The motion capture production for Phantom Blade Zero was showcased during a media visit to Shanghai's Xingfu Feiyang Studio. Studio head Yang Liu introduced that the game features over thirty primary weapons and twenty-five secondary weapons, with each weapon's moves requiring motion capture.
At the site, actors repeatedly attempted the same set of movements and checked the results on computer screens. The studio's large room is mainly used for filming action sequences, while the small room is for dialogue scenes, with some scenes combining both. Wuxia action involves extensive jumping and aerial performances, requiring actors to use wires; these wires must ensure safety without hindering weapon handling.
Common actions like approaching an enemy may require recording over ten different motion clips, which the game system then selects based on the character's current posture and state to reduce repetition. Props on set are lightweight, with the sense of weight conveyed primarily through the actors' performances. Yang Liu cited examples where certain moves might be filmed hundreds of times. After recording, the team processes the data before handing it over to Lingyoufang in Beijing for game production.
During the visit, AUTOMATON China reporters experienced a set of martial arts tutorials and watched multiple visitors don motion capture suits to enact siege scenarios. Phantom Blade Zero is currently scheduled for release on October 29, with platforms including PS5 and PC.