Grasshopper Manufacture confirmed on December 4, 2025 that Romeo is a Dead Man launches February 11, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam for $50. Executive director Goichi Suda (Suda51) joked during the Grasshopper Direct presentation that they were gonna release it the same day as a certain game that got delayed, seemingly referencing Grand Theft Auto 6 before laughing and clarifying we never intended to launch in May in the first place. The release date puts Romeo squarely in an incredibly crowded February 2026 lineup that includes Yakuza Kiwami 3, Tales of Berseria Remastered, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, and multiple other high-profile releases. This marks Grasshopper’s first self-published game and their first new IP in over five years since No More Heroes 3.
What Is Romeo is a Dead Man
Romeo is a Dead Man follows FBI Space-Time special agent Romeo Stargazer, who is snatched from the brink of death by donning the rad mask called DeadGear. Now stuck in a strange limbo between life and death as DeadMan, Romeo hunts the most wanted fugitives across the multiverse while searching for his mysteriously disappeared girlfriend, Juliet. The game combines ultra-violent science fiction with super sleek action gameplay, letting players switch seamlessly between melee combat reminiscent of No More Heroes and gun-based shooting similar to Shadows of the Damned.
Suda51 described it as Grasshopper’s bloodiest action game yet, featuring what he calls bloody action with crimson-red catharsis throughout. The third-person adventure navigates a shattered space-time continuum as Romeo tears a red streak across the cosmos using a heady arsenal of guns and close-combat weapons. The trailer showcases visceral, over-the-top violence wrapped in Suda’s trademark bizarre storytelling and punk rock aesthetic that made No More Heroes and Killer7 cult classics.
Self-Publishing for the First Time
Romeo is a Dead Man marks a historic moment for Grasshopper Manufacture as their first self-published title in the studio’s history. Previous games were published by external partners like Marvelous, XSEED, EA, and others who provided funding and distribution in exchange for creative oversight and revenue sharing. By self-publishing through NetEase (Grasshopper’s parent company since being acquired by GungHo in 2013, which was later acquired by NetEase), the studio maintains complete creative control and keeps more of the profits.
Suda51 explained in interviews that self-publishing allows Grasshopper to operate with true independence and make games exactly how they want without publisher interference. This creative freedom is evident in Romeo’s uncompromising violence and weird narrative that might make traditional publishers nervous. The decision to self-publish suggests confidence that the game will find its audience through word-of-mouth and cult appeal rather than needing massive marketing budgets from AAA publishers.
The GTA 6 Joke
Suda’s comment about planning to release alongside Grand Theft Auto 6 before Rockstar delayed it is classic Suda trolling. He claimed now we’ve won our game of chicken against a certain twice-delayed 2026 release before revealing they never intended to launch in May anyway. The joke references how Rockstar pushed GTA 6 from its rumored spring 2026 window to later in the year, though Suda admits Grasshopper always planned for February. It’s vintage Suda humor: making absurd claims about competing with industry giants while winking at the audience.
Suda did seriously note that the release date could be delayed by up to two weeks if the master copy gets rejected up to three times during certification, which would push Romeo to late February around the same time as Resident Evil Requiem on February 27. He joked about avoiding facing off against some stiff competition, though realistically a Suda51 game and a Resident Evil title serve different audiences despite both being action games.
Switch 2 Port Under Consideration
Suda stated that bringing Romeo is a Dead Man to Nintendo Switch 2 is something we’d definitely like to do, but it depends entirely on technical feasibility. Since Romeo is Grasshopper’s first game using Unreal Engine 5, the team needs to ensure the engine plays nicely with Switch 2, particularly regarding advanced features like Nanite geometry and Lumen lighting that are new to the developers. Suda emphasized that Nintendo platforms are really important to us and acted as a jumping board to get into the industry, showing genuine desire to support Switch 2 if the performance works.
This echoes concerns other developers have raised about porting Unreal Engine 5 games to Switch 2. While Nintendo’s next console will be more powerful than the original Switch, it still won’t match PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X capabilities. Getting demanding UE5 titles running acceptably on Switch 2 requires significant optimization work that smaller studios like Grasshopper may not have resources to tackle immediately. If Romeo performs well on initial platforms, a Switch 2 version could arrive months later once the team figures out technical solutions.
February 2026 Is Absolutely Packed
Romeo is a Dead Man launches into one of the most crowded months in recent gaming history. February 11 specifically puts it one day before Yakuza Kiwami 3 on February 12. That same month sees Tales of Berseria Remastered, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, Mario Tennis Fever, No Sleep for Kaname Date on PS5, and potentially Resident Evil Requiem on February 27. This doesn’t even account for major titles launching in January that players might still be working through, or March releases people might wait for instead.
For a niche action game from a cult developer, this crowded release window is both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that gaming media and communities will be actively covering February releases, giving Romeo opportunities for coverage it might not get during slower months. The curse is that players have limited time and money, forcing difficult choices about which games to prioritize. Suda’s fanbase is passionate and will likely support Romeo regardless, but breaking out beyond that core audience becomes harder when competing against massive franchises.
FAQs
When does Romeo is a Dead Man release?
Romeo is a Dead Man launches February 11, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is under consideration but hasn’t been confirmed yet.
How much does Romeo is a Dead Man cost?
Romeo is a Dead Man is priced at $50 USD. This positions it as a mid-tier release, less expensive than $70 AAA games but more than typical indie titles.
Is Romeo is a Dead Man coming to Switch 2?
Possibly. Suda51 stated that bringing Romeo to Switch 2 is something we’d definitely like to do, but it depends on whether Unreal Engine 5 can run properly on Nintendo’s hardware. The team is testing technical feasibility.
Who is publishing Romeo is a Dead Man?
Grasshopper Manufacture is self-publishing Romeo is a Dead Man, marking the first time in the studio’s history they’ve published their own game without an external partner like Marvelous or XSEED.
What kind of game is Romeo is a Dead Man?
Romeo is a Dead Man is a third-person ultra-violent science fiction action game where players hunt fugitives across the multiverse. Combat switches between melee attacks like No More Heroes and gun-based shooting like Shadows of the Damned.
Did Suda51 really plan to launch alongside GTA 6?
No. Suda joked that they were gonna release the same day as Grand Theft Auto 6 before Rockstar delayed it, then admitted they never intended to launch in May in the first place. It was vintage Suda trolling.
What games are competing with Romeo in February 2026?
February 2026 includes Yakuza Kiwami 3 (February 12), Tales of Berseria Remastered, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, Mario Tennis Fever, and Resident Evil Requiem (February 27), making it an extremely crowded release month.
Conclusion
Romeo is a Dead Man launching February 11, 2026 gives Suda51 fans exactly two months to prepare for Grasshopper’s bloodiest, weirdest game yet. The $50 price point is reasonable for a mid-tier action game from a cult developer, especially one that promises the kind of unhinged creativity only Suda can deliver. Self-publishing through NetEase means Grasshopper had complete creative freedom to make Romeo as violent and bizarre as they wanted without publisher interference telling them to tone it down or broaden the appeal. Whether that freedom translates to commercial success in a brutally crowded February remains uncertain, but creatively it positions Romeo to be exactly the kind of polarizing cult classic Suda specializes in. For fans who’ve been waiting for something new from the No More Heroes creator, February can’t come soon enough. For everyone else, at least Suda gave us a good laugh about competing with GTA 6.