While developer Project Cloud Games and publisher Perp Games had previously announced a May 26th release date for action RPG The Relic: First Guardian, the companies have now announced that it is getting pushed back to “later this summer.” In announcing the delay, Perp Games CEO Rob Edwards referred to the in-development title as being “highly ambitious” and noted that the team needs some more time to polish it up.
“The Relic: First Guardian is the first game made by the talented Project Cloud Games studio,” Edwards said in a press release. “It’s a highly ambitious title that has seen years of hard work poured into it. Given this, the team wants to take just a little more time to polish their world and hence announce that we are pushing back the release date from May 26th to the summer of 2026.”
“Perp Games and Project Cloud appreciate your patience as we use this extra time to get every detail right and deliver an experience that meets the high standards of the community. We are excited to show you The Relic: First Guardian when it’s ready, which won’t be long now.”
This delay comes just a month after Perp Games VP Mickey Torode announced that, along with coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, The Relic: First Guardian will also be making its way to the Nintendo Switch 2. However, the port, which Torode called “an ambitious, technical milestone,” will be coming out later in the year.
“Receiving the green light from Project Cloud Games to launch The Relic on Nintendo Switch 2 is an ambitious, technical milestone for the title, and we’re excited to be able to finally share the news…We wanted to get the game into the hands of Switch 2 players, as we know the Nintendo Switch 2 community has a deep passion for challenging RPGs. We’re looking forward to revealing more in the future,” he said.
The Relic: First Guardian was announced all the way back in 2021, and Project Cloud Games has continued its slow trickle of reveals leading up to the Soulslike’s release this year. The game takes place in the world of Arsiltus, and its story is inspired by Korean folktales, all wrapped around a central narrative that revolves around saving Arsiltus after it gets fractured by the void.
In February, Project Cloud Games released trailer for The Relic: First Guardian, giving us a look at one of the many Korean folktales it will showcase: The Heavenly Maiden and the Woodcutter. The trailer gave us a glimpse at some of the dark themes that will make up many of the game’s stories, and provides some background on the folktale before showing off what seems to be a boss fight against a twisted version of the eponymous maiden.
As you wait for the new release date for The Relic: First Guardian, take a look at the combat gameplay trailer, which was released all the way back in September. Also, take look at our thoughts on how was shaping up a couple of years ago.