Psychic Force 2012 is returning on modern platforms in 2027, with new versions announced for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC. Gematsu reports that the Taito fighting game will be brought back by City Connection, giving the 1998 arcade title a new release more than two decades after its original home conversions. A specific 2027 launch date has not yet been announced.
Originally released in Japanese arcades in June 1998, Psychic Force 2012 is the sequel to Taito’s 1996 fighting game Psychic Force. The series differs significantly from conventional 2D and 3D fighters, placing both combatants inside large enclosed arenas where they can move freely through the air. Battles mix close-range attacks with long-distance projectiles and character-specific psychic abilities, creating a style closer to an aerial arena fighter than a traditional side-on fighting game.
Psychic Force 2012 expanded the original game’s combat with additional movement and defensive mechanics while retaining its distinctive Psycho Gauge system. Special attacks consume energy from that gauge, while mechanics including charging, barriers, dashes and counterattacks give players several ways to control distance and positioning. Characters fight within cubic arenas and can pressure opponents against their boundaries while attacking from almost any direction.
The sequel also expanded the roster with several new Psychiccers while bringing back major characters from the first game. Its story takes place two years after the original Psychic Force and centers on a conflict involving Keith Evans’ revived Neo NOA faction and Richard Wong’s competing organization, The Army. Independent Psychiccers become caught between the two sides while pursuing their own goals and uncovering what happened to missing allies and family members.
Following its arcade debut, Psychic Force 2012 received a Dreamcast conversion in Japan on March 4, 1999, with releases later following in North America and Europe. A Windows version was also produced, while PlayStation received an adapted version titled Psychic Force 2. That PlayStation edition made compromises to the visuals but introduced additional content, including three characters from the original Psychic Force who were absent from the arcade and Dreamcast versions.
Taito revisited the series again in 2006 through Psychic Force Complete for PlayStation 2. The collection included the original Psychic Force, Psychic Force 2012 and Psychic Force 2012 EX, a modified version of the sequel. Psychic Force 2012 later returned to Japanese arcades through Taito’s NESiCAxLive distribution system in 2012, but it has otherwise remained largely inaccessible on modern consumer hardware.
That makes the newly announced PS5, Switch and PC versions particularly notable for players interested in Taito’s less frequently revived arcade catalog. City Connection has built much of its modern publishing business around bringing older Japanese games to current systems, including titles from Taito and other arcade developers. Its catalog includes various retro rereleases and collections, though the company has not yet detailed exactly how Psychic Force 2012 will be adapted for the new platforms.
Features such as higher rendering resolutions, online multiplayer, rollback netcode, save states or additional versions of the game have not been confirmed. It is therefore too early to describe the 2027 release as a comprehensive remaster or to assume that material from Psychic Force 2 or Psychic Force Complete will be included. Pricing, supported languages and regional availability also remain unannounced.
The absence of an Xbox version is notable, with the current announcement listing only PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC. City Connection has not indicated whether additional platforms could be added later, and it remains unclear whether the game will launch simultaneously worldwide or initially target Japan.
Psychic Force 2012 is currently scheduled to return in 2027 for PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC. Further details on the new release, including its technical improvements, content and exact launch date, are expected closer to release.
