Thursday, 3 September 2026
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Konami Announces Rhapsody in Scarlet Action Game Set in 1920s New York

The game marks a notable tonal departure for Konami, pairing a jazz-age New York setting with flashy magical combat and a focus on partner beasts, a concept co-producer Takanori Murayama described as expressing the appeal of a new era from a Japanese creator's perspective.

Key Facts

  • Konami announced Rhapsody in Scarlet during Sony's State of Play livestream on September 3, 2026.
  • Rhapsody in Scarlet will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
  • The game is set in 1920s New York City and stars Cherami Leigh as Ellie Myers and Hannah Grace as Ilya Jones.
  • The theme song "Cool/Hot feat. Emi Meyer" is performed by SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS.
  • Co-producer Takanori Murayama discussed the game's design during the State of Play Japan stream.

Reporting from 7 sources: Anime News Network, GAME Watch (Impress), 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, and 3 more.

Konami Announces Rhapsody in Scarlet Action Game Set in 1920s New York

Konami unveiled a new action game titled Rhapsody in Scarlet during Sony's State of Play livestream on September 3, 2026. The game is set in 1920s New York City, where a young jazz singer and magus named Ellie Myers becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving a mysterious mafia organization. Ellie is voiced by Cherami Leigh, while Hannah Grace voices Ilya Jones, the leader of the Seekers, an elite organization of magi who investigate the mafia's schemes. The trailer shows Ellie unleashing magic attacks with attributes such as electricity, fire, and water, fighting alongside beast-like companions in stylish urban battles. The game is developed with Unreal Engine and will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The theme song, "Cool/Hot feat. Emi Meyer," is performed by SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS. Further details were promised during the State of Play Japan segment and a KONAMI PRESS START event the following day. The announcement was one of several new game reveals during the broadcast, which also included trailers for other titles such as GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT.

  • Ellie Myers wears a red hat and a distinctive cape in the footage, per Denfaminicogamer.
  • Ilya Jones is described as serious-minded, and the two frequently clash before forging a bond, according to Anime News Network's story synopsis.
  • Beast companions: the trailer shows Ellie fighting alongside beast-like partners and controlling monsters in large-scale urban battles, per Game Spark and 4Gamer.
  • Story framing: Anime News Network quotes Konami's description of New York as "a dazzling metropolis filled with the sound of jazz and the glow of soaring skyscrapers," where magi practice in secret and Ellie's investigation reveals "a fateful battle that threatens the very balance of the world."
  • Jazz integration: co-producer Takanori Murayama said jazz is used as background music to convey the energy and atmosphere of the 1920s, a period he framed as a new era expressed from a Japanese creator's perspective.
  • Combat system: Murayama described "highly flexible combo action made possible by magic," letting players combine spells and incorporate techniques from their partner beast.
  • Additional reveals: Konami also showed the action RPG Rev. Noir and announced GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT for a March 5, 2027 release during the same State of Play, per Game Spark's coverage list.

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 7 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

RHAPSODY IN SCARLET KONAMI

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