S-Game has been quiet for a while it’s been working on its upcoming title, Phantom Blade Zero, especially after the early previews and hands-on impressions, including my hands-on with an updated build of Phantom Blade Zero at CES 2026. Now, we finally have an update, and it’s not just about development, it’s about where the studio stands on something the gaming industry can’t stop talking about: AI.
S-Game CEO and creator Soulframe Liang (Liang Qiwei), recently shared an update on Twitter/X, that confirms that Phantom Blade Zero is nearing its final stages of development. The team is going all in, pushing every part of the game as far as it can go before release. However, what stood out is the studio’s stance on AI. At a time when more developers are leaning into AI-assisted tools, S-Game is doing the opposite.
According to Soulframe, every part of the game has been created by human artists, with no AI-generated visuals involved. For S-Game, it’s about protecting creative intent and making sure the work reflects the people who are working on the game. It’s that principal that is seen across the entire project.
Character models are based on 3D scans of real actors, who also handled full facial capture. Voice acting has been produced in both Chinese and English, with full lip-syncing for each version. The same level of care shows up in the combat and world design, though this is where things get especially interesting. S-Game worked with more than twenty martial artists to capture authentic movement, while also consulting traditional masters for specific disciplines.
To me, that’s really impressive on how far S-Game is willing to go, to give this game an authentic feeling. In some cases, real versions of weapons were even forged to better understand how they should feel and move in-game. Environments were built using scans from real-world locations across China, from ancestral halls to ancient towns and industrial spaces.
Even smaller touches reflect that philosophy. The game’s guiding maps weren’t digitally painted or generated; they were hand-drawn using traditional Chinese brushes and Xuan paper by artists from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. This all feeds into the point that Soulframe is making here. This isn’t just about building a stylish action game; it’s about making something rooted in real craftsmanship. As Soulframe puts it, human artistry isn’t just part of the process, it is the value.
S-Game is going well beyond the extra mile and to me, is doing just about everything possible to ensure that Phantom Blade Zero is going to be a blockbuster, even entering the Game of the Year contender conversations. And after what I’ve played so far, I can’t wait to see how much more the game improves by the time it gets released.
Phantom Blade Zero has a release date of September 9, 2026, and will be available on the PlayStation 5, and PC.
