MONOWAVE Sets September 17 Release for Steam and Switch
The release date confirmation brings a non-combat, emotion-healing puzzle game from a South Korean studio to a global audience via Phoenixx, a publisher focused on bringing world creators to Japan and Asia.
Key Facts
- MONOWAVE will release for Steam and Nintendo Switch on September 17, 2026.
- PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions are scheduled for release within 2026.
- A free demo on Steam lets players play up to the boss of Stage 1.
- The game is developed by South Korea's Studio BBB and published by Phoenixx.
- Mono, the player character, uses four emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, and anxiety.
Reporting from 2 sources: 4Gamer.net, ASCII.jp.
Phoenixx announced on August 13, 2026 that MONOWAVE, a 2D puzzle action game developed by South Korea's Studio BBB, will launch for PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch on September 17, 2026. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions are scheduled to follow within 2026. The game casts players as Mono, a guardian spirit of four emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, and anxiety. Mono uses these emotions as abilities to navigate stages, such as jumping high with happiness, shrinking to pass narrow paths with sadness, performing wall kicks with anger, and avoiding traps with anxiety. Mono's song spreads emotions to companions, who then assist with unique traits like melting ice with fire or tossing Mono into the air. A free demo on Steam lets players experience up to the boss of Stage 1. A new trailer featuring the latest gameplay footage was released alongside the announcement.
The announcement came with a new trailer, viewable on YouTube, that showcases the game's line-art style and neon colors. Studio BBB, based in South Korea, designed MONOWAVE around the concept of staying close to spirits and healing them rather than attacking enemies. The four emotions each grant Mono distinct movement options, and the song mechanic lets companions share emotions to solve resonance puzzles. The Steam demo is available now on the game's store page, allowing players to try the first stage's boss before the full release. Phoenixx, led by President and CEO Kazunori Sakamoto, positions itself as a bridge for creators, bringing Japanese talent to the world and international creators to Japan and Asia. The publisher's mission statement emphasizes supporting creators to thrive globally over the next decade. The game's official channels include an X account, a Linktree page, and a YouTube channel for Studio BBB, while Phoenixx maintains its own website and social media presence.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.