AREA35 is developing Tiny Metal 2 for a spring 2027 Steam release while pushing the Tiny Metal franchise into anime with Tiny Metal: Zero Line. The studio is also testing PROJECT BLITZ, a party game spinoff shown alongside the sequel.
AREA35's recent activity centers on one franchise. Tiny Metal 2, the sequel to the studio's original turn-based strategy game, has a demo that ran at BitSummit PUNCH in Kyoto from May 22 to May 24, 2026, and a Steam release planned for spring 2027. The demo showed naval warfare, over ten new characters, and cooperative play. A party game spinoff called PROJECT BLITZ was also on display at the same event.
At Tokyo Game Show 2026, studio representative and creator Hiroaki Yura explained the sequel's origins. He said the project began because he loves Nintendo's Famicom Wars and decided to make a strategy game himself when no remake appeared. The original Tiny Metal, he said, removed unit congestion and added flanking attacks, plus visibility rules where enemies cannot be attacked unless spotted and radar reveals them. The team on the sequel is about 200 people, up from roughly 13 years ago. Michael Chu, a former Blizzard writer, wrote the story, and a writer credited on Ace Attorney titles handled script localization.
The franchise's anime arm is moving on a separate track. Tiny Metal: Zero Line is directed by Hiroyasu Kobayashi, the CGI director of the Rebuild of Evangelion films, at studio SAFEHOUSE. Character designer Yusuke Kozaki and composer Go Shiina are attached. The pilot episode premiered at Japan Expo 2026. At Tokyo Game Show, Yura said the anime adaptation is in progress through contacts including Kobayashi.
The two threads meet in the sequel's staffing. Yura said the anime is being made through contacts, and the sequel shares Kozaki as its character designer. New character Lysandra, a shop clerk, is designed by Kozaki and is not a playable unit.
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Oct 5
Hiroaki Yura, the representative and creator of studio AREA35, discussed TINY METAL 2 at Tokyo Game Show 2026 in an interview at the studio's booth. Yura said the project began because he loves Nintendo's Famicom Wars and decided to make a strategy game himself when no remake appeared. The sequel follows the original TINY METAL, which he said removed unit congestion and added flanking attacks, plus visibility rules where enemies cannot be attacked unless spotted and radar reveals them. Development is ongoing, and Yura described the team as about 200 people, up from roughly 13 years ago. New character Lysandra is a shop clerk designed by Yusuke Kozaki, not a playable unit. Former Blizzard writer Michael Chu wrote the story, with script localization handled by a writer credited on Ace Attorney titles. An anime adaptation is in progress through contacts including CG director Hiroyasu Kobayashi.
Jul 15
Hiroyasu Kobayashi, CGI director of the Rebuild of Evangelion films, is directing the Tiny Metal: Zero Line anime at studio SAFEHOUSE. The pilot episode premiered at Japan Expo 2026. The anime is based on AREA35's tactical game series. Character designer Yūsuke Kozaki and composer Gō Shiina are attached. The game sequel Tiny Metal 2 is scheduled for spring 2027 on PC.
May 28
AREA35 will debut a playable demo of 'Tiny Metal 2' at BitSummit PUNCH in Kyoto, May 22-24. The turn-based strategy sim adds naval warfare, over ten new characters, and cooperative play. A party game spinoff, 'PROJECT BLITZ,' will also be on display. The Steam release is planned for spring 2027.