Koei Tecmo and Toho Co. have confirmed that The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother is in development for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch, marking the first console game adaptation of the series.
Developed by Gust and featuring a new, exclusive story and characters conceptualised by original author Hyuganatsu, the title is scheduled for a worldwide retail and digital release on the Nintendo eShop in early 2027.
Set in the imperial rear palace and the capital's pleasure district, The False Imperial Brother follows Maomao, a former pleasure-district apothecary now working within the palace.
The narrative revolves around two intertwined phenomena—the Five Mysteries and the Five Curses—strange occurrences and conspiracies that unsettle the rear palace, the pleasure district, and the city streets.
During her investigation, Maomao encounters a masked figure claiming to be the "imperial younger brother," an identity that becomes central to the unfolding intrigue.
Koei Tecmo and Toho Co. say players will join Maomao alongside familiar figures such as Jinshi, the influential eunuch of the rear palace, and new characters like Guanyu, a travelling actor growing in prominence within the capital.
The publisher outlined that the game combines investigative adventure with apothecary mechanics: players will explore scenes, question witnesses, gather evidence, and collect ingredients across the city and beyond.
The developer describes two primary gameplay loops.
In the investigation phase, players search locations in the rear palace and the surrounding city to find clues, interview witnesses, and source plants and materials needed to concoct medicines.
Those medicines can serve as tools, evidence, or means to help allies.
In the deduction phase, Maomao organises gathered information, summarizes key facts, and presents theories.
The publisher clarified that presenting deductions will often require corroborating proof: players must select answers strategically, present relevant items from Maomao's notebook, or combine disparate pieces of information to convince other characters and resolve disputes.
The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother will be available at retail and digitally on the Nintendo eShop for both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch worldwide in early 2027.
As Gust's first console entry in the franchise and with Hyuganatsu contributing original material, the title represents a notable expansion of the Apothecary Diaries property into home and handheld consoles.
Developed by Gust and featuring a new, exclusive story and characters conceptualised by original author Hyuganatsu, the title is scheduled for a worldwide retail and digital release on the Nintendo eShop in early 2027.
Set in the imperial rear palace and the capital's pleasure district, The False Imperial Brother follows Maomao, a former pleasure-district apothecary now working within the palace.
The narrative revolves around two intertwined phenomena—the Five Mysteries and the Five Curses—strange occurrences and conspiracies that unsettle the rear palace, the pleasure district, and the city streets.
During her investigation, Maomao encounters a masked figure claiming to be the "imperial younger brother," an identity that becomes central to the unfolding intrigue.
Koei Tecmo and Toho Co. say players will join Maomao alongside familiar figures such as Jinshi, the influential eunuch of the rear palace, and new characters like Guanyu, a travelling actor growing in prominence within the capital.
The publisher outlined that the game combines investigative adventure with apothecary mechanics: players will explore scenes, question witnesses, gather evidence, and collect ingredients across the city and beyond.
The developer describes two primary gameplay loops.
In the investigation phase, players search locations in the rear palace and the surrounding city to find clues, interview witnesses, and source plants and materials needed to concoct medicines.
Those medicines can serve as tools, evidence, or means to help allies.
In the deduction phase, Maomao organises gathered information, summarizes key facts, and presents theories.
The publisher clarified that presenting deductions will often require corroborating proof: players must select answers strategically, present relevant items from Maomao's notebook, or combine disparate pieces of information to convince other characters and resolve disputes.
The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother will be available at retail and digitally on the Nintendo eShop for both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch worldwide in early 2027.
As Gust's first console entry in the franchise and with Hyuganatsu contributing original material, the title represents a notable expansion of the Apothecary Diaries property into home and handheld consoles.
