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Gust and Koei Tecmo Announce The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother for PS5, Switch and PC

The game features an original, offline single-player story planned with series author Hyūganatsu and pairs evidence-driven deduction with herbal-medicine crafting.

Overview

  • The title was unveiled in Nintendo Direct on Wednesday and is slated for a worldwide early-2027 release on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch (including Switch 2) and PC via Steam.
  • Players will control Maomao to explore 3D palace and city environments, collect evidence, interview witnesses, organize clues and make deductions using a negotiation/trust system.
  • Investigation ties directly into crafting: gathering ingredients and compounding medicines affects testimony, negotiation options and case outcomes through a hands-on minigame or an automated craft option.
  • The game presents an original mystery that follows the rear palace’s ‘Five Mysteries’ and the capital’s ‘Five Curses,’ centered on a masked figure calling himself the “False Imperial Brother.”
  • Koei Tecmo and Gust — with cooperation from TOHO Games and voice cast members listed for a Tokyo Game Show livestream on Sept. 20 — posted an announcement trailer and storefront pages where players can wishlist the title.