Valor Mortis, the upcoming Soulslike from the team behind cyberpunk FPS platformer Ghostrunner, will launch at $40. The developers say the lower-than-usual price is intended to help the game compete for players’ limited time and money during a crowded autumn release season.
The announcement arrives after months of discussion about the game’s value and positioning. The team says its 20-hour story has the quality, visual fidelity and playtime to stand alongside conventional full-price releases, but believes the competitive autumn schedule makes a more accessible price worthwhile. The developers’ announcement explains the decision.
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Why Valor Mortis is launching at $40
Video-game pricing has become less predictable in recent years. Mafia: The Old Country and Star Wars Zero Company both launched on Steam at $50, despite comparable projects previously being associated with $60 or $70 price points. Independent games have also been testing lower prices.
“Gameplay clips but I cut away before anyone gets hurt to avoid the censor algorithm”
pic.twitter.com/zkiN64nEfD — Valor Mortis, September 14, 2026
Recent examples include Mina the Hollower, which launched at $20 even as games with similar scope and production budgets moved towards $30. The popularity of inexpensive releases on Steam, including breakout co-op game Peak, has increased the pressure on developers to find ways to stand out early.
A crowded release calendar
Blake Rochkind, head of Valor Mortis publisher Lyrical Games, said the pricing decision was made carefully. In comments told The Game Business, Rochkind said his main concern was that $40 might send the wrong message about the game. He added that the final decision came from confidence in the project.
The release schedule is another factor. Even with a few weeks between Valor Mortis and major games such as Grand Theft Auto 6 and the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, players may already have committed their available time and budgets elsewhere.
That challenge is familiar across the wider games market, including the arcade sector. Players weighing a new release against an arcade machine for the home face the same basic question: which experiences deserve their space, attention and money?
A Napoleonic Soulslike with a clear hook
Valor Mortis is scheduled for October 13, 2026. It casts players as a former Napoleonic soldier with supernatural abilities who battles terrifying forces across the battlefield. The combination of historical warfare, dark fantasy and Soulslike combat gives the game a distinct premise, although its developers acknowledge that an original concept and polished execution cannot guarantee commercial success.
Rochkind said the team wants Valor Mortis to be an “and” game: something players can add alongside other major releases rather than choose instead of them. He pointed to a developer whose $30 game performed well, noting that the same title might command $40 in today’s market. In his view, the lesson was that creators do not regret making a game easy to buy alongside other releases.
That approach also reflects how audiences now build varied gaming setups. Readers comparing dedicated hardware options can explore RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide or watch the latest arcade industry videos while deciding where their next entertainment purchase fits.
With its $40 price, 20-hour campaign and unusual Napoleonic supernatural setting, Valor Mortis is being positioned as a game players can pick up without abandoning everything else on the autumn calendar.
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