Will *Project: Spirits* switch back to turn-based combat, and can it be ready by 2027?

Shift Up's new project, Project: Spirits, has recently had quite a bit of information uncovered by overseas outlet Need4Gamers. The most critical “lane change” is that it is no longer heading in the previously rumored PvE hunting direction, but has instead shifted to turn-based gacha. For players following Stellar Blade, this news lands with considerable impact: from the same team lineage, a completely different kind of new machine has emerged, running at an entirely different pace.

Let’s start with the known facts. Project: Spirits was originally codenamed “Project: Witches,” and was later renamed “Spirits,” though the leak did not explain why the name was changed. The project is currently being developed mainly in China, and reports say Tencent will be involved in publishing it; at the same time, Shift Up’s Korea headquarters is investing relatively limited resources into the project, with its core focus still on a sequel to Stellar Blade. That also makes the most noteworthy aspect of Project: Spirits not just its gameplay, but this new model of development division under China-Korea collaboration.

Based on the leak descriptions, the game’s visual presentation and business model are already clearly leaning toward the gacha genre, while the bigger change lies in its gameplay: multiple sources mentioned that it only recently switched to turn-based combat, with inspiration reportedly pointing to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. If this direction proves true, then what it aims to compete on is not traditional action spectacle, but the combined performance of character presentation, team-building, and battle cinematics.

But that also brings problems. The turn-based track is even more crowded than a short-distance sprint lane. Players’ tolerance for “gacha + turn-based” is no longer as high as it was a few years ago, and it is hard to stand out on character art and theme alone. In particular, this leak also mentioned that the project had been shown internally at Shift Up Korea during an annual presentation, but employee feedback was not especially enthusiastic. For a product still adjusting its direction, this is not a red light, but it is at least a yellow flag warning.

As for the release window, Need4Gamers’ assessment is that, if development progresses smoothly, it is expected to launch in 2027. That timing itself indicates the project is still some distance away from a true reveal and final form. In other words, what we are seeing now is more like information from the pit lane, not the final lap time after the race has begun.

If you are a Shift Up fan, my suggestion is not to rush into treating it as “the next Stellar Blade” just yet, because the two are clearly built on very different product logic; if you already enjoy anime-style turn-based games, then it may actually be worth continuing to follow, with attention focused on three key points: whether the character art can sustain long-term appeal, whether the combat system has any distinctive mechanics, and whether Tencent’s involvement in publishing can deliver strong localization and operational pacing.

At this stage, the biggest point of interest with Project: Spirits is not “whether it will be a hit,” but whether it can carve out a recognizable Shift Up identity on the high-pressure track of turn-based gacha. Before 2027, this race is still far from the finish line.