Ember Lab has moved the launch window for Kena: Scars of Kosmora from 2026 to 2027. The studio says the extra time will go toward polishing gameplay mechanics and expanding the scale of the action adventure sequel, which Ember Lab is developing with Sony Interactive Entertainment as publisher.
Quick Facts: Developer: Ember Lab. Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment. Platforms: PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Launch window: 2027, delayed from its original 2026 target. Editions: physical and digital on PS5, digital on PC.
Extra development time for polish and scale
The schedule adjustment keeps the full release inside 2027 with no specific day or month named yet. According to the official announcement, the team needs more room to refine combat and puzzles while growing the world beyond what players saw in the 2021 original. The sequel keeps the character driven and linear narrative structure of Kena Bridge of Spirits while adding larger regions and optional side paths for players who want to wander off the main road.
Delays of this kind usually point to a project whose ambitions grew during production, and the details shared so far support that reading. Instead of a wider but emptier map, the studio describes denser regions with distinct communities and temple interiors built around ability progression. Players waiting for more 2027 releases can also follow our Horizon Forbidden West review coverage for another PlayStation action adventure worth revisiting in the meantime.
Story and setting on the island of Kosmora
Scars of Kosmora sends Kena to a mysterious island after encouragement from Orfio, her childhood friend. The journey centers on answers about her lineage as a Spirit Guide, which gives the sequel a more personal hook than a simple return of the Rot and village restoration duties from the first game. Kosmora itself is presented as a lived in place with separate communities facing their own regional crises, and Kena must adapt her abilities to help each population she meets.
This structure suggests a story told through people rather than ruins alone. Each community introduces new faces with problems tied to the island, so progression blends main path beats with optional stops. The approach mirrors how the original game tied its areas to individual spirits and their unfinished stories, now spread across a larger map with more room for detours.
Alchemystic Temples grant ability upgrades
The ancient Alchemystic Temples form the backbone of progression. Each temple mixes complex puzzles with combat encounters, and clearing them grants transformative ability upgrades that change how Kena fights and explores. The design rewards players who engage with both sides of the game, since new powers open further paths across the island and feed back into later temple challenges.
Ability gated exploration of this type works best when the upgrades feel meaningful outside combat, and the temple concept points in that direction. Puzzles that teach a power before combat tests it would give each upgrade a clear purpose. Until Ember Lab shows extended footage, the exact number of temples and powers remains unconfirmed, so treat the current details as the framework rather than the full picture.
Crystal mount joins combat and exploration
Traversal gets its biggest change through a new crystalline canine companion that serves as a rideable mount. The creature carries Kena across the vast environments of Kosmora and also takes part in active combat alongside her. Elemental environmental puzzles round out its role, with the mount helping solve obstacles that Kena cannot clear on foot.
A companion that fights, carries, and solves puzzles could reshape the pace of the whole game. Mounted movement shortens travel across the larger regions, while combat support adds a second presence on the battlefield that the first game lacked. How much direct control players have over the creature in fights and puzzle sequences is still unclear, and that detail will decide whether the mount feels like a partner or a tool.
Platforms and edition details
Kena: Scars of Kosmora remains in active development for PlayStation 5 and PC, with PC covered through both Steam and the Epic Games Store. Ember Lab confirmed that the PS5 version will ship in physical and digital editions, while the PC versions will be digital releases at launch. The PlayStation page for Scars of Kosmora lists the project for PS5 as development continues.
No price, preorder date, or exact day in 2027 has been announced. With the window now set, the next concrete news to watch for is a gameplay showcase that locks in a season or a firm date. A 2027 calendar spot gives the team room to polish without rushing, and fans of the original now have a clear if distant target to mark.
When does Kena Scars of Kosmora release
The current launch window is 2027. Ember Lab moved the game out of its original 2026 target to allow more time for polish and a larger game world. The studio has not named a specific day or month.
Which platforms will Scars of Kosmora support
The game is in development for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. PS5 gets physical and digital editions, while PC releases are digital.
Do I need to play Kena Bridge of Spirits first
Ember Lab has not stated that the original is required. Scars of Kosmora tells a new story about Kena and her lineage as a Spirit Guide, but it builds on the character driven structure of Bridge of Spirits, so new players who want full context can start with the original.
What is new compared to Bridge of Spirits
The sequel adds larger regions with optional side paths, Alchemystic Temples that grant ability upgrades through puzzles and combat, living communities with regional crises, and a rideable crystal canine mount that aids in combat and puzzle solving.
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