Here are the latest details, via Ember Lab chief operating officer Josh Grier and game writer Thomas Varga on PlayStation Blog:
Development Status
Since our announcement trailer in February, we’ve been heads down bringing Kena: Scars of Kosmora to the finish line. It’s been exciting to see all the anticipation and passion from fans. We can’t wait to share a new installment of Kena’s story with you!
At the same time, we want to deliver a top-notch game that exceeds the quality we achieved with our 2021 debut, Bridge of Spirits, and at a much bigger scale. To do that we need just a bit more time. Pushing our release into 2027 gives us the ability to really polish the expanded game experience we want to deliver. In the meantime, we wanted to share more about the world you’ll get to explore soon!
Like our first game, Kena: Scars of Kosmora is a character-focused linear adventure but with a broader and deeper scope than Bridge of Spirits. The world has much to offer for players who decide to venture out off the beaten path.
Scars: Shadows of the Past
Before the events that unfold in Kena: Scars of Kosmora, Kena long studied as a Spirit Guide—equal parts warrior and spiritual healer. When the dead can’t move on peacefully, dangerous manifestations of their pain infect the environment. Spirit Guides fight back this Corruption to get to the heart of the issue.
Despite her progress, Kena is beginning to see her limits. She’s helped spirits of the dead, but has yet to really explore what Spirit Guiding looks like for the living. Even deeper, she has always helped other people deal with their pain, but not always focused on her own… Her childhood friend Orfio believes the mysterious island of Kosmora holds the answers they’ve both been looking for. Kena sets out to meet him, hoping to discover more about her past and future as a Spirit Guide.
The ancient Spirit Guides of Kosmora developed their own unique approach involving the four elements and Alchemystic Temples. Four interconnected cultures once thrived across Kosmora, each with a guiding Element that fueled its society—before a mysterious cataclysm destroyed one of them.
Since that time, the spiritual symbolism of the elements has faded into Kosmora’s distant past. The guiding elements still play a large role in how each surviving culture lives, but the longer that ancient wisdom remains buried, danger grows… Kosmora’s complex Spirit Guide temples are a big part of the game. These dungeon experiences will challenge players’ skills and pay off with transformative rewards that propel Kena’s adventure.
Kosmora: Living cultures
But Kosmora isn’t only about the past. The island is home to multiple living cultures with their own histories, values, and struggles. Kena’s mission to uncover how Kosmora’s past collides with characters in each region, requiring her to apply her experience and adapt to evolving situations and new personalities.
Exploring the regions of Kosmora on foot would take some time, but you may have noticed that Kena has a new way of getting around this larger world. Her crystalline canine companion is tied directly into gameplay and the origin of the mysterious island.
This ancient spirit not only serves as an exciting mount, but aids Kena in combat, both mounted and on foot, as well as solving Alchemystic puzzles. Together, our Spirit Guide and her new ally set out to heal Kena’s scars, as well as the scars that cut right to the root of Kosmora.
We hope you’re just as excited to jump into Kena’s next adventure as we are to share it with you. We’ve been working hard to fill it with the wonder, charm, and challenge fans have come to expect. We appreciate your patience and support as we take the time for Scars of Kosmora to be the evolution of Kena’s journey and experience we want to deliver.
