Maomao is finally getting a game of her own. Koei Tecmo and developer Gust — the studio behind the Atelier series — have announced The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother, the first-ever console game based on the beloved mystery series. It’s coming to Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam in early 2027, with a worldwide release and English-language support confirmed.
A New Original Mystery in the Imperial Court
The game isn’t an adaptation of existing manga or light novel chapters — it’s a wholly new story written by the series’ original author, Natsu Hyuuga, specifically for this release. Maomao, the sharp-eyed apothecary working in the rear palace, is tasked with unravelling two interlocking chains of strangeness: the Five Mysteries and the Five Curses, a set of bizarre incidents spreading from the imperial palace into the pleasure district and city streets beyond.
At the heart of the conspiracy stands a masked figure who claims to be the imperial court’s long-lost younger brother. Who he really is — and what secret he carries that could bring the entire imperial court crashing down — is the thread Maomao will have to pull. Returning fan favourite Jinshi is along for the investigation, joined by Guanyu, a travelling actor introduced as a new character for this game.
Investigate, Craft Medicine, and Deduce Your Way to the Truth
The gameplay loops through three connected phases that map naturally onto what Maomao actually does in the story. During the Investigation phase, players explore fully 3D environments — from palace courtyards to mountain trails — gathering clues, interviewing witnesses, and collecting medicinal ingredients. The open-world herb-hunting shown in early screenshots looks surprisingly lush for a game of this type, with Gust’s experience in environmental art from the Atelier series showing through clearly.
Those ingredients feed into the Pharmaceutical Crafting phase, where players mix materials to produce remedies — a system that will feel at home alongside Gust’s long history of crafting mechanics. The final phase, Deduction, has players organising clues in Maomao’s notebook and presenting carefully chosen evidence to convince other characters of their conclusions. It’s a rhythm that fans of Ace Attorney or Professor Layton will recognise immediately, filtered through The Apothecary Diaries’ imperial-court setting.
Gust and Koei Tecmo, With TOHO Games Alongside
Gust — the Koei Tecmo internal studio responsible for the Atelier and Blue Reflection series — is handling development, working in collaboration with TOHO Games. It’s an interesting partnership: TOHO Games has handled tie-in titles across popular anime properties before, while Gust brings the production pedigree to render the imperial court in the distinctive anime-shaded 3D style visible in the screenshots. The result looks considerably more ambitious than the usual light-novel game tie-in.
Platforms, Window, and What’s Coming at TGS 2026
The game launches in early 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam) worldwide. Supported languages include Japanese, English, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese — so Singapore fans can pick up a physical PS5 or Switch copy from local game retailers or digital, with no import headaches. A Steam page is already live and the game will appear at Tokyo Game Show 2026 on 20 September, where Koei Tecmo has promised more detailed information alongside appearances from voice actors Aoi Yuki (Maomao), Takeo Otsuka (Jinshi), and Yohei Azakami (Guanyu).
The timing makes sense for a series that keeps growing. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 — a two-cour continuation — premieres 2 October 2026 on Crunchyroll, meaning Singapore fans will be entering the new anime season just as buzz around the franchise is peaking. An official game with a new story from the original author landing in the same period is exactly the kind of event tie-in the community has been waiting for. You can browse all our anime and manga coverage here.