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ECHOES

ECHOES is a short adventure game from developer BIGO, set to release on PC via Steam in 2026. A Steam page is live, and the game is described as taking 30 minutes to one hour to complete with three endings.

Synthesized from 14 Yomimono stories · updated 6d ago

ECHOES is a short adventure game from developer BIGO. The game's Steam store page opened in July 2026, confirming a 2026 release on PC. Players wake in a ruin and meet an android girl whose speech uses unknown characters that must be deciphered. The core puzzle mechanic involves decoding a fictional language from the android's broken speech. The game is designed to take 30 minutes to one hour to complete and features three endings.

The game was first mentioned in Yomimono coverage in July 2026, with the Steam page announcement being the only story directly about ECHOES. No other stories in the coverage cluster discuss this specific title. The game is distinct from several other works with similar names that appear in the same coverage period, including the Sword Art Online game Echoes of Aincrad, the 3D Metroidvania Maseylia: Echoes of the Past, and Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age. None of those titles are related to BIGO's ECHOES.

As of the most recent story, ECHOES has a Steam page and a 2026 release window. No further details about the developer, specific release date, or additional platforms have been published in Yomimono coverage.

Key facts

Developer
BIGO
Platform
PC via Steam
Release window
2026
Gameplay length
30 minutes to one hour
Number of endings
Three
Core mechanic
Decoding a fictional language from an android's broken speech

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Release
game · 2026 · worldwide · 2026-07-06

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/echoes. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

1d ago

Echoes of Aincrad Gets 18-Minute Anime Promo That Vanishes After July 6

Bandai Namco and Game Studio released an 18-minute original anime promo made solely for the action RPG Echoes of Aincrad, set in the Sword Art Online universe. The promo will be removed from the internet on July 6, after which it will be unviewable. The game launches globally July 9/10 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.

5d ago

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Trailer Shows Death Game Mode

Bandai Namco Entertainment released a new trailer for Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad on Tuesday, previewing the game's Death Game Mode. The mode is a permadeath option that deletes the player's save file upon character death, with no respawns. It is normally available only after completing the game once, but early access is included with the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions. The game launches in Japan on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 9, and on PC via Steam on July 10. The Western release is July 10 across all platforms. Players create their own customizable avatar and explore Aincrad alongside characters like Kirito and Asuna. Aimer performs the theme song "Live to Survive." The game has four editions: Standard, Deluxe, Ultimate, and Aincrad (Bandai Namco Store exclusive). The Ultimate Edition adds a digital soundtrack, digital artbook, an in-game armor pack, and the bonus anime "Unanswered//butterfly," which follows other characters during the original Sword Art Online story. The Deluxe Edition includes expansion DLC and a starter item pack.

Jul 6

Short Adventure Game ECHOES Gets Steam Page, 2026 Release

Developer BIGO opened the Steam store page for the short adventure game ECHOES. Players wake in a ruin and meet an android girl whose speech uses unknown characters that must be deciphered. The game takes 30 minutes to one hour to complete, has three endings, and is due on PC in 2026.

Jul 6

Counter-Strike 2 Tops Steam Ranking, Echoes of Aincrad Debuts at 7th

Valve's Counter-Strike 2 reclaimed the top spot on the Steam sales ranking for Japan as of July 6, 2026, according to ASCII.jp's weekly chart. The free-to-play shooter took first place ahead of EA's Apex Legends in second and Cygames' Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond in third. Bandai Namco Entertainment's new Sword Art Online action RPG Echoes of Aincrad debuted at seventh place ahead of its Steam release on July 10. The game launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 9, with a standard edition priced at 8,910 yen. To promote the title, Bandai Namco is running a Clearance Group Recruitment Campaign through July 17, inviting streamers to play on Very Hard difficulty with Death Game Mode enabled. Participants receive a NerveGear streaming kit and have their names inscribed on a Monument of Life page. Separately, Sony Interactive Entertainment aired a two-part talk show on July 7 and 8 featuring SAO game general producer Takasuke Futami and Echoes of Aincrad production manager Yasuhiro Yawata, who demonstrated character creation and early story content.

Jul 5

New Games Releasing This Week: Black Flag Resynced, Granblue Fantasy Relink, Palworld

Game Spark and Inside have published their weekly roundups of new game releases for the week of July 6, 2026, covering both the Japanese and North American markets. The headline titles this week are 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced', 'GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok', and 'Palworld', all scheduled for release on July 9 and July 10 respectively. 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced' launches on July 9 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. 'GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' also arrives July 9 on PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch 2. 'Palworld' follows on July 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Other notable releases include 'Echoes of Aincrad' (July 9 on PS5, Xbox, PC; July 10 on PS5, Xbox, PC), 'Digimon Story Time Stranger' (July 9 on Switch 2 and Switch), 'Wuthering Waves' (July 10 on Xbox Series X|S), and 'College Football 27' (July 9 on PC, PS5, Xbox). The lists also include dozens of smaller indie and digital-only titles across all platforms.

Jul 5

Maseylia: Echoes of the Past Is a Solid 3D Metroidvania With Rough Edges

Game Spark reviews Maseylia: Echoes of the Past, a 3D Metroidvania on PC via Steam. The game features classic platforming actions like double jumps and grappling hooks, a minimalist story told through lore items, and a combat system the reviewer found outdated. Sequence breaks are possible and encouraged for speedrunning. The reviewer notes missing translations and long death rewinds as rough spots.

Jun 30

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Opening Movie Previews Aimer Theme Song

Bandai Namco Entertainment America released the opening movie for the action RPG Echoes of Aincrad, featuring the theme song "Live to Survive" by Aimer. The song launches digitally Wednesday in English and Japanese. The game launches July 9 in Japan and July 10 worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Jun 28

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Game Streams Second Story Trailer

Bandai Namco Entertainment America released the second story trailer for Echoes of Aincrad, a new action RPG set in the original Sword Art Online world. The game launches July 9 in Japan on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and July 10 on PC via Steam, with a Western release on all platforms July 10. Aimer performs the theme song.

Jun 28

Dragon Quest XI S Gets 50% Off Steam Sale Until July 10

Square Enix is offering Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age on Steam for 2,739 yen, half off its regular 5,478 yen price, through July 10. The Definitive Edition includes voice acting, extra character scenarios, 2D mode, and restriction play options.

Jun 28

VTuber Sakuna Yuki Tries the Echoes of Aincrad Demo, Eyes Death Game Mode

On June 20, 2026, VTuber Sakuna Yuki streamed the demo of the new Sword Art Online game Echoes of Aincrad, which released on all platforms on June 16. The action RPG, based on the Aincrad arc, puts players in the role of a regular player rather than Kirito. Sakuna completed the roughly four-hour demo on Normal difficulty and expressed interest in the full game's Death Game mode, where a game over deletes save data. The full version launches July 9, 2026, with the Steam version following on July 10.

Jun 20

3D Metroidvania 'Maseylia: Echoes of the Past' Launches on Steam

Sol Brothers released the 3D Metroidvania 'Maseylia: Echoes of the Past' on Steam. The game features sci-fi art inspired by Moebius, a connected world, and abilities like double jump and grapple hook. It is available for 2,150 yen with a 20% launch discount until July 4. A console release for overseas markets has been announced.

Jun 16

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Demo Launches With Beta Test Chapter

Bandai Namco Entertainment released the demo for Echoes of Aincrad, the new action RPG set in the Sword Art Online universe, on June 16. The demo covers the entire beta test chapter that opens the full game, letting players experience the period before the official service of the in-game MMO Sword Art Online becomes a death game. Playtime is roughly three to four hours, and save data carries over to the full release. Players control a fixed young swordsman avatar during the beta test, then customize their real appearance when the main story begins. The demo includes five missions, all weapon types, and a tutorial for the combat system, which features light and heavy attacks, sword skills, guarding, dodging, parrying, and a severance mechanic that lets players destroy enemy limbs. Partner character Iori, a hardcore beta tester, accompanies the player and can be ordered into Switch Mode or Free Mode. The full game launches July 9 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and July 10 on PC via Steam. Aimer performs the theme song "Live to Survive." Streaming guidelines restrict full-game streaming to Very Hard difficulty with Death Game Mode enabled until July 17.

Jun 14

Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad Story Trailer Reveals Demo and Release Dates

Bandai Namco Entertainment released a second story trailer for the action RPG Echoes of Aincrad, set in the original Sword Art Online death game world. A demo arrives June 16. The game launches July 9 in Japan on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and July 10 on PC via Steam, with a Western release on all platforms July 10. Aimer performs the theme song.

Jun 11

Sword Art Online Game Echoes of Aincrad Demo Arrives June 16

Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on June 11 that a demo version of the new Sword Art Online action RPG Echoes of Aincrad will be released on June 16 for PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The full game launches July 9 on consoles and July 10 on Steam. Echoes of Aincrad reboots the Aincrad arc from the original light novel, placing the player as a beta tester trapped in the death game. Character creation lets players customize their avatar's real appearance, which is revealed during the iconic death game declaration scene by Kayaba Akihiko. The demo covers the early first-floor quests Summon and Going Ahead, where players meet partner character Iori and experience the moment logging out becomes impossible. The game offers four difficulty levels plus a permadeath Death Game Mode unlocked after clearing the story. Kirito voice actor Yoshitsugu Matsuoka recorded new lines for the game, which uses the original anime audio for Kayaba's announcement.

May 29

Sol Brothers' 'Maseylia: Echoes of the Past' Gets June 19 Release Date

Developer Sol Brothers announced that the 3D Metroidvania 'Maseylia: Echoes of the Past' will launch on PC via Steam on June 19. The game follows a player searching for a missing father across six biomes, gaining abilities like double jump and grappling hook. A demo is available with positive Steam reviews.

May 27

Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition Gets Switch 2 Version

Square Enix announced a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition, releasing September 24. The port includes graphics and performance optimization modes. The announcement coincided with the original Dragon Quest's 40th anniversary.