Publisher CFK and developer DeerFarm have announced that Shikhondo: Blue Pieta will launch for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch on December 10, 2026. The fantasy bullet-hell shoot ’em up originally launched for PC through Steam and Stove on May 18, making the upcoming release its first appearance on consoles.
Physical editions will also be available through Play-Asia, with standard and limited editions listed for the supported platforms. The console versions will include English, Korean, Japanese, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese language options.
Shikhondo: Blue Pieta continues DeerFarm’s Eastern fantasy shoot ’em up series, following Shikhondo: Soul Eater and Shikhondo: Youkai Rampage. Unlike the earlier games, which featured vertically scrolling stages, Blue Pieta introduces side-scrolling gameplay while retaining the franchise’s bullet-dodging mechanics and supernatural themes.
The story takes place several years after the events of the previous installment. An apprentice Grim Reaper travels across the ocean while pursuing a mysterious yokai, eventually encountering a Vampire Hunter who has spent years fighting supernatural threats in a distant city. Their meeting sets the stage for a new conflict involving an urban fantasy world.
Combat revolves around navigating dense enemy projectile patterns, defeating enemies and surviving increasingly difficult boss encounters. The returning Soul Collect system rewards players for narrowly avoiding enemy bullets, allowing them to charge a special ability that converts projectiles into score pickups and increases scoring potential.
Beyond its main stages, Shikhondo: Blue Pieta includes several gameplay modes designed for different playstyles. Local cooperative play allows two players to tackle the action together, while Dual Mode lets a single player switch between two playable characters during combat.
Boss Rush Mode provides a separate challenge focused on consecutive boss encounters. Players can also access a Music Room to listen to the game’s soundtrack outside regular gameplay.
The game offers multiple difficulty settings, ranging from Novice for players unfamiliar with bullet-hell shooters to Extreme for experienced players seeking a more demanding challenge.
Shikhondo: Blue Pieta also features voiced characters, including the Grim Reaper, portrayed by Ikumi Hasegawa, the Vampire Hunter, voiced by Yoshino Aoyama, and Sister Maria, voiced by Sayumi Suzushiro.
The December release adds another title to Nintendo’s upcoming console lineup, alongside Dome Keeper's December 14 launch on PS5 and Nintendo Switch. Both games are scheduled to reach additional console audiences before the end of 2026, although they offer substantially different gameplay experiences.
Physical preorders for Shikhondo: Blue Pieta are already available through Play-Asia. The retailer lists standard physical editions for PS5 and Nintendo Switch at $29.99, with a Nintendo Switch 2 game-cartridge edition priced at $39.99. Limited editions are also listed, with prices varying by platform.
Shikhondo: Blue Pieta is currently available on PC, with its PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch versions scheduled for December 10, 2026.
