Phantom Blade Zero has made a remarkable debut, quickly establishing itself as a hit on PC just hours after its release. The game, which had already garnered substantial hype with an estimated one million pre-launch sales, has since peaked at 723,876 concurrent players on Steam.
This strong performance is significant for the title, which also launched on PlayStation 5. It offers players a blend of soulslike-inspired action, fight choreography by action movie veteran Donnie Yen, and a narrative deeply rooted in Chinese folklore.
Analysis from Alinea Analytics indicated that prior to launch, Phantom Blade Zero had sold 850,000 units, generating approximately $43 million in revenue. According to Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics, 62.5% of these pre-launch sales originated from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Elliott further detailed that these East Asian markets account for 75.9% of Steam copies sold and about 24.9% on the PlayStation 5.
In a message to fans on launch day, creative director Soulframe Liang expressed gratitude for the game's robust start and acknowledged the dedication of his team at S-Game. "This is a game of immense scale, made with all the passion in our hearts. It is a gift from a small group of gamers who just happen to be developers, to every gamer who shares our love for gaming," Liang stated.
While Phantom Blade Zero's launch is highly successful, it is not on the same trajectory as the record-breaking Black Myth: Wukong, another highly anticipated title from China. Black Myth: Wukong achieved an extraordinary 10 million unit sales within its first three days. Despite this comparison, Phantom Blade Zero's performance places it among the top 40 highest-grossing games of 2026, a notable achievement given the competitive release schedule of the year.
GameSpot's review highlighted the game's Wuxia-inspired combat, with Richard Wakeling describing it as an experience that "puts you in the middle of a Chinese action movie."