If you like your mobile games with a heavy dose of palace intrigue, Road to Empress II just went live. New One Studio’s follow-up to its hit interactive drama launched globally on June 9, 2026 on iOS and Android, a day after arriving on PC via Steam.
This is a full-motion-video (FMV) experience rather than a traditional game. Road to Empress II is built from roughly 1,000 minutes of newly produced live-action footage, shot in 4K on elaborately constructed palace sets. The result is closer to a branching, interactive television drama than anything resembling a gacha title — every decision you make steers the story toward glory or ruin.
The premise picks up the series’ signature court politics and raises the stakes: you navigate a dangerous web of alliances, betrayals and power plays as a would-be empress claws her way toward the throne. With the larger production scale, the sequel expands its palace settings and cast while keeping the choice-driven structure that made the original a hit.
New One Studio is no stranger to this style of storytelling. The boutique developer earned international attention with the BAFTA-recognized FMV thriller The Invisible Guardian, and the first Road to Empress drew an enthusiastic response on Steam. The sequel brings back acclaimed cast members including Kuan Hung, Evie Huang, Zeawo Yao and Hana Lin.
Available now on iOS, Android and Steam, Road to Empress II is a reminder that the mobile space still has room for genuinely distinctive, cinematic experiences — not just live-service grinds. If you’ve ever wanted to play your way through a lavish historical drama, this one is worth a look.
