Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. today announced that the adventures on the floating castle of Aincrad are not over yet; Genesis Maidens, a DLC for Echoes of Aincrad, is in the works and set to release this coming winter in 2026. Genesis Maidens will come to the action JRPG set in the world of SWORD ART ONLINE, available on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam®. For more information, visit www.bandainamcoent.com/games/echoes-of-aincrad.

Genesis Maidens brings a new storyline and its side quests to extend the journey of players across new areas of Floors 1 and 2 of Aincrad, introducing a new ally: Misumi Tozawa, better known as Mito. Making her entrance from the SWORD ART ONLINE Progressive films, she will join the party to support the players, although she still struggles to overcome the guilt she bears from her past actions.

Mito will introduce a new weapon type, the curved sword, and will sport her own combination skills and support skills. This DLC also adds a new system of enhancing armors, allowing players to upgrade them with passive effects, creating new options for customization of their build.

In Echoes of Aincrad, players can create their own character and truly be the hero of their own story as they find themselves trapped in a dangerous video game where virtual death in the floating castle of Aincrad also means death in the real world. Customization will be key as they level up and master their skills, managing their character attributes to build their own playstyle and become the ultimate hero of Aincrad. They will explore breathtaking scenery through quests and missions, overcoming epic fights against powerful enemies to escape these deadly virtual dungeons. Combat receives an added layer of strategy thanks to the switch mode, which allows their ally to step up and cover for the player or fight on their own terms, taking on their own enemies. Finally, in classic RPG fashion, players must learn the ropes, dodging, parrying, and timing their actions perfectly to gain advantage and defeat those standing in their way to freedom.