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arc

The Sekiro: No Defeat anime adaptation is on track for its September 2026 theatrical debut, with a trailer and ticket presales launched. The broader "arc" name also appears across an art exhibition, a game update, and a figure line, but the primary entity is the anime series.

Synthesized from 30 Yomimono stories · updated Jul 12

The Sekiro: No Defeat anime adaptation is the most prominent entity under the name "arc" in recent coverage. Kadokawa, Crunchyroll, Qzil.la, and ARCH released a new trailer and began ticket presales in Japan on July 12, 2026. The series premieres in Japanese theaters on September 4 for a three-week run, with a worldwide Crunchyroll stream planned later in 2026. This confirms the project is on schedule for its announced debut.

Separately, illustrator and animator Yoneyama Mai is holding a solo exhibition titled Arc at Kyoto Tsutaya Books from July 24 to August 18, 2026. The Kyoto edition adds new works including a piece called Piéces and sells limited-edition silk-screen reproductions. The exhibition first ran in Ginza in 2025.

The name "arc" also appears in other contexts not related to the anime. Embark Studios' extraction shooter ARC Raiders has sold over 16 million copies and is preparing a major October 2026 update called Frozen Trail. The Jaleco Arcade Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, announced for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC, bring 32 classic arcade titles to modern platforms. These are distinct projects sharing the "arc" name but are not connected to the Sekiro anime or the Yoneyama exhibition.

Key facts

Sekiro: No Defeat anime trailer and ticket presales launched
Kadokawa, Crunchyroll, Qzil.la, and ARCH released a new trailer and began ticket presales in Japan. ↗
Sekiro: No Defeat theatrical premiere date
The series premieres in Japanese theaters on September 4 for a three-week run. ↗
Sekiro: No Defeat global streaming
A worldwide Crunchyroll stream is planned later in 2026. ↗
Yoneyama Mai solo exhibition Arc in Kyoto
The exhibition runs from July 24 to August 18, 2026, at Kyoto Tsutaya Books, adding new works including Piéces. ↗
ARC Raiders sales and update
ARC Raiders has sold over 16 million copies; the Frozen Trail update arrives in October 2026. ↗
Jaleco Arcade Collection announced
Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 contain 32 arcade titles, releasing on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC. ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

All coverage

19h ago

ARC Raiders PvE Test Logs Over 30 Million Plays as Embark Weighs Next Step

Embark Studios reported that the ARC Raiders PvE matchmaking test, held from October 13 to 20 Japan time, produced over 30 million PvE plays. The studio said the test was polarizing and that it will decide future responses through data analysis and feedback, with a survey of sampled players starting October 22 and new information planned for November.

1d ago

ArcheAge Chronicles Demo Hits Steam Next Fest With New Dungeon

XLGAMES released a demo for ArcheAge Chronicles on Steam on October 20, timed to Steam Next Fest, which runs until October 27 at 2:00 a.m. Japan time. The demo is based on the network test held in September and adds the high-difficulty dungeon Throne of Hinnon plus a PvP channel. Four classes are playable: Warrior, Ranger, Berserker, and Mage. No application or invitation is needed; any Steam account can join, and Japan is included in the target regions, though the game does not support Japanese. Set in Auroria 50 years after the original ArcheAge, the title is planned as buy-to-play with no pay-to-win items. The full game is scheduled for early access on PC via Steam within 2026, with releases also planned for Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Housing and trade life content are not in the demo but will appear in early access.

2d ago

Ankama Sets Welsh & Shedar Dubs for Free YouTube Run on November 5

Ankama will stream Aoki Densho Welsh & Shedar with English, Japanese, and French dubs and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese for free worldwide on its Krosmoz YouTube channel starting November 5. Episode two follows on November 6, with more episodes weekly. The English dub casts Daniel J. McLean and Kevin Garcia, and Marissa Lenti as Zabelle.

5d ago

Sega Opens Pop-Up Shop In Okinawa For A Month Starting October 30

Sega will run "SEGA POP-UP SHOP in Okinawa PARCO CITY" at the San-A Urasoe West Coast PARCO CITY 3F Green Zone special venue from Friday, October 30 to Sunday, November 29, 2026. Goods cover Sonic the Hedgehog, Like a Dragon, Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku, Puyo Puyo, and Persona. Shoppers spending 3,300 yen or more receive a shisa-themed Sega logo acrylic keychain.

5d ago

Arc System Works Opens Tokyo Studio TAKUMI In Shinjuku On November 2

Arc System Works announced on October 15, 2026 that it will open a new development base, ARC SYSTEM WORKS TOKYO STUDIO "TAKUMI," in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, effective November 2, 2026. The studio occupies space at Urban Center Shinjuku, 2-5-10 Shinjuku. The company gives two reasons for the move: development of a new competitive fighting game selected under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's IP360 subsidy program, and a broad strengthening of its development structure. Arc System Works describes the site as a strategic cornerstone for delivering what it calls the ultimate excitement to players worldwide, and as a collaboration hub aimed at the global market. Alongside the opening, the company is expanding recruitment of creators to join as initial members, with details posted on its recruitment page. The press release was carried by multiple outlets on the same day.

6d ago

Konami Weighs Jubeat Reboot Under Past Hit Music Game Strategy

Konami Arcade Games disclosed in the Konami Group integrated report published on October 15 that it is considering a reboot of the jubeat series, part of a reboot strategy to revisit past hit music games. Yoshitaka Nishimura, head of the arcade game business, said the aim is to involve people who have never played music games and energize amusement facilities.

6d ago

Archangel: Demon Rush Blends Hack And Slash With Tower Defense

At SAGA Barcelona Game Fest 2026, 4Gamer.net played Archangel: Demon Rush, a PC roguelike action game from Spain's Canary Islands-based Don't Know Studio. The dark fantasy casts the player as the Archangel defending a holy position against wave attacks from hell's demons. It fuses third-person hack and slash with bird's-eye tower defense, letting players switch the camera mid-battle to place turrets and barriers without grid restrictions. Roguelike upgrades change builds from run to run.

Oct 13

Sao Paulo Studio Ignite Dreams Self-Funds Soulslike Bloodfang With Rabbit Protagonist

Ignite Dreams, a small independent studio in Sao Paulo, showed its in-development action RPG Bloodfang at Brasil Game Show 2026, held at Distrito Anhembi in Sao Paulo from October 9 to 12, 2026. Environmental artist Gustavo Felipe Simoes presented the PC title, which has no release date. The game is a soulslike built around combat, with the player controlling Thalios, a rabbit warrior. Its unusual hook is negative emotion as a power source: anger, sadness, and fear each grant different combat boosts, triggered as temporary enhancements or attacks. Anger builds up when Thalios takes damage. Using these emotions often makes enemies more aggressive or stronger, and losing control can reverse the fight. The demo was made over about 10 months. Development has run nearly two years, with major revisions to the plant-drawing system and rebuilt movement and combat. Exploration covers dark forests, forgotten temples, and ancient ruins, and a skill tree is a major development goal.

Oct 13

Hunter x Hunter Stage Play Reveals Chimera Ant Cast And 2027 Dates

The stage play "'HUNTER×HUNTER' THE STAGE 4 Part 1" released its main visual and full cast for the Chimera Ant arc. Rento Nishiyama plays Gon and Niina Akutsu plays Killua, with Ryūji Satō as Meruem and Yumi Wakatsuki as Neferpitou. The Tokyo run is January 23 to February 7, 2027; Kyoto runs February 13 to 21, 2027.

Oct 12

Arc Raiders Hits 185,443 Concurrent Steam Players After Frozen Trail

Embark Studios released the Frozen Trail update for ARC Raiders on October 8, billed as the largest since the game's release. Steam concurrent players rose past 100,000 immediately after the update and reached 185,443, back to around March levels. The prior peak was roughly 480,000 concurrent players at launch in October 2025. Frozen Trail adds the frozen-region map Pendra Pass and the Outpost system, and a limited-time free play period on platforms other than the Epic Games Store ends on the 13th.

Oct 12

Naruto Shippuden Hidan and Kakuzu Arc Ichiban Kuji Lottery Opens October 26

An Ichiban Kuji lottery based on the Hidan and Kakuzu Arc of Naruto: Shippuden goes on sale October 26, 2026 at 790 yen per draw. Prizes A through D are MASTERLISE figures of Shikamaru Nara, Asuma Sarutobi, Hidan, and Kakuzu, sculpted at roughly 25 to 27 centimeters, with a Jashinism rug mat, Akatsuki mini figures, charms, and stickers filling out the lower tiers.

Oct 10

M2 Brings M2ShotTriggers To Arcades With Ultimate Tiger

M2 announced M2ShotTriggers ARCADE at its 10th anniversary event on October 10, 2026, an arcade launcher for Sega's ALL.Net P-ras MULTI Version 3 (APM3) platform. Toaplan's Ultimate Tiger is the first release, splitting its ten stages into two five-stage courses, with M2 Gadgets and a SUPER EASY mode. Operation at APM3 locations nationwide begins October 15.

Oct 10

Initial D THE ARCADE Runs Persona 5 The Royal Event From October 8

Initial D THE ARCADE is holding a Persona 5 The Royal collaboration event starting Thursday, October 8, 2026. Items themed after Joker, Panther, and Queen appear, including acrylic stands, meters, BGM, vinyl stickers, avatars, avatar backgrounds, chat stamps, and titles. Players obtain them through play stamps earned by playing the game and TT events competed in time trials. A collaboration special movie is also being released.

Oct 9

Order of the Sinking Star Launches to 97 Percent Positive Steam Reviews

Arc Games released Thekla's Order of the Sinking Star on PC via Steam on October 9, 2026, priced at 3,400 yen including tax. The game is directed by Jonathan Blow, known for Braid and The Witness, and was developed over about 10 years since The Witness. Steam user reviews exceeded 470 as of the time of writing, with 97 percent positive and a Very Positive rating. The game features more than 1,000 handcrafted puzzles across four worlds, each with its own mechanics, characters, and story. Players control characters on grid-divided stages, solving puzzles by moving objects and using abilities such as pushing, pulling, and teleporting. As the story progresses, worlds merge through a special area called the Gold Room, unlocking combined areas. The demo topped player numbers for single-player demos at Steam Next Fest in June. Japanese PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 versions are scheduled for release by PLAYISM within 2026, with Japanese display and subtitles supported.

Oct 8

Prime 1 Studio Opens Preorders for 1/4-Scale Reze/Bomb Statue

Prime 1 Studio opened preorders on October 8 for a 1/4-scale Reze/Bomb statue from Chainsaw Man: The Movie: Reze Arc, part of its Ultimate Premium Masterline line. The standard edition costs 187,990 yen. A DX version at 238,590 yen adds a Bom upper body, two dynamite bundles, and a bust stand. A DX Bonus version adds a right-arm part for the pin-pulling pose and is handled in Japan only through Prime 1 Studio's official online store. Preorders close December 8, with release set for around February to May 2028.

Oct 8

Nous Research Raises 90 Million Dollars As Hermes Agent Clones Pass 24 Million

Nous Research announced on October 7, 2026 that it raised 90 million dollars in a Series B round led by Robot Ventures, with NVIDIA, Microsoft's M12, Samsung, Union Square Ventures, Y Combinator and Menlo Ventures among the investors. The company's valuation is 1.5 billion dollars. Cumulative funding has reached 158 million dollars. Nous Research released the open-source Hermes Agent in February 2026, and says clone numbers since release have passed 24 million.

Oct 8

Good Smile Company Opens Preorders for Nendoroid Miyako Tsukiyuki

Good Smile Company has opened preorders for a Nendoroid of Miyako Tsukiyuki, the RABBIT Platoon leader from Blue Archive's SRT Special Academy. The painted plastic figure stands about 100mm tall and includes Composed, Serious, and Smiling face parts, plus a RABBIT-31 type submachine gun and a smartphone. Sculpting is by Shichibei of Matsuda Model, with Nendoron production cooperation. Amazon.co.jp lists it at 7,640 yen, scheduled for release on April 30, 2027.

Oct 8

Initial D THE ARCADE Adds Snow Course in Ver.3.4

Sega Fave began operating Ver.3.4 of Initial D THE ARCADE at arcades nationwide on Thursday, October 8, 2026. The update adds the Akagi (Snow) course, which comes with its own Time Trial rankings, a new race BGM by EXIT titled Command (Eurobeat Union) with lori on vocals, the DAIHATSU Copen Active Top (L880K) as a playable car, dress-up parts, a new Chapter15: Run Festival, and two new partner characters in Public Road Fastest Theory.

Oct 8

Kojima Productions Opens OD - KNOCK Merch Pop-Up At Nagoya PARCO

PARCO GAMES will run the pop-up store "KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS x PARCO GAMES STRAND STORE" at Nagoya PARCO from October 17 to October 25, 2026, following runs in Shibuya and Shinsaibashi. The event sells the first official merchandise for OD - KNOCK, the title Kojima Productions is co-developing with Xbox Game Studios, alongside collaboration goods from more than 15 brands.

Oct 8

Ubisoft Opens Overseas Playtest for 4v4 MOBA-Style March of Giants

Ubisoft began a playtest for March of Giants on October 7, running on Steam through October 18 for North America and parts of Europe. The free-to-play game is a 4vs4 MOBA-style title where players lead army units called soldiers and place bunkers and trenches. Early access is scheduled for summer 2027.

Oct 8

Arc System Works Ships Dave the Diver Complete Edition for PS5

Arc System Works released the packaged version of Dave the Diver Complete Edition for PS5 on October 8, 2026, priced at 6,380 yen. The edition collects the additional content distributed so far, including the DREDGE and Godzilla collaborations, Ichiban's Holiday with Like a Dragon's Ichiban Kasuga, a GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- rhythm game, limited weapons, and the latest content In the Jungle.

Oct 7

ARC Raiders Hands-On: Frozen Trail Adds Pendra Pass And Flash Freeze

Embark Studios releases ARC Raiders update Frozen Trail on October 8, 2026, adding the snow-covered map Pendra Pass. The map sits in the northern Rust Belt and holds a supermarket, a huge station, a crashed giant ARC called Emperor, and a rail junction. Localized blizzards trigger Flash Freeze, which drains HP outdoors and turns vision white, so Raiders must shelter in buildings. New ARC include Bree, a large enemy that fires homing projectiles scattering grenades, and Skulker, a small ground unit that fires from range and repositions for line of sight. The update adds the Grapple Hook, a reusable gadget for climbing to rooftops and crossing gaps, and the Tether Launcher, which pins flying ARC to the ground for a short time. Weapons include the Stiletto battle rifle and the Bantam hand cannon. Extraction runs through the Ballistic Gondola, which carries three players.

Oct 7

Initial D THE ARCADE Adds Persona 5 Royal Collaboration Starting October 8

Sega Fave will run a Persona 5 Royal collaboration in Initial D THE ARCADE from October 8, 2026. The event adds items based on Joker, Panther, and Queen: acrylic stands, avatars, avatar backgrounds, chat stamps, titles, vinyl stickers, and meters drawn from Persona 5 Royal's interface. Three BGM tracks, including "Life Will Change" and "Last Surprise," are part of the lineup. Three play stamps and three TT events run during the period, with details to be announced later.

Oct 6

Pickyou and PARCO Bring HIVE JUNCTION Flea Market to Three Cities

Pickyou Inc. will hold the influencer flea market event HIVE JUNCTION by PICKYOU with PARCO at three PARCO locations this autumn: Sapporo on October 10, Sendai on October 24, and Shizuoka on November 3. Influencers from each city sell items they have worn. Photo booths and DJ performances are planned. Admission requires free PARCO Members membership, and Shizuoka PARCO is free.

Oct 6

Cymbi Appoints Naoki Yoshida as External Advisor

Cymbi Inc. appointed Naoki Yoshida, Director, President and COO of Tokyo Executive Search Co., Ltd., as an external advisor effective October 1, 2026. The company says the appointment brings Yoshida's knowledge and industry networks in the human resources domain into its recruiting consulting, RPO, recruiting branding, and HR and organizational development work. Yoshida wrote that he accepted because Cymbi treats recruiting as management strategy.

Oct 6

Nexon Taps Chernin Entertainment for ARC Raiders and THE FINALS Adaptations

Nexon announced on October 6 that it has signed a partnership agreement with Chernin Entertainment to develop film and television adaptations of ARC Raiders and THE FINALS, both developed by Nexon subsidiary Embark Studios. Chernin Entertainment will be lead producer on both projects, selected after multiple production companies and studios competed for the adaptation rights. Embark Studios' creative team will work closely with Chernin on the adaptations. Patrick Söderlund, founder and CEO of Embark Studios and chairman of Nexon's board, called it a next big step in growing both titles into transmedia experiences. David Ready, president of film at Chernin Entertainment, said both are global IP with potential to grow into major franchises, and that Nexon and Embark have built worlds with many stories waiting to be told. No directors, cast, or release timing were specified in the announcement. ARC Raiders is slated for a major update, Frozen Trail, on October 8, with a free play period running through October 12. THE FINALS begins a new season on October 20.

Oct 6

Nine Cosplayers Dress Chinese Game Characters in Tokyo Game Show 2026 Photo Report

Tokyo Game Show 2026 ran September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture. The 1,138 exhibitors from 53 countries and regions were the most ever, and the four days drew more than 250,000 visitors. The 21st was canceled because of an approaching typhoon. A photo report collects nine cosplayers dressed as characters from Chinese games, including Blue Archive, Wuthering Waves, Goddess of Victory: Nikke, and Genshin Impact.

Oct 5

Hostile Architect Draws Reddit and Instagram Attention Ahead of Steam Release

SludgeBit's Hostile Architect is a PC tower defense where players build side-scrolling stages and stop invading heroes with traps, choosing gear through a shop and adding more between waves. Announced on September 23, 2026, its official video drew 35,000 likes on Instagram, 16,000 upvotes on Reddit, and about 190,000 views on X after Indie Game Joe posted it. Console versions will be considered if the Steam release succeeds.

Oct 5

Sanrio, Toei, and PARCO Explain Their Game Publishing Plans at Tokyo Game Show

At Tokyo Game Show 2026 in Chiba on September 17, representatives from Sanrio, Toei, and PARCO discussed why they entered game publishing. Sanrio announced Sanrio Games on April 21, 2026; Toei announced Toei Games the same day; PARCO announced PARCO GAMES on August 19, 2025. Each cited global expansion, fan growth, and owning their own IP as aims.

Oct 5

Nexon Rx Studio Shows Faledria At Tokyo Game Show 2026

Nexon Games IO Division's RX Studio brought Faledria, its new title announced earlier as Project RX, to Tokyo Game Show 2026 with a playable build. General producer Kim Yong-ha, who also holds that role on Blue Archive, and composer Mitsukiyo, representing STUDIO ALOH, discussed the game's theme of otherworld home stay and its cycle of battles and character interaction from Tasogare Hall.

Oct 5

Blue Archive FigRiq Series Vol.1 BOX Goes Up for Pre-Order on Amazon

God Brave Studio's FigRiq Blue Archive Series vol.1 is now available for pre-order on Amazon.co.jp at 12,094 yen including tax, with a release date of February 28, 2027. One BOX holds all six types at roughly 75mm tall: Shiroko, Hoshino, Nonomi, Serika, Ayane, and Helmet Gang Member. The figures are non-scale painted plastic with display bases, sculpted by KOORA.

Oct 5

KTX ArchiLAB Will Bring Clinic Space Design Pitch to Medical Japan Tokyo

KTX ArchiLAB Co., Ltd. will exhibit at Clinic EXPO inside the 9th Medical Japan Tokyo at Makuhari Messe, running October 7 to 9, 2026. At booth 13-26, the firm will present under the theme of medical space design for patient acquisition and profit, and representative architect Tetsuya Matsumoto will take consultations on openings and renovations.

Oct 5

Riot Co-Founder Says 2XKO Needed Millions of Monthly Users

Marc Merrill said 2XKO would have needed hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of monthly active users to keep its live service running. He cited the inability to secure enough players, a team he described as too large, and high costs. Development ends in December 2026, after the game launched in January 2026 and the team was scaled down that February.

Oct 5

ZENAIM Leverless Controller With 0.75mm Stroke Heads To Akihabara Event

ASCII.jp will show the ZENAIM ARCADE CONTROLLER LEVERLESS, a leverless arcade controller co-developed with ZETA DIVISION, at TOKYO Gaming-PC STREET 9 in Akihabara on October 10, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm. The controller supports a 0.75mm stroke, rapid trigger, and per-button user calibration. Admission is free at LIFORK Akihabara II.

Oct 5

Embark Studios Reports 85 Percent Drop in ARC Raiders Queue Teaming

Ahead of an October 8 major update, Embark Studios gave an account of its cheat and exploit countermeasures in ARC Raiders. Executive producer Aleksander Grondal said the studio uses Denuvo kernel-level protection, Anybrain detection, and in-house machine learning models, and is weighing Elytra. Team-focused penalties cut queue teaming by 85 percent, and the share of raids affected fell from about 1 in 50 to about 1 in 300.

Oct 5

Sgt. Frog Manga Goes Free Across Ebook Stores Ahead of New Anime

Kadokawa is running an all-volumes-free fair for Mine Yoshizaki's manga Sgt. Frog on October 1 and 2, 2026, ending at 23:59 each day. Volumes 1 through 35 are readable at no cost on BOOK☆WALKER, BookLive, honto, Rakuten Kobo, au Book Pass, Reader Store, DMM Books, Comic Cmoa, LINE Manga, ebookjapan, Piccoma, and U-NEXT. The promotion is timed to the new Sgt. Frog anime, which begins airing Saturday, October 3, 2026. The manga has run in Monthly Shonen Ace since 1999 and is still ongoing. It follows an alien frog from Planet Keron who arrives to invade Earth, is captured by the Hinata siblings Fuyuki and Natsumi, and ends up living with the family as a lodger. A theatrical anime screened in June 2026. The fair notes that store end times, prices, and eligible products may differ by retailer.

Oct 5

Hamster Sets Arcade Archives 2 Crazy Balloon For October 1 Release

Taito's 1980 action game Crazy Balloon is coming back on October 1 as Arcade Archives 2 Crazy Balloon, Hamster Corporation announced. It will be available for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support. Owners of the existing Arcade Archives Crazy Balloon on Nintendo Switch or PS4 can use the same account to buy the new version on Nintendo Switch 2 or PS5 for 330 yen; the regular price is 1,100 yen.

Oct 4

BiteMe Games Shows MMO98 And Silicon Architect At Osaka Indie Games Summit

Belgian indie studio BiteMe Games exhibited two titles at OSAKA INDIE GAMES SUMMIT 2026, held October 3 and 4 at Congres Square Grand Green Osaka. MMO98, an incremental simulation about growing a small MMO studio, launched on Steam on April 20, 2026 with Japanese support. Silicon Architect, a hardware engineering game with a Windows XP-style UI, is still in development.

Oct 4

Arctic Drive Brings Four-Player Car Survival to Steam Early Access on November 25

Bonus Stage Publishing announced on September 24 that Arctic Drive, developed by Pebbles Games and PlayTogether Studio, will launch in early access on November 25 for PC via Steam. The survival simulation supports solo play and online co-op for up to four players. Players wake in a mountain cabin with no food and set out in a battered car, scavenging fuel, food, and parts across a procedurally generated Arctic wilderness. The store page lists planned Japanese in-game text.

Oct 4

PlayStation Tournaments Final For Marvel Tokon Set For October 10 At BGS 2026

The MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls competitive final runs October 10 at Brasil Game Show 2026 in Sao Paulo, with eight players advancing from online qualifiers to an offline bracket. First place takes a DualSense Edge controller plus products from Citizen, Pandora, Funko, Hasbro and LEGO. Arc System Works developed the 4-on-4 tag fighter with PlayStation Studios and Marvel Games; it launched for PS5 and PC on August 6, 2026.

Oct 3

ARC Raiders And Marathon Add PvE Modes As Extraction Shooter Talk Turns To Decline

Embark Studios has announced a limited-time PvE mode test for ARC Raiders starting October 13, and Bungie has announced a PvE mode for Marathon in its December update, Symbiosis. The two announcements arrived back to back, and both titles are PvPvE extraction shooters. Forbes published a piece framing the pair as a pivot, saying interest in high-difficulty PvPvE elements is fading and that both games took the same strategy to acquire players. The Forbes article says Marathon faces a serious player count decline and described its operation as a big bet on sustainability, while ARC Raiders is only running a test. On the ARC Raiders subreddit, a thread citing the article drew over 1,000 comments debating whether the genre is declining or whether the problem is each game's design.

Oct 3

Faledoria Devs On SoundCloud Origins And Blue Archive Ties

NEXON Games IO Division's RX Studio showed Faledoria, its new bishoujo title, at Tokyo Game Show 2026, which ran from September 17. The build let visitors walk a cycle from the Tasogare-kan hall into battle and back for character interaction. Kim Yong-ha, general producer, and Mitsukiyo, who handles music production and heads STUDIO ALOH, answered questions about how the project took shape. Kim said the idea came around 2022 and was made concrete in 2023, with full development starting at the beginning of 2024, roughly two years of production. Faledoria is planned for PC, mobile, and console. Kim also produces Blue Archive, and Mitsukiyo has written music for it since around 2019. Kim said he found Mitsukiyo on the music service SoundCloud before they met in person.

Oct 3

Nexon Sets Free Play For ARC Raiders From October 8

Nexon announced on October 3, 2026 that ARC Raiders will be free to play from October 8 at 18:00 to October 12 at 17:00 Japan time on Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The full release version is playable during that window, according to Embark Studios. The promotion runs alongside the launch of Frozen Trail, which the developer calls the largest update since release, adding the Pendula Pass map, a new base, and skill tree revisions. New players who start during the free period can reach Pendula Pass immediately by teaming with someone who has already unlocked it, since the map normally requires unlocking. ARC Raiders is a PvPvE extraction shooter set on a future Earth overrun by machines called ARC, with players as Raiders who carry resources back to the underground settlement Speranza. It supports solo play or teams of up to three.

Oct 3

Steam Autumn Sale Runs Through October 9 With Palworld and Pragmata Discounted

Valve started the Steam Autumn Sale at 2:00 AM Japan time on October 2, and the sale runs until 2:00 AM on October 9. Pocketpair put Palworld at 30 percent off for 2,380 yen and Craftopia at 40 percent off for 1,680 yen, with the publisher saying every eligible title sits at its lowest price yet. Capcom's BIOHAZARD requiem is 30 percent off at 6,293 yen and PRAGMATA is 20 percent off at 6,392 yen. Square Enix and Atlus opened their own sales ahead of Valve's start, listing Persona 3 Reload at 70 percent off for 2,303 yen and FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH at 70 percent off for 1,973 yen. 4Gamer.net reported Pocketpair's discounts and Automaton listed titles including ARC Raiders at 50 percent off and Monster Hunter Wilds at 25 percent off.

Oct 3

Bandai Spirits Reveals Ichiban Kuji Naruto Shippuden Hidan And Kakuzu Lineup

Bandai Spirits will release the Ichiban Kuji Naruto Shippuden Hidan and Kakuzu Edition on October 26, priced at 790 yen per draw including tax, sold through Ichiban Kuji ONLINE and the official Ichiban Kuji shop. Online sales open at 5:00 p.m. the same day. Prizes A through D are MASTERLISE figures of Shikamaru Nara, Asuma Sarutobi, Hidan, and Kakuzu. Prize E is a rug mat themed after the Jashinism religion. Prize F is a Chokonokko Figure Akatsuki Ver. with ten kinds total, Prize G is a Pokotto Charm in six kinds, Prize H is a NARUTO 72 series acrylic charm in nine kinds, and Prize I is a variety sticker in ten kinds. The Last One Prize is a Naruto Uzumaki Wind Style: Rasenshuriken MASTERLISE figure.

Oct 3

ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Update Adds Pendra Pass Map And Grappling Hook On October 8

Embark Studios has detailed Frozen Trail, the major update for ARC Raiders, scheduled to launch on October 8. The update adds the new map Pendra Pass, a frozen region built around an old Italian village and an Exodus transport hub beyond the mountains around the Rust Belt, where one of the giant ARC machines called the Emperor has crashed with rare technology inside. ARC has sent its largest-class vessel, the Frigate, to patrol the area, and players can find a way aboard and fight through its interior. Three new enemies arrive: the charging Bree, the ambushing Skulker, and the three-unit turret Hydra. The Outpost is a second hideout that can be customized with modules and furniture, and a fully upgraded Research Workstation unlocks a fifth weapon quality tier, initially for 15 weapons, allowing changes such as a fully automatic Beretta, a scoped Renegade, and a Rattler with a 64-round incendiary magazine.

Sep 28

Good Smile Company Opens Pre-Orders for Blue Archive's Mika in a 1/7 Swimsuit Figure

Good Smile Company's G.S.Collection Mika (Swimsuit) figure is up for pre-order on Amazon.co.jp at 21,800 yen including tax, with a release date of November 30, 2027. The 1/7 scale painted product stands about 260mm and includes a dedicated base. Mika, one of Trinity General School's Tea Party, is shown in a white swimsuit with spread wings and long hair. Sculpting is credited to Pot (Digital Pot), coloring to Sota Tamebuchi, direction to Nendoron, and design and illustration to kokosando.

Sep 25

Kotobukiya Opens Pre-Orders for Grand Scale Arcanadea Lumitia ReACT-A

Kotobukiya's Grand Scale Arcanadea Lumitia ReACT-A plastic model kit is open for pre-orders at Rakuten Books. The roughly 25cm angel-type Dears Lumitia dark attribute version is designed by necömi and swaps parts to reproduce Normal Mode and Willize Mode. The kit carries a reference price of 14,300 yen and a Rakuten Books price of 10,725 yen, both tax included.

Sep 20

Arc System Works Details Kamiho No Clifa Battle System Ahead Of September 24 Release

Arc System Works' new RPG Kamiho no Clifa arrives September 24, 2026 for Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Developed with UNIT+PLUS, it is billed as a Tactical Counter Timeline RPG. Game designer and director Yasuhiro Hirao, who worked on CRYMACHINA, is on board, with Rorua handling character illustrations. A play report details its battle system, its ruined Tokyo setting, and its dual protagonists.

Sep 20

Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc Gets VHS Display at Shinjuku Station

Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc began unlimited streaming on Prime Video on September 19. On September 20, a support viewing guide video by Natsuki Hanae, the voice of Beam, was released, outlining four ways to enjoy the film at home. From September 21 to September 27, Shinjuku Station Metro Promenade hosts a rental video store-style advertisement with VHS cases of the film and 30 selected shark movies.