The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother has received its first full trailer, offering a closer look at the mystery-filled story coming to consoles and PC in early 2027.
The upcoming title marks the franchise’s first console game and features an entirely original storyline created by series author Natsu Hyuuga. The game is planned for release on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam.
The False Imperial Brother Trailer Introduces a New Mystery
Following its brief appearance during a recent Nintendo Direct presentation, Koei Tecmo America has now shared a more detailed trailer for The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother.
The game follows Maomao as she investigates a mysterious case involving the Five Mysteries and Five Curses. Her investigation takes an unexpected turn when she encounters a masked individual claiming to be the “imperial younger brother.”
What begins as another mystery for Maomao eventually leads toward a secret powerful enough to threaten the entire imperial court.
Maomao Takes on an Interactive Investigation
The game combines exploration, investigation and deduction, allowing players to experience Maomao’s problem-solving skills in a more interactive format.
During investigation sections, players will search different locations for clues and question witnesses to gather useful information. Maomao will also leave the city at certain points to search for medicinal ingredients needed for her investigations.
Once enough evidence has been collected, the game moves into its deduction phase. Here, Maomao examines the information she has gathered, develops a theory and uses evidence to support her conclusions when confronted by opposing arguments.
Game to Appear at Tokyo Game Show 2026
Fans will get another opportunity to see The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother during a special Koei Tecmo livestream at Tokyo Game Show 2026 on September 20.
Several members of the anime’s Japanese voice cast are scheduled to appear, including:
- Aoi Yuki as Maomao
- Takeo Otsuka as Jinshi
- Yohei Azakami as Guanyu
The event is expected to provide additional details about the game and its development.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Arrives This October
The game isn’t the only major The Apothecary Diaries project arriving soon. Season 3 of the anime adaptation is scheduled to begin this October.
Akinori Fudesaka is directing the new season at OLM, with Wataru Nakagawa serving as assistant director. Norihiro Naganuma oversees series composition, while scripts are being handled by Yuko Kakkihara, Misuzu Chiba and Hitomi Ogawa.
Yukiko Nakatani is responsible for character designs, with music composed by Satoru Kosaki, Kevin Penkin and Arisa Okehazama.
About The Apothecary Diaries
The Apothecary Diaries began as a light novel series written by Natsu Hyuuga and illustrated by Touko Shino. The novels are published in Japan by Shufunotomo through its Hero Bunko imprint.
The story follows Maomao, a young woman with extensive knowledge of medicine and poisons. After being sold into service at the emperor’s palace, she initially tries to keep a low profile. However, her medical knowledge soon draws attention when members of the imperial family become mysteriously ill.
Her efforts to uncover the cause of their illnesses bring her to the attention of Jinshi, a charismatic palace official. From there, Maomao becomes increasingly involved in solving the palace’s many medical and political mysteries.
The English digital edition of the light novels is published by J-Novel Club, while Square Enix handles the English print edition.
The False Imperial Brother Release Window
The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother is scheduled to launch in early 2027 for PS5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam.
With an original story from Natsu Hyuuga and gameplay built around investigation, medicine and deduction, the upcoming title offers fans a new way to experience Maomao’s world beyond the anime and novels.
