Phasmophobia will stay in early access longer than planned. Kinetic Games has delayed the co-op horror game's full 1.0 launch to the second half of 2027, with the studio saying it needs more time to repair the game after recent feedback and deliver the version of Phasmophobia it wants players to have.
The delay comes with a reshaped 2026 roadmap. In an official roadmap update, Kinetic said 13 Willow Street will be reworked on July 21, followed by another quality-of-life update in August, a Unity 6 upgrade in October and a second Player Character update in November. The Nintendo Switch 2 version is now planned to arrive alongside Phasmophobia 1.0 in 2027.
Phasmophobia's 2026 roadmap is now about repairs
Kinetic's new plan puts polish ahead of fresh headline content. The studio says the July and August quality-of-life updates are aimed at bug fixes, gameplay improvements, stability and playability, with hundreds of fixes and changes planned across the two releases.
The first stop is 13 Willow Street. The reworked map will keep a layout close to the current version, but Kinetic says rooms have been redesigned with new theming, interactions, objects and story details to uncover.
The quality-of-life list includes new number-key inventory binds for keyboard and mouse, held-item FOV adjustments, an Eye Adaptation option for console players, VR improvements, photo detection improvements and faster equipment use. The Unity 6 move is scheduled for October, with Kinetic pointing to stability work, a new lighting system and more accessibility options.
That puts the revised roadmap in direct response to the troubled Player Character Update, which was meant to be a major step toward 1.0 but instead left players frustrated by animation, model and usability problems. Kinetic later apologised for that update, saying it "missed the mark" and had not delivered on its promises.
1.0 now moves into the second half of 2027
The biggest change is the 1.0 delay. Kinetic says it had previously committed to launching Phasmophobia 1.0 at the end of 2026, but has now moved that release into the second half of 2027 after reviewing its plans and internal processes.
"We know this will come as a disappointment to many, but this is the right decision to ensure we deliver the 1.0 version of Phasmophobia that is true to our vision, high quality standards and provides the experience for players that we’ve always wanted to achieve."
The full release is still set to be more than a label change. Kinetic says 1.0 will upgrade the ghost models, including a new look for Patient 07, and introduce Conduits as contract collectibles that replace bones. Each Conduit is tied to a specific ghost model and is meant to add more lore to the game's hauntings.
The delay stings because Phasmophobia first entered early access in 2020, but Kinetic is trying to frame 2026 as a reset year. The studio says it will share more regular development previews and begin showing more of the 1.0 work in 2027, including streams and behind-the-scenes looks at the update.
For players still hunting ghosts every week, the next real test is much sooner than 1.0. Willow Street arrives on July 21, and Kinetic's ability to make that update feel cleaner than May's character overhaul will say a lot about whether the longer wait can win back trust.