The Relic: First Guardian Set for July 31 Launch

The Relic: First Guardian will launch on PlayStation 5 and PC on July 31, 2026 ^[1].

The release marks the culmination of a long development cycle for a title that has undergone significant structural changes. As a "Soulslike" dark-fantasy action RPG, the game targets a challenging niche of the market that prioritizes high difficulty and atmospheric world-building.

Developer Project Cloud Games and publisher Perp Games originally scheduled the title for release on May 26, 2026 ^[3]. However, the game was delayed to later in the summer to accommodate a fundamental shift in the project's direction ^[2]. The title began as a multiplayer experience known as Project Relic, but the team pivoted to a single-player dark-fantasy RPG instead ^[2].

While PS5 and PC players will receive the game first, other platforms will follow shortly after. A release for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S is scheduled for later this summer ^[1]. This staggered rollout allows the developers to stabilize the experience on primary platforms before expanding the reach to the remaining consoles.

The project has been in development for several years, having first been announced in 2021 ^[4]. The transition from a multiplayer focus to an open-world action RPG suggests a desire to deepen the narrative and environmental storytelling, a hallmark of the Soulslike genre.

Players can expect an open-world experience where the gameplay loop centers on combat and exploration within a bleak fantasy setting. The final launch window reflects the adjustments needed to pivot the game's core identity from its original multiplayer roots ^[2].