Demo desk · expanded 25 Aug 2026
Official updatePlayable now

The demo changed. Here is the current slice.

The live build is larger than the original June demo. Old summaries that stop at Kiyomizu-dera and Ganryu no longer describe the whole public experience.

Direct answer

The free demo now includes Kiyomizu-dera, Ganryu, the Oni Refuge and Daidara. Demo progress does not transfer to retail, but keeping demo save data grants the stat-boosting Kubi Akari Charm in the full game.

Miyamoto Musashi absorbs red and blue souls in a temple garden
Official Capcom screenshot. Soul absorption is a core mechanic in the public demo.
Current scope

From first duel to Daidara.

Light demo spoilers

This page names demo locations and opponents. It does not describe unreleased retail story beats.

PartWhat it teachesStatus
Kiyomizu-deraMovement, soul absorption and the core sword-defense vocabularyOriginal demo
Ganryu encounterA duel-shaped test of timing and defensive choicesOriginal demo
Oni RefugeA new hub-like space introduced in the expansionAdded 25 Aug
DaidaraA new boss pressure test built around souls left in the arenaAdded 25 Aug

Where can I download it?

Use the demo entry attached to the game’s official store page on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam or Nintendo Switch 2. Store availability can be region-sensitive; opening the platform page on the device is safer than using a third-party mirror.

Steam · Xbox demo · Nintendo Switch 2 · PlayStation announcement

How long is it?

Capcom described the original June slice as roughly 30 minutes. The 25 August expansion adds the Oni Refuge and Daidara, so that old estimate no longer defines the entire current demo. No official expanded-demo duration is published; player time will vary with exploration, retries and challenge hunting.

Does progress transfer?

No. Story position, collected souls and demo items do not carry into the retail campaign. The retained save file has a different purpose: it unlocks the Kubi Akari Charm in the full game, and the official update describes that charm as a stat boost.

Keep the save

Do not delete the demo save if you want the launch reward. This is a save-data recognition bonus, not campaign continuation.

Best use of one demo run

  1. Learn the vocabulary. Separate Block, Parry, Deflect and Issen by what each is trying to accomplish.
  2. Practice soul discipline. Absorb souls before greed turns a safe opening into resource loss.
  3. Reach the expanded content. Visit the Oni Refuge and face Daidara so your impression reflects the current build.
  4. Watch the Issen count. If you want the reported Special Challenge, verify that the demo registers ten direct Issen attacks.

Build the combat loop · Prepare for Daidara · Investigate Special Challenge

Evidence ledger

Sources for this page

  1. PlayStation demo launch Primary source for the original roughly 30-minute Kiyomizu-dera demo and no progress transfer.
  2. PlayStation expanded-demo interview Primary source for Oni Refuge, Daidara and the Kubi Akari Charm save-data reward.
  3. Steam news hub Official PC update channel for the current demo build.
  4. Xbox demo listing Official Xbox demo entry and save-transfer notice.
Held until retail

Full walkthroughs, every boss, weapons, puzzles, collectibles, trophies and final performance verdicts stay unpublished until the retail build can support them.