A brand new game in Success Corp's Psyvariar series is currently in development for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam), the publisher has announced.
Psyvariar 3 is the first new mainline entry in the classic shoot 'em up series, which began all the way back in the year 2000 with the original title Psyvariar for the arcades and also includes various ports, updates, as well as the 2003 sequel Psyvariar 2 (which was subsequently released for the Dreamcast, Xbox, and PS2 in 2004).
It is being developed by Banana Bytes and Red Art Studios, and is said to build "on the franchise’s signature “buzz” mechanic", which is the series's key gameplay mechanic that sees players purposefully grazing enemy projectiles to earn rewards in battle.
According to the announcement, the story for the game will take place many years after the events of Psyvariar 2, following the fall of ETA, the super-powered AI sent to Earth in the previous game, with a faction of Psyvariars (psychic-powered pilots) deciding to reclaim and recolonise the planet as it is now considered "too precious to be forsaken".
Managing to pull the planet back under its control, the colony flourishes for several decades, until one day, out of the blue, it detects an alien signal, which is revealed to be related to the Gluon threat from the first game. Earth comes under siege once again and a new generation of Psyvariars must rise to defend it.
Here are some of the features you can expect from the new title:
- Seven Playable Characters with unique shot types, buzz & bomb mechanics, and scoring systems.
- Guest character: Cotton from the Cotton series is fully playable with her own ship and abilities
- Refined Buzz System that rewards skillful bullet grazing with score boosts and shield chains
- Signature Roll Mechanic updated for modern controllers all the while preserving the original Arcade “wiggle” input for extra advantage and fluid movement
- Neutrino & Shield System that give access to shields, speed boosts, and enhanced weapons by buzzing and shooting
- Strategic Bomb Variations that include short and long types with varying effects depending on the character in use
- Multiple Game Modes: Arcade, Arrange, Mission (49 short challenges), Caravan, Endless, and Practice
- Dynamic Difficulty Selection that unlocks harder routes and exclusive boss encounters based on performance
- Seven Distinct Areas and Bosses with varied attack patterns depending on the difficulty
- Arcade-Perfect Intensity that preserves the intense, high risk/high reward action the series is known for
- Neo retro 3D aesthetics inspired by early Psyvariar games
The game will be released in early 2026, and will also, according to the announcement, be getting multiple physical editions for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch and PS5 in Europe.
A playable demo of the game is also currently being shown off at Tokyo Game Show 2025, at Success’s booth.