Witch the Showdown will enter Steam Early Access on November 19, 2026, publisher Perp Games and developer CitalesGames have announced. The PC version is launching first, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions still planned for 2027. Steam currently displays November 18 in some regions due to timezone differences around the global release.
Witch the Showdown combines high-speed parry-based combat with deckbuilding, placing players in one-on-one battles where every opponent is designed to feel like a boss encounter. Successfully parrying or avoiding incoming attacks generates mana, which is then spent to activate cards from the player’s hand. That structure means attacking effectively depends on surviving an opponent’s offensive patterns long enough to build the resources needed to counterattack.
The game takes place in a near-future fantasy setting where magic, swords, firearms and machinery coexist. Players compete in a tournament against a collection of powerful witches, with the broader objective of becoming its champion. Perp Games says there are five difficulty settings ranging from Rookie to Master, allowing players to adjust how demanding the timing-focused combat becomes.
Two main modes approach the deckbuilding system differently. Duel Mode uses pre-built decks and is designed to let players concentrate on combat and parry timing, while Tournament Mode takes a roguelike approach in which cards, accessories and other upgrades are collected between successive fights. The latter allows players to shape their builds over the course of a run rather than entering every encounter with a fixed setup.
Cards can provide standard attacks as well as counters and other effects, while the game also uses elemental gauges that reward repeatedly using particular attributes. Filling those gauges can trigger Burst effects, including temporary automatic parries or attacks that do not consume mana. Filling all three elemental gauges can create a larger offensive opportunity, making deck composition another important part of surviving the game’s harder opponents.
Witch the Showdown will also offer both real-time and turn-based battle formats. The real-time option emphasizes reflexes and precise defensive timing, while the alternative gives players more time to evaluate individual decisions. That makes the underlying card and build systems accessible without requiring every player to approach the game as a reaction-heavy action title.
Early Access will substantially expand on the demo already available through Steam. According to the current development plans, the initial Early Access build will include eight enemies, 31 cards and two playable characters. CitalesGames is aiming for 16 enemies, 60 cards and three playable characters by the full release, with the Early Access period currently expected to last around one year.
The second playable character is Neon, who originally appeared in the Steam Next Fest demo as a limited-time addition. Community response led the developers to keep her available in the demo, and she will be included when Early Access begins. Alongside protagonist Luze, completing tournament content can unlock manga-style material exploring the characters’ backgrounds.
CitalesGames has already used player feedback from the demo to adjust development and says community input will continue to influence the Early Access version. The demo launched in April and currently carries a Very Positive Steam rating, with more than 90% of the recorded reviews rated positively at the time of writing. Save data from the demo will not transfer into the full Early Access release.
Players attending Tokyo Game Show 2026 will also get an opportunity to try a newer build ahead of launch. Witch the Showdown is scheduled to appear in the event’s business meeting area during September 17 and 18, providing another round of hands-on exposure before the November release.
Witch the Showdown enters Early Access for PC via Steam on November 19 in Japan, with Steam showing November 18 in some other regions. Perp Games and CitalesGames are planning to expand the game throughout Early Access before its eventual full release, while PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions remain scheduled for 2027.
