requirements).

What would prove us wrong: no Xbox announcement by Dec 31, 2027.

How will Phantom Blade Zero's reviews hold up?

We think Steam's user reviews stay Very Positive, between 80% and 94% positive, through Jan 2027.

Confidence: Likely. Check by: Jan 2027.

Why we think so: On Oct 31, 2026 Steam's English reviews read Very Positive, 87% of 2,472, and OpenCritic stood at 89 (Reception and Previews). The complaints so far are about the story and frame rate drops on PC, which patches can ease (Patches and Updates), while the praise is for the combat, which does not wear off. We do not expect it to reach Overwhelmingly Positive, because the story criticism will not go away.

What would prove us wrong: an overall Steam rating outside 80% to 94% in Jan 2027.

How many endings does Phantom Blade Zero really have?

We think guides will count fewer than eight fully different endings by Mar 2027; Liang's eight will turn out to include variants of the same final scenes.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Mar 2027.

Why we think so: Liang promised eight endings, "depending on how many side quests you complete", but guides had documented four a week after launch, one of them only in 66 Days mode (Endings). Endings that depend on how many side quests are done tend to differ in epilogues rather than whole final chapters.

What would prove us wrong: eight or more distinct endings documented by Mar 2027.

Will Phantom Blade Zero win at The Game Awards?

We think Phantom Blade Zero is nominated for Best Action Game at The Game Awards 2026, but not for Game of the Year.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Dec 2026.

Why we think so: Its reviews praise the combat above everything else, and its Metascore was 88 on review day (Reception and Previews): high enough for a genre category, but below the games that usually make the Game of the Year list. It came out in time, on Oct 29, 2026.

What would prove us wrong: no Best Action Game nomination, or a Game of the Year nomination.

What will Phantom Blade Zero's DLC be about?

We think the first expansion is a prequel in which Mó Yuan, Donnie Yen's character, is playable, telling how he lost the infant Soul.

Confidence: Long shot. Check by: Dec 2027.

Why we think so: Mó Yuan appears only in flashbacks, fending off attackers while he guides the infant Soul to safety (Mó Yuan), and the game leaves how father and son were parted untold. Donnie Yen is already captured in face and motion for the role (Donnie Yen), and we think a playable martial arts legend is the strongest reason S-Game could give 4 million owners to come back. We call it a long shot because S-Game has announced no expansion at all.

What would prove us wrong: a first expansion in which Mó Yuan is not playable, or one set after Soul's story.

Will Phantom Blade Zero get a boss rush mode?

We think S-Game adds a free boss rematch or boss rush mode in an update by Jun 30, 2027.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Jun 2027.

Why we think so: Soulframe Liang says the game has at least 50 bosses and treats each fight "like a show in Las Vegas" (Bosses), and Hellwalker's bosses adapt to a player's habits like a fighting game's (Difficulty Modes). New Game Plus brings the late weapons into their own, Liang told DualShockers (Oct 8, 2026), but a rematch still means playing the game again to reach it (How Long to Beat), and we think a menu of rematches is the update the players who finished it want most.

What would prove us wrong: no boss rush or rematch mode by Jun 30, 2027.

Will S-Game announce a Phantom Blade Zero sequel?

We think S-Game announces its next big Phantom Blade game, continuing Soul's story, before the end of 2028.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Dec 2028.

Why we think so: S-Game grew Rainblood into a whole series once it sold (Phantom Blade Series), and Phantom Blade Zero sold over 4 million copies in 72 hours (Phantom Blade Zero). Liang calls the Phantom World a stage for the kungfupunk style (The Phantom World), and we think a studio that built its own engine work and boss pipeline for one game reuses them for the next.

What would prove us wrong: no new Phantom Blade game announced by Dec 31, 2028.

How many Phantom Blade Zero players will finish it?

We think All Dreams Must End passes 40% of Steam players by Dec 31, 2026.

Confidence: Likely. Check by: Dec 31, 2026.

Why we think so: on Completion Rate, 54.6% had already reached the Order's Tavern on Nov 12, the late steps were gaining about a point and a half a day, and nothing in the counts shows a boss in the back half holding people for good, since each late step rose by the same amount. Even if the pace of those three days held for one more week and then halved every week after it, the share would pass 40% before the end of November. What would prove us wrong: a reading under 40% on Dec 31, 2026.

Which boss will S-Game change next?

We think S-Game's next balance change to a boss goes to Bai Chilian on Wayfarer and Pathbreaker.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Jan 2027.

Why we think so: she is the only required boss in the top three of Game8's reader vote and the highest boss on Game8's list (Hardest Bosses) that every player has to beat, and the Nov 4 patch showed the pattern, an early boss eased on the two lower settings with Hellwalker left alone. What would prove us wrong: no patch note naming Bai Chilian by the end of Jan 2027, or one that changes another boss first.

What will S-Game change in New Game Plus?

We think the rule that a weapon must be found again before it can pass level 30 is the first New Game Plus rule S-Game changes, so that a carried weapon can go to 35 from the first bell.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Mar 2027.

Why we think so: the rule works against the reason the mode exists, since the late weapons are the ones a first run barely uses, and the two players quoted on New Game Plus who tested it both wrote it up as a hurdle. S-Game's first patch, six days after launch, already answered a complaint of this size by making Hua, Deadly Betrothed grab less often on two difficulties (S-Game on Steam). What would prove us wrong: no patch note by the end of Mar 2027 that changes how the level 35 cap unlocks.

How many Game Awards nominations will Phantom Blade Zero get?

We think Phantom Blade Zero receives at least three nominations at The Game Awards 2026, with Best Action Game one of them.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Nov 30, 2026.

Why we think so: its OpenCritic average was 88 from 85 critics on Nov 13, 2026, the jury is made of the outlets that wrote those reviews, and the praise falls on its combat, art and sound, which are three different categories. The rules, the dates and the rest of the case are on Game Awards 2026.

What would prove us wrong: a published list with fewer than three nominations for it, or none for Best Action Game.

Will Phantom Blade Zero get a photo mode?

We think S-Game adds a photo mode to Phantom Blade Zero in a free patch by the end of Jun 2027.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Jun 2027.

Why we think so: the game shipped without one, but the settings that hide the HUD are already in the menu and the Nov 4, 2026 patch showed the studio adding small comfort options within a week (Photo Mode has the menu, option by option).

What would prove us wrong: no photo mode in any patch notes by Jun 30, 2027.

Will Soul get new outfits?

We think S-Game adds at least one new outfit to the game, free or paid, by the end of Mar 2027.

Confidence: Possible. Check by: Mar 2027.

Why we think so: of the eight looks in the game at launch, two were sold with the Deluxe Edition and one was a pre-order unlock, so S-Game already uses them as extras, and a new look needs no new fight or story (Outfits lists all eight).

What would prove us wrong: no new appearance for Soul in a patch, a store listing or an announcement by Mar 31, 2027.

Will S-Game make enemies respawn?

We think S-Game will not add respawning enemies, or a setting that turns them on, in any update through Jun 2027.

Confidence: Likely. Check by: Jun 2027.

Why we think so: Soulframe Liang defended the rule in an interview a month before launch, and the one patch so far left enemy placement alone; what was tested in the released game is on Do Enemies Respawn.

What would prove us wrong: patch notes by the end of Jun 2027 that bring cleared enemies back or add an option for it.

What creators predict

gameranx: players will love it

0:50 In gameranx's Oct 26, 2026 Before You Buy, after a review copy, the host says the combat "is fun to play and it's all really well-paced" and "I think some people are really going to like this one".

Check by: Nov 2026.

Result (Oct 31, 2026): Right. Steam's English user reviews read Very Positive, 87% of 2,472, two days after launch (Reception and Previews).

Our take

We think Phantom Blade Zero has the best melee combat of 2026: the Sha-Chi meter and the Ghoststep counter make every parry an attack (Combat), and with four difficulty modes it suits both newcomers and Soulslike veterans (Difficulty Modes). We think it is worth $59.99 for anyone who enjoyed Sekiro, Devil May Cry or Black Myth: Wukong; the Digital Deluxe Edition's extra $10 buys mostly outfits.

In our view the story is the weak part, as the previews warned: Soul's revenge plot is familiar, and we think players should come for the bosses (Bosses) and the kungfupunk world, not the writing. We think the most underrated feature is that enemies stay dead after a rest, which makes exploring the maps a pleasure rather than a chore.

Frequently asked questions

Do you think Phantom Blade Zero will get DLC?

We think so: we expect S-Game to announce a paid story expansion by the end of 2027. S-Game has announced none.

Do you think Phantom Blade Zero will come to Xbox?

We think an Xbox Series X|S version is announced in 2027 and released no earlier than Nov 2027, since the trailer's fine print rules out other consoles for 12 months after release.

Is Phantom Blade Zero worth it?

We think it is for anyone who likes fast melee combat and boss fights; we think players who want a strong story will find it the weakest part.

Sources

• Phantom Blade Zero Sells 4 Million Copies In 72 Hours, Insider Gaming, Nov 2, 2026
• Phantom Blade Zero - Before You Buy, gameranx, Oct 26, 2026 (video)
• Phantom Blade Zero Interview: Story Length, New Game Plus Revealed by the Director, DualShockers, Oct 8, 2026
• I Played 6 Hours of Phantom Blade Zero and Can't Stop Thinking About It | IGN Preview, IGN, Oct 9, 2026 (video)