![[EXCLUSIVE] Katsuhiro Harada Opens Up About VS Studio, SNK, and What Comes Next](https://cdn.gamerbraves.com/2026/05/Harada-VS-Studio_Interview_FI-1-360x180.jpg)
You read that right: Sword Art Online: Alicization Rising Steel has achieved a whopping 1.2 million pre-registrations, cumulative from Japan and overseas! While no date has been given, the release date is supposedly “soon”. [ UPDATE: Rising Steel seems to have soft-launched in certain territories! ] To celebrate, players will receive a 4-star character scout ticket! The highest rarity within Rising Steel is 4-star. This ticket will be available after 7 days of login.
Additionally, “limit break” illustrations for four characters have been revealed! Check out Kirito, Asuna, Alice, and Eugeo!
Even the lesser known characters get to shine. See Kibaou show his moves!
The brief story premise for Rising Steel according to the website is as follows:
A battle that connects noble spirits
A virtual world called the “Underworld…”
A young man named Kirito awoke there one day.There, he met a woodcutter named Eugeo, as well as many other residents of the Underworld.
Those moments of connection and conflict would challenge the very rules that govern that world.Even though you’re an AI…
Even though everything in this moment is simply generated by data…
Still, a certain warmth and pain linger in the heart.This is the story of the noble spirits of that world.
The battles they fought, the lives they lived.
Charge your Incarnation and unleash powerful attacks. There’ll be three skill types, imaginatively named, A, B and C. “Break Link Chance” appears to be a mechanic, but we’ll likely have to wait for the game to be out to see what it does. Incarnate Skills do a lot of damage, of course! Last but not least, is the “Switch Combination” or “Final Attack” as a battle finisher!
Pre-registrations are still open, so let’s see how much more from 1.2 million in Rising Steel we can get! As always, you can check out their Facebook and Twitter for updates.
via 4gamer
A tale of noble souls.
Sword Art Online's newest RPG game, based on the Alicization arc, featuring an all new original story and characters!
