Here’s some good holiday news for JRPG fans — Octopath Traveler 0 is officially releasing worldwide on December 4, 2025 for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam & Microsoft Store).
I first got into Orsterra through Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent on mobile. Even if the series already had a big reputation thanks to the first Octopath Traveler back in 2018 on Switch (and later on PC, Xbox, and Stadia), CotC was my entry point. Honestly, it blew me away — not just because it was free-to-play, but because of how much heart it had.
What really stuck with me wasn’t even the main story, but the character-driven side quests. With so many characters to meet and unlock, I found myself spending hours just following their stories instead of pushing the main plot. The gacha system? It didn’t bother me at all — the sheer number of characters made it feel like I always had something fresh to explore, and I never felt pressured to spend. Add in full voiceovers and an amazing soundtrack, and CotC became one of my favorite mobile RPG experiences.
I played through three chapters before stepping away after the Solistia update dropped in May 2025. But now, with Octopath Traveler 0 on the horizon, I’m ready to dive back in.
This isn’t just CotC with the gacha stripped out — Square Enix is reimagining it as a premium, standalone JRPG. You’ll still build a party of eight, but now with more focus on creating your own custom protagonist, rebuilding the burned-down town of Wishvale, and pushing deeper into the series’ signature mix of tactical combat and branching stories.
For me, Octopath Traveler 0 feels like a dream come true. Imagine a game that carries the spirit of Suikoden with its wide cast of recruitable characters, mixes in the Break & Boost combat system from CotC, and tops it off with pixel-style graphics that bring back memories of my old Final Fantasy favorites. It’s basically the perfect mix for the holidays — the kind of RPG I’d love to sink into with a cup of warm cocoa on a cold December night.
And the timing? Perfect. Launching in December, it feels like Square Enix is setting Octopath Traveler 0 up to be the holiday JRPG event of the year. Hopefully, there won’t be any last-minute hiccups like what happened with Konami’s Suikoden I & II HD Remaster, which was supposed to drop in December but got pushed all the way to March.
If you’ve been waiting for a story-driven JRPG without the gacha strings attached, Octopath Traveler 0 should definitely be in your holiday carts. This just might be the JRPG gift we all needed for 2025.
🎅 Holiday Hype: Quick Facts on Octopath Traveler 0 🎄
- Release Date: December 4, 2025 (worldwide)
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam & Microsoft Store)
- Developer / Publisher: Acquire & Square Enix
- Genre: Turn-based JRPG (premium, no gacha)
- Story Setup: Starts in Wishvale, a burned town you’ll rebuild as part of your journey
- Protagonist: Custom-created hero instead of 8 separate storylines
- Combat: Break & Boost system returns, now with 8-character party battles
- Town-Building: Place structures, recruit townsfolk, and expand your base
- Presentation: Full voice acting, expanded soundtrack, and HD-2D pixel art visuals
- Monetization: 100% premium, no gacha or RNG pulls
🔥 I can already see this one being the perfect holiday binge — what about you? Planning to pick it up day one, or waiting to see first reviews?
EZRetro Plays 