Full notes
Full DragonSword : Awakening update
Read the full published notes in a cleaner layout. The original post stays linked below.
What changed
- Maps
- Gameplay
- UI and audio
- Balance
- Store
๐ Post-Launch Roadmap & Q&A โ Stream #4 Recap
Greetings, Mercenaries! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who played our Steam Next Fest demo and shared their feedback. We are reading every comment carefully and actively checking what we can incorporate. To express our gratitude, today we're sharing our post-launch content plans for the second half of the year, along with answers to the questions you sent during the live stream.
๐บ Stream #4 VOD
For those who couldn't join us live, the Stream #4 VOD will be uploaded shortly.
You'll be able to review the roadmap and Q&A in video form, so keep an eye on our channel!
โ๏ธ New Hero Lineup (4 Heroes in H2)
We plan to roll out 4 new heroes over the second half of this year. (These 4 are included in the full version โ not paid DLC โ and will be developed regardless of sales.) ๐น Ryza โ The First to Arrive A shock-specialized character. She throws her spear, then teleports to its location to continue the assault, delivering fast, stylish combat. The following three heroes will be released sequentially, with the order to be decided through internal discussion. ๐น Jerome โ Knockdown Specialist A small-statured character wielding a massive greatsword. Since the current lineup lacks a dedicated knockdown specialist, he's prioritized right after Ryza. He can unleash various skills upon Super Armor Destruction, and uniquely uses Grab up to three stages. ๐น Veronica โ Bare-Handed Combat + Gun Inspired by the many forum posts wishing for "a character who fights with fists." Stun is her primary attribute โ she fires a gun at range and engages in martial arts up close, offering a fresh combat style. ๐น Logan โ Tank Specialist A tank-type character who attacks with a massive shield and protects allies. We plan to develop him into a more versatile character before his debut. Steam post image
๐ ๏ธ H2 System Update Plans
Hero Quests (Story Content) Quests exploring the untold stories of heroes not covered in the main story. We're preparing Othello's quest first, followed by one related to Ryza. Rift System Rifts appear across the world, letting you travel to other dimensions for combat. We'll share more details as the system takes shape. (Contains slight spoilers!) Quality-of-Life Improvements (Top Priority) This is what you requested most.
Combat feel ยท gamepad support ยท hit-feedback improvements
Reduced "floaty" jump feel, instant sprint / auto-run
Camera adjustments (free view, view distance, vertical/horizontal sensitivity, lock-on)
UI hide / Photo Mode
Help system
We're working to include these in the launch build wherever possible, and will continue reinforcing them after release. Balance Adjustments In keeping with a premium package title, if any element consumes excessive time or causes inconvenience, we'll prioritize ongoing adjustments to economy and combat balance.
๐ Editions & DLC
Standard Edition The Standard Edition alone is more than enough to fully enjoy regular gameplay. Deluxe Edition In addition to the Standard content, it includes:
A Digital Artbook of game concept art (approx. 80 pages โ regions, monsters, character art)
A Soundtrack collecting the game's music
The Deluxe-exclusive Familiar ใBrave Baby Dragonใ
Beyond ใBrave Baby Dragonใ, a wide variety of Familiars can be obtained in-game, so feel free to choose based on your taste. Costume DLC (5 Costumes) We've prepared costumes for Ornette, Cerese, Theresia, Dana, and Kalsion.
Each costume comes with a dedicated weapon costume.
Toggle options for accessories such as eyepatches and headpieces are also included.
(Kalien's costume is hidden away in a secret in-game region โ go find it after launch!)
Coming in Post-Launch Updates Additional costumes โ including two swimsuit costumes for Reina and Astria โ are in production and will be provided via post-launch updates. Familiars There are roughly 30 Familiars in-game; about two-thirds are obtainable directly through play. The remaining third will be sold as DLC, but in-game acquisition alone is plenty to enjoy the game.
Steam post image Steam post image
๐ฌ Live Stream Q&A
For those who couldn't join the stream, we'll also be holding an additional AMA soon โ feel free to drop any new questions! Q. Are there plans for a console release? Yes, we plan to prepare console versions after the Steam launch. However, which platform comes first has not yet been decided. Q. How long is the story playtime? It varies by playstyle, but the main story runs roughly 10โ15 hours. Adding Hero Quests and regional Bond Quests gives you a substantial amount of story content to enjoy. Q. Will Japanese voice-over be added? We'd love to, but due to cost and time constraints we couldn't include it at launch. If results allow after release, we'd like to prepare it โ though we can't make a firm commitment at this point. Q. Are there difficulty options? A separate easy/core mode couldn't make it into this launch due to priorities. Instead, adventure difficulty rises automatically as you rank up, and you can manually lower it to play. Q. Are there microtransactions? Aside from the Costume and Familiar DLC mentioned above, there are no separate in-game microtransactions. Q. What are the prices for the Standard and Deluxe Editions? The Standard Edition is priced at $29.99 (full price). The Deluxe Edition has a base price of $49.99, and we are considering a launch discount for the Deluxe Edition only. Prices in other regions follow exchange rates and Steam's regional purchasing-power weighting, as previously announced. Q. Will costume DLC be added for every character? Nothing is finalized yet, but we have quite a few costumes prepared. After launch, we'll set up a separate costume roadmap and share progress following internal discussion. Q. Are there collaboration plans? There are no collaborations planned at this time. We'd actively consider good opportunities, but since these can't be decided by us alone, they require careful review. Q. Can players talk, trade, or use shops with others in town? Letting small groups explore towns and the world together is under long-term R&D consideration. However, player-to-player trading and shops are not currently planned. Q. Will there be an iaido (quick-draw) character? A katana-wielding character is planned, but as far as we know, a true long-blade iaido playable character isn't currently scheduled. Ropie appears as an NPC who uses iaido, but there are no plans to make them playable yet. (We may provide a corrected answer at the additional AMA after checking internally.) Q. Are merchandise or comic books planned? If the game does well and players grow fond of our characters, we'd certainly like to make merch. But we can't give a firm answer at this point. Q. Does the story conclude in the base game, or is a purchase needed later? In the base game (Part 1), the mercenary crew's coming-of-age story reaches a conclusion. The untold story of Lute and the kingdom will be provided through future updates, though the format is still undecided. Q. How long does it take to develop a new character? A completely new character takes at least about 8 months โ concept art, combat concept, action design, polishing, modeling, sound, and voice work. That said, the 4 revealed heroes already have completed graphics work, and will be delivered after polishing tailored to the current version. Q. Why was the intro changed to hint at Lute's awakening? We were concerned the slow early pacing around Lute could cause players to drop off, so we added staging that subtly hints at his later awakening. The opening was actually revised some 20โ30 times โ enough to fill a book! ๐ Q. What's the difference between free and paid (DLC) Familiars? There is no functional difference. Collecting more Familiars of the same species unlocks and strengthens abilities (e.g., jumping while climbing, reduced stamina cost), independent of whether they're free or paid. The main difference is appearance.
๐ Additional Notes / Corrections
Access โ The game runs only through Steam. As long as you're logged into Steam, you can play offline. (Correcting a point that was communicated differently before.)
No Pre-Purchase โ As our first release, pre-purchase functionality is restricted, so we're unable to offer it. Sales begin on the July 23 launch date.
Free Abyssal Direwolf โ The ใAbyssal Direwolfใ Familiar, originally planned as a pre-purchase reward, can be obtained by everyone at a 100% discount (free) from launch through August 31. (Switching to paid from September.)
Character Acquisition Change โ All 19 characters can be obtained through quests. (Either granted directly, or assembled using the ใNameless Soulsใ material.)
Multiplayer for Hunt & Raid coming.
We'll see you again soon at the additional AMA. Thank you for being with us. July 23, 2026 โ See you on the continent of Orbis! โ๏ธ๐
Source
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