Annapurna Interactive just gave us the best look yet at People of Note, and it’s exactly as wonderfully bizarre as it sounds. During Day of the Devs on December 10, 2025, the publisher debuted a full music video trailer featuring protagonist Cadence performing ‘Under the Lights,’ a pop banger voiced by Heather Gonzalez and LEXXE. This turn-based RPG musical from Iridium Studios launches in 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, transforming battles into interactive musical performances with rhythm-based attacks and genre-bending mashups.
Every Battle Is a Concert
People of Note asks a simple question: what if JRPG combat was literally a musical performance? Your party consists of musicians from different genres including pop singers, rock guitarists, and EDM producers. Each character’s special attacks are tied to their musical style, creating a system where you’re not just dealing damage but building layered compositions. The pop singer buffs allies, the metal guitarist unleashes heavy attacks, and the EDM producer manipulates rhythm and tempo to control battle flow.
Combat incorporates real-time rhythm elements similar to Super Mario RPG or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, requiring timed button inputs to maximize attack potency. But instead of simple button prompts, you’re contributing to the battle’s musical score. Each successful input adds instrumentation or vocal layers, transforming fights into collaborative jam sessions where mechanical execution directly impacts the music you’re creating. Miss your timing and the song falters. Nail perfect combos and you’re conducting a symphony of destruction.
Cadence’s Quest for Stardom
The story follows Cadence, an aspiring singer who gets booted from a major song contest before she can prove herself. Rather than accept defeat, she decides to build her reputation the hard way by recruiting talented musicians from different cities and cultures, forming a band that will tour the world and take on rival performers. It’s essentially a musical sports anime plot transplanted into JRPG structure, complete with training arcs, rival crews, and dramatic performances.
But there’s a darker element underneath the pop star fantasy. The Harmonic Convergence is disrupting the world’s musical energies, and mysterious forces are working behind the scenes to destroy Note’s natural harmonies. What starts as a personal quest for recognition becomes a battle to save music itself from corruption. The combination of grounded character drama and cosmic musical stakes mirrors how classic JRPGs balanced intimate stories with world-ending threats.
Full Choreographed Musical Numbers
Unlike games that just have good soundtracks, People of Note features fully choreographed cinematic musical sequences that advance the plot. These aren’t just cutscenes with singing. They’re elaborate productions with choreography, camera work, and performance that would fit in actual stage musicals. The ‘Under the Lights’ trailer showcases this ambition, presenting a complete music video within the game’s engine that demonstrates the production values Iridium Studios is targeting.
Creative director Jason Wishnov explicitly states the goal is to “bring more musicals to gamers,” creating an experience where narrative, mechanics, and music are inseparable rather than treating songs as decorative elements. Every major story beat gets a musical number. Boss battles are duets or ensemble performances. Even random encounters contribute to the game’s musical identity through their contribution to the evolving soundtrack.
Genre-Bending Combat System
The combat system revolves around combining different musical genres to create mashup attacks. Your pop singer can team up with the metal guitarist for a pop-metal fusion attack. The EDM producer enhances the rock drummer’s rhythms to create electro-rock devastation. These aren’t simple combination moves. The game actually blends the musical styles in real-time, creating hybrid tracks that reflect which party members are collaborating.
Battles also feature evolving combat conditions that change mid-fight, forcing players to adapt their musical strategies. An enemy might shift tempo, requiring you to adjust your rhythm inputs. Environmental factors could favor certain genres over others. Status effects manifest as audio distortions or off-key notes that you must correct through specific musical counters. This creates tactical depth beyond typical turn-based systems while maintaining the musical theme throughout every mechanic.
Exploring Musical Cultures
The game’s world spans multiple countries and cultures, each with distinct musical identities reflected in their environments and enemies. You’ll explore heavy metal dungeons filled with screaming guitars and aggressive rhythms, EDM nightclubs where electronic beats pulse through every surface, and rock venues that celebrate raw energy and rebellion. These aren’t just visual themes. The gameplay mechanics shift to match each area’s musical style.
This structure allows People of Note to celebrate different musical traditions while building a diverse cast of characters who each bring their cultural musical heritage to the party. It’s essentially a worldwide musical tour packaged as a JRPG, letting players experience how different cultures interpret rhythm, melody, and performance through interactive gameplay rather than just passive observation.
The Iridium Studios Vision
Iridium Studios previously worked on more experimental titles before committing to this ambitious musical RPG. Creative director Jason Wishnov cites the current JRPG renaissance as empowering them to pursue this concept, noting that modern audiences have demonstrated appetite for ambitious genre experiments that blend traditional mechanics with innovative presentation. The success of games like Persona, Clair Obscur, and even rhythm games like Hi-Fi Rush proved that music and combat can coexist in meaningful ways.
The team’s approach emphasizes optimism and cheerfulness that defined classic JRPGs, deliberately avoiding the grimdark or cynical tones common in contemporary games. People of Note wants you to feel inspired, uplifted, and energized by music’s power to bring people together and overcome adversity. That earnest positivity might feel risky in an era of ironic distance, but it’s core to the game’s identity as a celebration of musical culture and artistic expression.
FAQs
When does People of Note release?
People of Note launches in 2026 on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. A specific release date hasn’t been announced yet.
What is People of Note?
People of Note is a turn-based RPG musical where you play as Cadence, a singer recruiting musicians for her band. Combat features rhythm-based attacks, and the story is told through fully choreographed musical numbers.
Who is developing People of Note?
Iridium Studios is developing People of Note with Annapurna Interactive publishing. The game was first revealed at Tokyo Game Show 2025 in September.
How does combat work in People of Note?
Combat combines turn-based RPG mechanics with rhythm-based inputs similar to Super Mario RPG. Each party member represents a different musical genre, and you can create genre-bending mashup attacks by combining their abilities.
Does People of Note have actual musical numbers?
Yes. The game features fully choreographed cinematic musical sequences with professional voice talent. The ‘Under the Lights’ trailer showcases one complete musical number from the game.
Who voices Cadence in People of Note?
Cadence is played by Heather Gonzalez for grounded performance and LEXXE for pop-star vocals, creating a dual-performance approach that captures both character depth and musical energy.
Is People of Note coming to Nintendo Switch?
No Nintendo Switch version has been announced. The game is confirmed for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S only.
Can I play People of Note at conventions?
The game was playable at Tokyo Game Show 2025 at the Annapurna Interactive booth. Additional demo opportunities will likely be announced closer to the 2026 launch.
The Musical Game We Didn’t Know We Needed
People of Note occupies a fascinating space in gaming where almost nothing comparable exists. Sure, rhythm games have explored music-based combat before, but never within a full JRPG framework with narrative ambitions that match its mechanical innovation. The closest comparison might be Brutal Legend, which also celebrated musical culture through action gameplay, but People of Note is aiming for something more theatrical and earnest. The decision to frame every battle as an actual musical performance rather than just combat with good music shows remarkable commitment to the concept. Whether players will embrace turn-based fights that require rhythmic precision alongside tactical decision-making remains to be seen, but the ambition deserves recognition. In a year dominated by safe sequels and iterative improvements, People of Note represents genuine creative risk from a publisher known for supporting unconventional visions. If you’ve ever wanted to save the world through the power of sick beats and perfectly timed vocal runs, 2026 can’t come fast enough. Just be prepared to explain to your friends why you’re playing a game where the metal guitarist can combo with the pop singer to create devastating fusion attacks. It sounds absurd. That’s exactly why it might be brilliant.