Beast of Reincarnation, an action RPG from Game Freak in which players guide a character named Emma as she hunts mythical creatures called Nushi, is officially set to release on Tuesday, Aug. 4 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Steam. According to the game's PlayStation Store page, players in various regions can begin playing early starting Monday, Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT), with the game unlocking at different local times worldwide, including 1 a.m. BST and 9 a.m. JST on Aug. 4.
Ahead of that release, however, the game reportedly leaked online and was being played by pirates, according to multiple piracy-focused sources including the DODI Repacks Discord server and the r/Piracy and r/PiratedGames subreddits. It is not confirmed how repackers obtained the game three days early, though some speculated it may be tied to Steam preloading. Beast of Reincarnation joins a list of other high-profile titles cracked and leaked before their official release this year, including Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, Forza Horizon 6, and Subnautica 2. Neither Game Freak nor publisher Fictions has commented on the reported leak.
Early performance reports from pirated copies were mixed. One user playing on a ROG Ally X handheld reported the game's intro area running at 30-40fps on medium settings at 1080p using TAAU performance mode, without significant stutters, and praised the visuals and soundtrack. Another user testing on a high-end PC with a 9800x3d processor and 5070ti graphics card described performance as running poorly, citing 70-80fps average at 4K max settings with DLSS ultra quality and no frame generation option available. These reports are unverified given their pirated source.
Separately, previews of the game ahead of launch described a robust learning curve but noted intrigue around its customization systems and story setup, based on impressions from an early preview build.
For players planning to pre-order, both a base and deluxe edition are available with bonus content. The base edition includes a Brown Shiba skin for Emma's companion Koo and 30,000 in-game amber currency for purchasing items and upgrades. The deluxe edition adds a Black Shiba skin for Koo, along with a Big Dipper sword skin and an Oni's Hat skin for Emma, though it is unclear whether the deluxe edition also includes the 30,000 amber bonus.