The most exciting game announcements are the ones you don’t see coming. It is easy to guess what sequels or franchises will be announced, but a new IP is impossible to predict until it takes you by surprise.
Ballad of Antara was one of the stars of the show during PlayStation’s State of Play showcase in May 2024 — it certainly left an impression thanks to the haunting visual of your main character carrying a child.
Don’t let that fool you — Ballad of Antara is not a slow escort mission but a fast and action-heavy RPG. Not all is as it seems, so hop on my back, and I will take you through everything we know about this upcoming adventure.
What is Ballad of Antara?
Free-to-play Evolving RPG with Supernatural Flavors
Ballad of Antara is a free-to-play action RPG built in Unreal Engine 5. It will be a single-player or co-op game featuring multiple different playable characters with their own classes, skills, and stories.
The world of Ballad of Antara has two parts: one based in the real world and an alternate version full of supernatural sights and monsters called Para. The game will feature multiple landscapes, each with a Para version to venture into and face off against the eldritch beings inside.
The characters who are able to move between these realities are called Emissaries. The overall goal seems to be finding and uniting them all to prevent the Para from draining the life from your world.
Ballad of Antara will be an ongoing game, so the team plans to add more characters, environments, and storyline over time.
When is Ballad of Antara Coming Out?
Expected Release: 2025
Ballad of Antara will come out sometime in 2025, but that’s as specific as we can be right now.
What Consoles/Platforms Will Ballad of Antara be Available for?
Even though Ballad of Antara was revealed at a PlayStation showcase, it is not going to be a PS5 exclusive.
While it is listed as multi-platform, the only confirmed system is the PS5. At the very least, I would expect it to come to PC, if not Xbox, as well.
Ballad of Antara Trailers
The announcement trailer from the State of Play is as mysterious as the game’s title. With the background info we have, we now see that the beginning sequence shows the two characters moving from their world into the Para.
We get a few glimpses of what I suspect are the other Emissaries, but it’s the first character (the one with the child on his back) that we see the most of. He will have access to a sword that, at one point, is lit on fire, while another character carries a massive halberd (an axe blade on a long shaft).
Aside from how visually stunning the game looks, combat may end up being somewhat close to a Souls game. It’s hard to tell from such short clips without any UI elements, but dodging and blocking appear to be key to surviving.
Why Fans Are Excited for Ballad of Antara
Technically, there aren’t fans of Ballad of Antara yet since the game isn’t out yet, but I’d say it has more than earned some preview excitement. The unique world and beautiful visuals make it stand out even among other modern games, and the gameplay we have seen is just as impressive.
What tips this game over the edge, however, is its price. Being a free game, even people who might be on the fence have no reason not to give it a try. Because it’s also a co-op game, friends can easily bring others into the game with no barriers and work together.
Ballad of Antara Price
Free to play
Ballad of Antara will be a free-to-play game when it launches in 2025. That does leave the question of how the game will handle monetization, though. I would say microtransactions are assured, with cosmetics for each of the Emissaries being an obvious move.
There’s also the chance that the developer will charge for new areas, Emissaries, or dungeons. Many games have abandoned charging for content like this to keep the playerbase together and stick to cosmetics for microtransactions, but we won’t know until we hear more.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a fan of action RPGs, and potentially souls-likes, Ballad of Antara is at least worth putting on your calendar. The world and monsters look stunningly beautiful and horrific, and the action promises to keep you on your toes.
Since you’re free to play alone or with friends, you can experience the story of these characters however you prefer. I just hope the game doesn’t lock the new story and Emissaries behind microtransactions.
More information will be shared this year, and a beta test on PS5 is also promised for the future.