Valor Mortis price: $39.99, and a deliberate choice
The Valor Mortis price is $39.99 for the Standard Edition, with a $59.99 Deluxe Edition, ahead of a 13 October 2026 launch on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Steam lists the date as 13 October 2026. It is a first-person action soulslike from One More Level, the Polish studio behind the Ghostrunner games, published by Lyrical Games. The Xbox price was reported by Pure Xbox on 18 September 2026 as $39.99, €39.99 or 149.99 zł.
What stands out is that the studio is open about why. Rather than set a standard $70 tag and discount later, it chose a lower price on day one because this autumn is crowded. In a statement quoted by Pure Xbox, the publisher said the game has the quality, fidelity and 20-hour story to 'go toe-to-toe with many full price titles', and that 'this Fall is stacked and there's high demand for your time and money.' That is a rare piece of candour from a game publisher.
There is precedent for the number. Game Rant notes that the studio's first Ghostrunner launched at $29.99 in 2020, while the 2023 sequel matched the $39.99 price now attached to Valor Mortis, so this is the studio's usual mid-tier bracket rather than a one-off discount. Steam also lists full controller support for the game, which suits a soulslike where precise dodging and parrying matter.
What you get: 20 hours, a Napoleonic plague and two editions
The campaign runs about 20 hours, per the developer. The setting is an alternate-history Napoleonic Europe struck by plague, and the player character, a dead soldier called William, is resurrected to uncover a conspiracy. gagadget reports that Napoleon is voiced by Vincent Cassel. Combat, according to the developer's description reported by AllKeyShop, mixes parries, dodges, supernatural abilities, exploration and boss encounters.
The $59.99 Deluxe Edition adds a story DLC launching in 2027, plus cosmetic weapon skin packs. DualShockers lists a La Grande Armee weapon skin pack at launch and three more packs later, while gagadget says the cosmetics cover five melee weapon types and three armor sets. Neither the 2027 DLC's title nor its length has been announced, so the Deluxe tier is a bet on content that does not yet exist. For most players the Standard Edition is the sensible buy.
“This Fall is stacked and there's high demand for your time and money.”
Valor Mortis Game Pass: free on day one for Ultimate and PC subscribers
Valor Mortis arrives on Xbox Game Pass on 13 October. Pure Xbox reports it as a day-one title on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, and the game's own social account confirmed the Game Pass launch. If you already pay for either tier, the $39.99 question disappears: you can try it at no extra cost.
That changes who the $39.99 price is aimed at. Game Pass subscribers get the game inside their subscription, while PlayStation and Steam players pay the full amount. The Game Pass deal gives the game a large audience on day one, which is probably the real reason a mid-priced soulslike can afford to skip the traditional $70 launch.
Why there are no pre-orders
One More Level has skipped pre-orders entirely. DualShockers quotes the studio: 'We want to let the completed version of our game do the talking.' gagadget calls the move a response to years of consumer skepticism after high-profile launches that did not match their marketing, and positions it as a deliberate counter to pre-order culture.
For readers, the practical effect is simple. You cannot buy the game early, so there is no risk of paying for something you could not test. You will see launch reviews, Steam reviews and Game Pass impressions before spending anything. It is also a gamble for the studio, because with no pre-orders there is no early revenue signal, and everything rides on launch week.
There is a reputational angle too. Soulslikes have a loyal audience that reads reviews closely and punishes overpromising. By withholding pre-orders and pricing below the blockbuster tier, the studio is asking for judgement on the finished game, and it makes any weak launch performance impossible to blame on marketing alone.
A delay and a crowded calendar
The game was originally scheduled for 24 September 2026, according to DualShockers, and was pushed to 13 October to avoid direct competition. The developers' reasoning, as quoted there: 'September has become absolutely stacked with incredible looking games.' Moving into mid-October is not exactly an escape. AllKeyShop lists the competition the studio itself named, including the Zelda remake, Control Resonance, Silent Hill Townfall, Phantom Blade Zero, Gears of War and Call of Duty.
That is why the price matters so much. A $39.99 soulslike with a Game Pass launch is a clear alternative to a $70 shooter for players deciding where to spend limited hours. Our own coverage of Gears of War: E-Day shows how packed the month is for big releases.
PC requirements: still marked as to be determined
Steam's listing shows minimum requirements of a 64-bit processor and operating system, 16 GB of RAM, DirectX 12 and 50 GB of storage, with the note 'TBD for final release'. The recommended specification repeats the same RAM, DirectX and storage figures and names no processor or graphics card. In other words, the page does not yet tell you whether your GPU can run it.
We would not treat those numbers as final. A developer that publishes a placeholder usually tightens it before launch, and the 50 GB storage figure may move. If you are on older hardware, wait for the final requirements or try it through Game Pass PC before committing.
Our take: the right price for a mid-sized soulslike, with caveats
Pricing a 20-hour game at $39.99 is sensible, and the no-pre-order policy is a point in the studio's favour. The honest caveats are that nobody has published a verdict yet, the PC specification is unfinished and the Deluxe Edition sells content that is not out until 2027.
Our position: if you have Game Pass, play it on 13 October and decide for yourself. If you do not, wait a few days for reviews, because nobody can buy it earlier anyway.
Frequently asked
What is the Valor Mortis price?
Valor Mortis costs $39.99 for the Standard Edition, or €39.99, according to Pure Xbox, which reported the figures on 18 September 2026. A Deluxe Edition costs $59.99 and adds a story DLC due in 2027 plus cosmetic weapon skin packs. The game launches on 13 October 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The developer says it chose the lower price because this autumn's release schedule is crowded.
Is Valor Mortis on Game Pass?
Yes. Pure Xbox reports that Valor Mortis launches day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on 13 October 2026, so subscribers on those tiers can play it at no extra cost. The studio's social account also confirmed the Game Pass launch. Players on PlayStation 5 or buying outright on Steam pay the $39.99 price for the Standard Edition. We did not confirm the position on other Game Pass tiers.
When is the Valor Mortis release date?
The Valor Mortis release date is 13 October 2026, according to its Steam page and several outlets. The game was originally scheduled for 24 September, per DualShockers, and was delayed to avoid direct competition with other autumn releases. It launches on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. There is no pre-order period, so the game can only be bought on or after launch day.
How long is Valor Mortis?
The developer says the story takes about 20 hours to complete, per DualShockers and gagadget. The publisher argues that length gives the game quality and playtime to compete with many full-price titles. That figure is a developer claim, not a measured result, because no reviewer has published a verdict yet. Expect real completion times to vary with difficulty, exploration and how many optional bosses you pursue.
Why are there no Valor Mortis pre-orders?
One More Level said it wants to let the completed version of the game do the talking, as quoted by DualShockers. gagadget frames the decision as a response to consumer skepticism after launches that did not match their marketing. In practice it means you cannot buy early: you will be able to read reviews and see Steam feedback before spending anything. It also means the studio has no early sales signal before launch.
What does the Valor Mortis Deluxe Edition include?
The $59.99 Deluxe Edition includes a major story DLC planned for 2027 plus cosmetic weapon skin packs, per DualShockers and gagadget. A La Grande Armee weapon skin pack arrives at launch, with three more packs later. The DLC's title and length have not been announced, so you would be paying for content that does not exist yet. The Standard Edition at $39.99 contains the full 20-hour campaign.