The Phantom video game XBOX release & more updates

Since its March 12th release, fans have been able to step into the role of the Ghost Who Walks in the side-scrolling beat-em-up The Phantom. At least, that was the case for gamers on Steam, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation. The XBOX release was delayed, initially due to an incorrect development hardware kit provided by Microsoft to Art of Play, the team behind The Phantom game.

It's been several months since the original launch date. For Phantom phans who game on XBOX, which includes the writer of this article, Art of Play has offered Steam Keys to provide access to the game while the kinks with Microsoft are worked out.

For those who have waited patiently, it looks like the long wait could be ending soon. Art of Play released a statement confirming that in the months between discovering the wrong development hardware kit and today, their team has been actively working to correct the issue with Microsoft. A store-ready build has been with Microsoft for some time, but layoffs at Microsoft threw a wrench in the review and approval process, which stretched the delay further.

"I can happily say we now have a final version of the game running through XBOX - firing on their new dev kits and submitted for final review," Ash Nicholls, Director of Art of Play, recently wrote in an update to XBOX users. "So we are extremely close."

The latest date for an official XBOX launch is October 15, 2025.

The Phantom Game Physical Edition

Art of Play plans to sell a limited number of physical editions of The Phantom game from Limited Run Games. There will be two options: a Collectors Edition and a Standard Edition. Details on what each edition contains are listed below.

The Phantom Collectors Edition

Includes:

• Art cards

• The Phantom pin

• The Phantom booklet

• Large format box

• Physical copy of The Phantom

The Phantom Standard Edition

Includes:

• The Phantom booklet

• Physical copy of The Phantom

Once they are in stock, these will be available for Nintendo Switch and PS5 at ArtofPlayShop.com. For fans who missed their chance at snagging a copy of the digital art book that came packaged with preorders of the game, this will also be available on Art of Play's webstore.

The Phantom Game DLC

The Phantom's 90th birthday is in 2026, and Art of Play is already kicking around the idea of doing something special to commemorate the occasion. The developer is currently in talks with King Features Syndicate about the possibility of adding different coloured suits and potentially other DLC add-ons for the game.

Want to learn more about Art of Play's The Phantom? Listen to our previous interview with Director Ash Nicholls, Animator Matthew Cutler, and Illustrator Anthony Spay on X-Band: The Phantom Podcast: