When is the Release Date of REPLACED?
After years of teases and setbacks, REPLACED has a rock-solid launch date: March 12, 2026. Developer Sad Cat Studios and publisher Thunderful dropped the bombshell today alongside an electrifying trailer, re-confirming day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass alongside launching on Xbox Series X|S and PC. No more vague windows, this cyberpunk thriller is finally primed for takeoff.
The Rocky Road
REPLACED‘s journey to release has been anything but smooth, mirroring the gritty dystopia it depicts. Development kicked off in 2018 by the Belarus-based Sad Cat Studios. The game burst onto the scene at Xbox’s final E3 in June 2021, wowing crowds with its stunning trailer and a 2022 target.
Delays soon piled up. In May 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced the team to relocate, pushing it to 2023. By August 2023, it slipped to 2024 amid rising expectations. August 2024 saw another shift to 2025, followed by the August 2025 announcement of Spring 2026 to polish production. Fans stayed patient through sparse updates, hoping that it wouldn’t end up as a repeat of The Last Night.
Why You Should Be Excited for REPLACED
In a flooded market, REPLACED cuts through with jaw-dropping hand-drawn 2.5D pixel art that blends Blade Runner grit with ’80s retro-futurism, enhanced by dynamic lighting, particle effects, and cinematic camera work that blurs animation and gameplay. Set in a nuclear-ravaged alternate 1980s America, you control R.E.A.C.H., an AI jammed into a human body, exposing the Phoenix Corporation’s corruption in neon-soaked Phoenix-City.
Gameplay fuses tense platforming (a la Inside/Limbo) with free-flow combat inspired by Batman: Arkham. Chain melee combos and ranged shots that explode into seamless cinematic takedowns. Recent hands-on previews praising its stylish rhythm, atmospheric tension, and potential as an indie standout.
Conclusion
REPLACED proves good things come to those who wait. With day-one Game Pass access, cyberpunk and action-platformer fans have every reason to circle March 12, 2026, on their calendars. Dive into the brand-new trailer here and brace for Phoenix-City.
