Nintendo’s Fire Emblem Shadows launches globally, bringing a social deduction element to the tactical RPG series

September 26, 2025

Nintendo Co., Ltd. has announced the launch of its real-time strategy title, Fire Emblem Shadows, now available on both Android and iOS. Developed by Intelligent Systems and DeNA, this spin-off of the iconic Fire Emblem series introduces a fresh take on battles.

Download Fire Emblem Shadows on PC

Experience the thrill of uncovering the traitor while battling others

Fire Emblem Shadows brings a fresh blend of social deduction and role-playing to the series. So, one of the three allies in each battle is secretly a traitor, and you must vote to identify the disciple of shadow. I find this mechanic thrilling because every vote can completely change the outcome of the next battle.

Here, you can play as a disciple of light, trying to navigate the labyrinth, or as a disciple of shadow, aiming to deceive others. After each battle, a vote determines who you think the traitor is, similar to other deduction titles like Among Us, but I like the tension here more, as it makes the choice more meaningful.

Players can discover the story by playing both perspectives

It also adds pressure with time-limited battles, giving you only a few minutes to figure out who the traitor is. Truth be told, I’ll prefer to play as a traitor, as it’s more fun in my opinion. Not to forget, you can use weapons and magic skills in battles, while uncovering the truth by playing through both perspectives.

Managing treasure is another fun aspect, as you can buy and sell items with other players using in-game gold. Since I’m fairly new to this series, I’m even more ready to try this spin-off and see if it lives up to that standard. That said, many long-time fans aren’t particularly happy with this one.