Digimon Story: Time Stranger – Release Date, Gameplay Features, and Everything You Need to Know
Digimon Story: Time Stranger – Release Date, Gameplay Features, and Everything You Need to Know
The next evolution of the beloved Digimon Story series arrives October 3, 2025
Bandai Namco Entertainment has officially announced that Digimon Story: Time Stranger will be released on October 3, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. This highly anticipated entry in the Digimon Story series promises to deliver an epic adventure spanning across the human world and Digital World, with a compelling narrative centered around time travel and parallel worlds.
Developed by Media Vision Inc., the studio behind titles like Wild Arms and Valkyria Revolution, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is positioned as the perfect entry point for RPG enthusiasts new to the series while offering plenty of depth and nostalgia for longtime Digimon fans.
Release Date and Platforms
Digimon Story: Time Stranger will launch globally on October 3, 2025 for the following platforms:
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X|S
PC via Steam
Pre-orders are already available for PlayStation versions and the Collector’s Edition, with Xbox and Steam pre-orders set to begin at a later date. Players who pre-order any edition will receive bonus content including special costumes and exclusive Digimon variants.
Set in both modern-day Tokyo and the Digital World: Iliad, Digimon Story: Time Stranger begins with a dramatic premise: an agent of a secret organization encounters an unknown creature shortly before a city-leveling explosion. They then reawaken eight years in the past, setting the stage for a time-bending adventure.
The narrative revolves around uncovering the mystery of the world’s collapse, with players journeying across time and parallel worlds to change fate itself. The game’s tagline, “Battle to Alter Destiny and Unravel a Mystery Across Time,” hints at the high stakes and temporal complexity of the story.
Official Story Synopsis: “Tokyo, Japan – An agent of a secret organization encounters an unknown creature shortly before a city-leveling explosion. They then reawaken eight years in the past… Take on a mission to uncover the mystery of the world’s collapse, where chance encounters with unique characters will shape your journey across time and parallel worlds – and change fate itself.”
Players will freely travel between the human world and the Digital World: Iliad, where Digimon reside. The Digital World is presented with unprecedented detail and interactivity, featuring special quests and environmental elements that bring this virtual realm to life like never before in the series.
Gameplay Features
Monster Collection and Digivolution
At its core, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is an RPG with monster-taming elements. Players will be able to collect, raise, and battle with over 450 unique Digimon throughout their adventure. Each Digimon has distinct abilities, evolution paths, and compatibility with different battle strategies.
The bond between humans and Digimon is a central theme of the game, with relationship mechanics affecting battle performance and unlocking special abilities. As players strengthen their bonds with their digital partners, new Digivolution paths and combat options become available.
Strategic Turn-Based Combat
Combat in Digimon Story: Time Stranger features dynamic turn-based battles that combine strategic elements with evolved battle components. The system builds upon previous entries in the series while introducing new mechanics to keep encounters fresh and engaging.
Players can customize their battle approach through team composition, equipment, and skill development. With over 450 Digimon available, each with unique abilities and attributes, the strategic possibilities are virtually limitless.
World Exploration
Journey between the parallel human world and the Digital World: Iliad, exploring intricately detailed environments with interactive elements and hidden secrets. The game features the most expansive and visually stunning Digital World in the series to date.
Time Travel Mechanics
Navigate through different time periods and parallel worlds, with player choices affecting the timeline and potentially altering the fate of both worlds. Past actions can have ripple effects that change future encounters and story developments.
Digimon Customization
Deep customization options allow players to tailor their Digimon partners through training, equipment, and special abilities. The bond system rewards consistent use of favorite Digimon with enhanced capabilities and exclusive Digivolution paths.
Side Quests and Activities
Beyond the main story, players can engage in numerous side quests, mini-games, and collection challenges that expand the world and provide valuable rewards. Special training facilities help strengthen Digimon for the challenges ahead.
Pre-Order Editions and Bonuses
Bandai Namco has announced several editions of Digimon Story: Time Stranger, each with unique content and bonuses for players who pre-order:
Standard Edition
Base Game
Uniform of Certain School costumes
Adventure Item set
Agumon (Black)
Gabumon (Black)
Digital Deluxe Edition
All Standard edition content
Cyber Sleuth Set Costumes
Season Pass (3 DLC packs with 5 additional Digimon each and an additional episode per pack)
Digital Ultimate Edition
All Digital Deluxe edition content
Costume Pack (3 costumes per character)
3 additional side missions
Early unlocks of special Agumon and Gabumon
Public Safety Suit Costumes
Special Supplies Set
Cyber Sleuth BGM Pack
Collector’s Edition
All Ultimate Edition content
Physical artbook
Digimon Card Game set
Jupitermon: Wrath Mode statuette
Bandai Namco store exclusive
The Season Pass includes three DLC packs that will be released after launch, with each pack including five additional Digimon and an additional episode. Season Pass holders will also receive the Golden Moai farm item which can be used to decorate the Digifarm.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger represents the next evolution for the beloved Digimon Story series, which began with Digimon Story for the Nintendo DS in 2007 and gained widespread popularity with Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth in 2015. The new entry aims to honor the series’ legacy while pushing boundaries with enhanced visuals, deeper gameplay systems, and a more complex narrative.
Developed by Media Vision Inc. and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the game has been designed to appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers to the franchise. The development team has emphasized that Time Stranger will serve as an excellent entry point for RPG enthusiasts who may not be familiar with previous Digimon games.
“Digimon Story Time Stranger is designed to be the perfect entry point to the series for RPG enthusiasts. The game’s multiple settings in both the human and digital worlds sets the stage for exploring the deep bond between humans and creatures called Digimon, who reside in the Digital World: Iliad.”
With its visually stunning presentation, intricate story, memorable characters, and vast array of Digimon to discover, Time Stranger is positioned as a must-play game for fans of anime-inspired RPGs when it launches this October.
System Requirements (PC)
While detailed system requirements have not yet been announced, Bandai Namco has confirmed that Digimon Story: Time Stranger will be available on PC via Steam. Based on comparable recent releases, players can expect requirements similar to other modern JRPGs with 3D environments and effects.
Full system specifications will likely be revealed closer to the October 3 release date, along with information about supported controllers and other PC-specific features.
Conclusion
Digimon Story: Time Stranger is shaping up to be an ambitious evolution of the Digimon Story series, combining the monster-collecting and raising elements fans love with an intriguing time-travel narrative and enhanced battle mechanics. With over 450 Digimon to collect, multiple worlds to explore, and a release date set for October 3, 2025, fans of the series and RPG enthusiasts alike have much to look forward to.
Pre-orders are available now for PlayStation versions and the Collector’s Edition, with Xbox and Steam pre-orders coming soon. Whether you’re a longtime Digimon fan or new to the digital world, Time Stranger promises an adventure across time and space that shouldn’t be missed.
This article is based on officially announced information from Bandai Namco Entertainment. Some details may change as the game approaches its release date of October 3, 2025.
