BODY: Maomao finally has a release date. Koei Tecmo has confirmed that "The Apothecary Diaries ~Itsuwari no Kōtei~" (The False Imperial Brother) will launch on March 18, 2027, alongside a new promotional video featuring the rear-palace apothecary and the rest of the series' cast.
The mystery adventure arrives simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch and PC. Pre-orders opened on October 21 across three tiers: a standard edition at ¥8,580 (roughly $55), a Premium Box at ¥15,510, and a Special Premium Box at ¥25,960 — the sort of escalating collector's ladder that Japanese anime-adaptation releases live on.
Players control Maomao as she untangles incidents inside the palace. The loop is built around collecting evidence, organizing testimony, reasoning toward a conclusion, and — in a nod to Maomao's actual profession — compounding medicines. A "person investigation record" system lets players take on requests from individual characters, raising familiarity and unlocking character-specific episodes, which is where fans of the cast will likely sink most of their time.
Original novelist Natsu Hyuuga supplied the story concept, meaning this is an original case rather than a replay of the anime's greatest hits.
The insider take
Shipping on both Switch and Switch 2 means Koei Tecmo is not cutting off the original Switch audience — a conservative call that keeps the widest group of fans in play. What's conspicuously absent is any word on an English release; the announcement simply does not mention one, so it is worth watching for news.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).