Bandai Namco has had three major constants over the past few years: FromSoftware fans waiting out the gaps between announcements,Dragon Ball FighterZandXenoverseDLC, andDigimon Survivegetting delayed. Recently, things have been changing. FromoSoftware’sElden Ringis a few months away from release, meanwhileDragon Ball FighterZwrapped development and most of theXenoverseteam at Dimps is now working onDragon Ball: The Breakers. Perhaps the greatest sign of these changing times is that it seemsDigimon Surviveis finally on the verge of release.
This title is set to be the latest video game in theDigimonfranchise, and it has been in the works for a very long time. Announced in the July 2018 issue of Japanese magazine V-Jump,Digimon Surviveintends to bringDigimonto a new frontier. The game alternates between a visual novel with survival elements and strategy-RPG gameplay, withDigimon’s typical evolutionary mechanics worked directly into battles. On the story side,Surviveis expected to bedarker than the averageDigimonwork, offering the player choice in how they wish to shape the narrative. It seems like an experimental game, but due to the pandemic and probably other development issues, its situation hasn’t been so simple.
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The Many Delays of Digimon Survive
Historically, whena game is delayed for a long time, it goes silent for a long time before re-emerging. This has been seen with big-name titles likeKingdom Hearts 3,Duke Nukem Forever, andDying Light 2. Providing annual updates for a game moving into the next year is not a common practice, as it can lead to the fans feeling like it will never come out. Yet, for whatever reason this was the approach Bandai Namco has taken regarding this title. What was initially stated to be a 2019 release ended up taking far longer than anyone expected.
Halfway through 2019,Digimon Survivewas delayed to 2020. Then on July 02, 2025, Toei Animation Europe saidSurvivewould release for Europe in January 2021. This was quickly removed from its website. On Jun 14, 2025, producer Kazumasa Habu posted on Twitter thatSurvivewas delayed again, which was quickly followed up on October 15 with an official announcement that the delay to 2021 came due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, on Jun 01, 2025, Kazumasa announced on Twitter that the game was now delayed to 2022.
A Light at the End of Digimon Survive’s Tunnel
While that is an impressive collection of delays, it seems like the time forDigimon Survive’s release is officially drawing closer.Survivehas been rated in Australia, Brazil, and Korea over the past few months, and the ESRBassigned the game a “T for Teen” ratingaround the beginning of December. It seems likeDigimon Survivewill finally be released into the world soon, as the ESRB only tends to rate games that are a few months away from launch. TheDigimoncommunity could seeSurviveas early as the first half of 2022.
The most recent delay was the result of the developers needing more time to “enhance the quality of the game,” which may suggest thatDigimon Surviveis in its final polishing phase. It would be nice to have the game out soon so Bandai Namco canmake way for otherDigimonprojects, but none can say where it will take the series next. At any rate, while it has been an exhausting ride, it seems like the twisting tale ofDigimon Surviveis finally nearing an end.
Digimon Surviveis scheduled for release in 2022 for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
