Witch the Showdown is bringing its parry-action deckbuilding to PS5

CitalesGames' anime-style deckbuilder Witch the Showdown is coming to PlayStation 5 in 2027. Publisher Perp Games announced the console port this week, adding to the game's existing PC plans.

The game first appeared on the radar at Tokyo Game Show in 2024. It combines two genres that do not usually mix: real-time action and tabletop deckbuilding. Developer CitalesGames has built a system where fast reflexes are just as important as a well-constructed hand of cards.

Only the hard parts

Witch the Showdown skips standard enemies entirely. Every encounter in the game is a one-on-one boss fight. The combat system requires players to parry incoming attacks in real time to generate mana. Once you have enough mana, you can play cards from your custom deck to launch your own attacks and trigger elemental bursts. These bursts deal massive damage and act as the primary way to close out a fight. You cannot just mash attack buttons. You have to earn your offensive windows by playing solid defense first.

The visual style leans heavily into anime aesthetics. Bright particle effects accompany every successful parry and card activation. The deck editor uses a grid-based system where you slot in different attacks like Chain Lightning and Eight Beat Pulse. Managing your deck between fights looks just as involved as the actual combat. You have to balance cheap, fast attacks with expensive burst damage cards.

The setting is a near-future fantasy world mixing magic, swords, guns, and machines. The story explores each witch's reasons for entering the tournament and the relationships they build with their rivals. You get to see these interactions play out in the dedicated Story mode, which provides context for the constant dueling.

The game has two other primary ways to play. Duel mode gives you pre-built decks so you can jump straight into a fight. It is designed for quick sessions where you just want to practice parrying specific enemy attack patterns. Tournament mode acts as the game's roguelike component. You start with a basic setup and draft new cards and accessories from Minuka's Magic Item Shop between consecutive battles. This lets you build your strategy on the fly.

To accommodate different skill levels, CitalesGames included five difficulty settings ranging from Rookie to Master. The Master difficulty is specifically tuned for competitive action game players, but the lower settings allow anyone to see the story without getting walled by a tough boss.

Incubator roots

CitalesGames is a Japanese indie studio, and the project has some notable backing. Witch the Showdown is part of So-Fu, an accelerator program run by the Indie Game Incubator in partnership with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The program exists to help domestic indie developers secure funding and reach global audiences. It is a relatively new initiative where the Japanese government takes a direct role in boosting the country's indie gaming scene. The incubator provides mentoring, workshops, and connections to international publishers like Perp Games.

The current footage was captured on PC. The 2027 release window means the PS5 version is still a long way out. The PC version does not have a firm release date yet, but you can wishlist it on Steam right now. If the combat loop of parrying for mana actually holds together, it could be a weirdly compelling mix of Sekiro mechanics and Slay the Spire drafting.