Prepare to die. But, also, prepare for the Sekiro unlock time. Being able to pre-load and play Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice early (potentially) is probably on the mind of many Soulsborne and From Software fans right now. You don’t want to miss a beat. I get that. So, when can you start playing Sekiro on launch day? Below, we’ll look into that, as well as the Sekiro pre-load dates on Steam, Xbox One, and PS4, so, at the very least, you’ll be ready for an ass-kicking ahead of time.
Sekiro Unlock Time | Can I play Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice early?
As of writing, the Sekiro unlock time has not yet been unveiled. However, we can point towards previous AAA releases as a useful barometer of when we could expect it.
With no Sekiro early access coming through pre-order bonuses or the like, we’ll very much be stuck with one just a straightforward unlock time on March 22. At an educated guess, we’re going to get one of the following: Either a blanket midnight release, no matter where you are, be it New York, California, London, or Tokyo, which would look like this:
- 12 AM Pacific (March 22)
- 12 AM Eastern (March 22)
- 12 AM GMT (March 22)
Or we could get a more staggered time. That would traditionally mean those on the West Coast technically get to play Sekiro early as the Eastern timezone normally takes centre stage for launch:
- 9 PM Pacific (March 21)
- 12 AM Eastern (March 22)
- 4 AM GMT (March 22)
However, this is just speculation right now. We’ll update the page when we know more, but you should feel safe in the knowledge that it’s going to drop at one of the two time windows listed above.
When are the Sekiro pre-load dates on PC, PS4, and Xbox One?
Thankfully, this one is a little simpler. You can pre-load Sekiro on PS4 and Xbox One right now. However, the PC pre-load isn’t yet available on Steam. We’re expecting it to go live at 12 PM Eastern on March 20, but watch this space.
Sekiro Soulslikes
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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and the Best of the Soulslikes
It's always exciting to see a new genre emerge. You get that original hit game, the follow-ups and the attempts by other developers to recapture the magic. With the release of Sekiro, let's look back at the landscape of Souslikes so far. -
Demon's Souls
The original that kicked it all off (unless you count King's Field), Demon's Souls went under the radar on the PlayStation 3. Originally, gamers didn't know what to make of it, but anyone who stuck with it got an amazing experience that was unlike anything on the market. -
Dark Souls
By the time a new generation rolled around, From Software had moved from demons to darkness. The Dark Souls trilogy cemented the genre tropes, proving to achieve the popularity that their previous title had only hinted at. Far more than a cult success, these games proved to be influential even outside the genre. -
Bloodborne
Once things started taking off, original Demon's Souls publisher Sony had to get back in the action. Teaming with From, the result was Bloodborne. Taking things was from medieval castles and including firearms for the first time, this was the first hint that this formula was flexible. -
Lords of the Fallen
Developed by Deck13 Interactive and CI Games, Lords of the Fallen takes things in a more Norse direction. Using hammers and axes, you must fight towering gods and demons. After this game's success, the two developers split, with CI working on an upcoming sequel to this Viking Soulslike. -
Nioh
Team Ninja tried their hands at Souslikes with Nioh, a game where you control an Irish Samurai and fight yokai. The game was announced back in 2004 as Oni and changed hands multiple times before release. Originally another PlayStation 4 exclusive for the genre, the game has since come to PC with all its DLC bundled in. -
The Surge
Deck13 took what they learned from Lords of the Fallen and took the Soulslike genre into the future. The Surge has you stomping around in a mech suit fighting uncontrollable robots. Once you destroy an enemy, you can scrap their parts and convert them into weapons for you to use. A sequel is currently set to release in 2o19. -
Ashen
Developed by A44, Ashen puts players into a world without light. Each character is a muted faceless person, adding to the downtrodden vibe of the entire experience. While combat is inspired by Dark Souls, the game also features open-world exploration and novel passive multiplayer encounters. -
Immortal: Unchained
Going even more Norse than Lords of the Fallen, Immortal: Unchained finds you battling the monsters of Ragnarok. Instead of swords and spears, your character uses a mix of technologically advanced firearms to take down each and every mysterious foe. More fast-paced than other soulslikes, you'll need to duck and weave to stay alive. -
Death's Gambit
Pitched as a merger of Souslike and Castlevania, Death's Gambit is also one of the first games to take these concepts into the second dimension. You can choose from seven playable classes as you seek immortality in this labyrinth of death. -
Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption
What if you didn't have to explore a Soulslike? What if you just fought a collection of out of control boss monsters? Then, you'd have Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption. In this game, you start at your strongest and level down as you progress, adding to the challenge.
