← all stories
Bandai Namco
Bandai Namco Entertainment is in a period of active game and anime releases across multiple franchises, with several major titles launching in the second half of 2026 and into 2027, while the company also expands its physical retail presence in the U.S. and partners with short-anime maker Plott on a new IP.
Synthesized from 17
Yomimono stories · updated
Jun 27
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced a slate of new games across the second half of 2026, including Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launching October 2 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a port of Ace Combat Zero as a pre-order bonus. The company also revealed Hello Kitty Party Land for Switch and Switch 2 on October 29, and One Piece: Grand Gourmet, a restaurant management simulation developed by Kairosoft, launching October 23 on multiple platforms. Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters arrives August 28 on Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The new original Gundam action game Gundam Rogue Orbit is set for 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with official screenshots released.
On the anime side, Bandai Namco Filmworks released the first film of the Patlabor EZY project on May 15, 2026, with two more films scheduled through March 2027. The sixth film in the Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199 series opens June 26. A new Armored Trooper Votoms two-part film series, Die Graue Hexe, begins November 20, 2026, with original creator Ryōsuke Takahashi returning as supervising director. Bandai Namco Entertainment also partnered with short-anime maker Plott to develop Tengutosen, a new IP debuting in July, marking the publisher's first attempt to build a property from vertical-screen short anime.
Key personnel changes include the departure of Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 director Kohei Ikeda after 20 years at the company, following former Tekken project producer Katsuhiro Harada's exit at the end of 2025. The company launched the NAMCO LEGENDARY 2026 project on June 1, bundling five anniversary titles including Galaga, The Adventure of Valkyrie, Genpei Tōma Den, Family Stadium, and Time Crisis into a sustained retro product line. Bandai Namco also opened a Mega Kawaii Mart pop-up shop at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights, Illinois on May 15, selling MegaHouse figures and merchandise.
Key facts
- Ace Combat 8 release date
- October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam ↗
- Hello Kitty Party Land release date
- October 29 for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 ↗
- One Piece: Grand Gourmet release date
- October 23 for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, iOS, and Android at $19.99 ↗
- Gundam Rogue Orbit platforms
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, set for 2027 ↗
- Tekken director Kohei Ikeda departure
- Left Bandai Namco Entertainment after 20 years ↗
- Patlabor EZY first film release
- File 1 debuted May 15, 2026; File 2 on August 14, 2026; File 3 in March 2027 ↗
- Armored Trooper Votoms: Die Graue Hexe first film date
- November 20, 2026, with Ryōsuke Takahashi as supervising director ↗
- NAMCO LEGENDARY 2026 project launch
- Announced June 1, covering five anniversary titles: Galaga (45th), The Adventure of Valkyrie, Genpei Tōma Den, Family Stadium (all 40th), and Time Crisis (30th) ↗
- Mega Kawaii Mart pop-up opening
- Opened May 15, 2026 at Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights, Illinois ↗
- Partnership with Plott on Tengutosen
- New IP debuting in July, developed from vertical-screen short anime ↗
Timeline
- Jun 10, 2026 Hello Kitty Party Land Game Announced for Switch and Switch 2
- Jun 9, 2026 One Piece: Grand Gourmet Management Game Announced for October 2026
- Jun 8, 2026 Bandai Namco Releases First Screenshots for Gundam Rogue Orbit
- Jun 3, 2026 Ace Combat 8 Collector's Box and Ace of Aces Box Pre-Orders Open at Premium Bandai
- Jun 2, 2026 Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Launches October 2, Includes Zero as Pre-Order Bonus
- Jun 2, 2026 Tekken 7 and Tekken 8 Director Kohei Ikeda Leaves Bandai Namco
- Jun 1, 2026 Bandai Namco Launches NAMCO LEGENDARY 2026 Project With Five Anniversary Titles
- May 31, 2026 Aniplex President Iwakami to Become Sony Music CEO in April
- May 30, 2026 SZNO's Audio Drama 'Mirror Shibuya' Premieres March 21
- May 25, 2026 My Hero Ultra Rumble Season 17 Adds Mirko as a Playable Character
- May 19, 2026 Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters Soccer Game Launches August 28
- May 19, 2026 Patlabor EZY Video Introduces SV2 Members Ahead of First Film
- May 17, 2026 Bandai Namco Mega Kawaii Mart Pop-Up Opens in Chicago
- May 17, 2026 6th Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199 Film Drops Trailer, Sets June 26 Opening
- May 17, 2026 Bandai Namco Partners With Plott on Short Anime IP Tengutosen
- May 16, 2026 New Votoms Anime Confirms Staff and Two-Film Release
- May 16, 2026 Anime Studios Shift Toward Full-Time Jobs, Survey Shows
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Noted
- Bandai Namco Entertainment leads the ranking with 328 patents cited · 2026-06-27
Connections
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/bandai-namco.
CC BY 4.0.
All coverage
11h ago
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on July 6 that two mobile suits from the film "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM" will appear as giant nebuta floats at the 2026 Aomori Nebuta Festival. The Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam and the Infinite Justice Gundam Type II, crafted by nebuta master Hiroo Fukushi, will serve as the front nebuta leading a parade group. The exhibition is the first installment of the Gundam Festival Project, an initiative that places Gundam IP into locally cherished festivals as a form of regional revitalization. A newly drawn event key visual shows characters Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala, and Cagalli Yula Athha dressed in haneto dancer costumes. The parade will also distribute collaboration fans featuring that visual. The festival runs from August 2 to August 7, with a pre-festival display on August 1. A pop-up shop opens July 18 at the To-O Nippo Shinmachi Building, selling limited goods and tie-up products with local Aomori items like Stamina Gen Tare sauce, Gachirin apple juice, and Nanbu Senbei crackers. Additional collaborations include chocolate banana flavored English Toast bread and Polo Chocolat cake in limited packaging.
17h ago
Bandai Namco Entertainment unveiled a new trailer for the smartphone game Bleach Mirrors High at Anime Expo 2026 on July 4. The trailer introduces two original player characters, Shirin Migishima and Shirane Sanari, both designed by Bleach creator Tite Kubo. Players will choose one of the two and experience a story set after the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. The trailer also shows the characters in action and includes their voices, though the voice cast has not yet been announced. Alongside the trailer, Bandai Namco opened recruitment for a closed beta test. Applications run until July 13, with approximately 20,000 participants selected. The closed beta test is scheduled from July 22 to 29 according to one source, or July 23 to 30 according to another; data will not carry over to the full release. The game is an action title for iOS and Android, described as a Gotei 13 Experience Action game. Kubo is credited with production cooperation, character concept, and character design. Cast information for the two protagonists is expected at a later date.
6d ago
Bandai Namco Entertainment America released the opening movie for the action RPG Echoes of Aincrad, featuring the theme song "Live to Survive" by Aimer. The song launches digitally Wednesday in English and Japanese. The game launches July 9 in Japan and July 10 worldwide on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
Jun 29
Bandai Namco Entertainment revealed at EVO 2026 a gameplay trailer for Bob, the next Season 3 character for Tekken 8. Bob enters early access on August 19 with a full release on August 24. Other Season 3 characters include Kunimitsu, Roger Jr., and Yujiro Hanma from the Baki series.
Jun 28
Bandai Namco Filmworks released the first full trailer and key visual for the fifth Girls und Panzer das Finale film, which opens in Japan on October 9. The film follows Ooarai's win in the semi-finals and their finals match against St. Gloriana Girls' College. The franchise also announced a television broadcast for the Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu! anime starting in October.
Jun 27
Bandai Namco Filmworks and Bandai Namco Pictures issued an apology for including an unapproved reference to Attack on Titan in the new Sgt. Frog movie. The rights holders had clearly stated their objections beforehand, but a communications breakdown within the companies allowed the reference to remain. The companies promised to tighten internal verification systems.
Jun 27
Patent Result has released its Deterrence Power Ranking 2025 for the game and entertainment industry, tallying how often each company's patents were cited as reasons for rejection in other companies' patent examinations during 2025. Bandai Namco Entertainment leads the ranking with 328 patents cited, followed by Konami Digital Entertainment with 285 and Sony Interactive Entertainment with 228. Sega ranks fourth with 198, Nintendo fifth with 161, and Colopl sixth with 148. GREE Holdings, Capcom, Square Enix Holdings, and DeNA round out the top ten. The ranking consolidates company groups and reflects patent holders as of May 2026. Bandai Namco's most cited patent covers an event presentation control system for virtual three-dimensional spaces, cited in examinations of four applications including one from MIXI. Konami's top patent grants benefits according to object selection in a game, affecting Capcom, Colopl, and Bandai Namco. SIE's most cited patent assigns virtual reality spectators to venue seats and transmits to head-mounted displays, used in four rejections including one from NTT Communications.
Jun 23
Bandai Namco Entertainment released the first trailer for Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 on June 23, 2026, offering a detailed look at the game ahead of its planned 2027 launch. The trailer, titled "Welcome to West City," introduces the game's setting of AGE 1000 and several original characters: Brett, an aspiring hero who considers himself the protagonist's senior and rival; Tap, a prodigy who entered university early; ROM, an idol pursuing her entertainment career; and Lilica, a classmate of the player-created hero. The story follows a protagonist who arrives in the futuristic timeline with no memory and becomes involved with a new generation of student heroes in West City. Voice actors include Hiro Shimono as Brett, Mariya Ise as Tap, Yuina as ROM, and Hina Yomiya as Lilica. The trailer also shows Bulma retaining her youthful appearance and Gamma 1 wearing a new outfit marked with "1000." A gameplay mechanic lets players fill a gauge to summon the soul of legendary Dragon Ball characters like Trunks, Vegeta, and Piccolo. The project was teased earlier as "Age 1000" and has been in development for about six to seven years. Akira Toriyama contributed to world-building and character design. The game will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
Jun 23
Bandai Namco Music Live and Bandai Namco Research Inc., both part of the Bandai Namco Group, announced a business partnership agreement for the VTuber business on June 23. The alliance combines Bandai Namco Music Live's content production capabilities, including its VTuber project MEWLIVE PROJECT, with Bandai Namco Research's advanced technologies, such as the portable motion capture system ELMIRAIVE CX. As the first initiative under the partnership, a 3D fishing location video featuring MEWLIVE PROJECT VTuber Kumanō Beatrice was produced. The shoot took place at Asakawa International Trout Fishing Ground in Hachioji, Tokyo, using ELMIRAIVE CX to fuse 3D footage with real-time live-action backgrounds on-site, rather than the conventional method of compositing separately recorded 3D footage later. The video is scheduled for release on Kumanō Beatrice's YouTube channel on June 23 at 12:00. The partnership aims to create next-generation virtual experiences as the VTuber market matures and demand for immersive technology grows. New developments for MEWLIVE PROJECT based on this alliance are expected to begin this summer, with details on content updates and events to be announced later.
Jun 17
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced the Sunrise 50th Anniversary project, running from 2026 to 2028, to mark 50 years since the first Sunrise-branded work, Muteki Chōjin Zambot 3, in 2027. The project includes a key visual of 50 selected works and the Mirai e no Kōro short film project, which will produce six original 3DCG animated shorts in collaboration with other studios. The first two shorts, Dice with Demon and Metafear, were revealed, and the previously announced Armored Trooper Votoms: Die Graue Hexe is also part of the initiative.
Jun 16
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on June 16 that the new TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell will stream on Prime Video in Japan starting July 7 at 23:30 JST, with the fastest domestic unlimited viewing. The series will air on Kantele and Fuji TV's new anime slot Ka Anibar!! at 23:00 JST the same day. Overseas, the anime will stream exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and regions, excluding mainland China, Russia, and Vietnam. A Prime Video-exclusive trailer was released alongside the announcement, showing Public Security Section 9 members led by Motoko Kusanagi and hinting at the mysterious hacker Puppeteer. The anime is produced by Science SARU, with Moko-chan directing in her debut role. Series composition and script are by Tow Ubukata, character design and chief animation direction by Shuhei Handa, and music by Taisei Iwasaki. The ending theme is "Blue" by MILLENNIUM PARADE, featuring Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar. A US premiere screening of episodes 1 and 2 will take place at Anime Expo 2026 on July 4, with a staff panel and autograph sessions.
Jun 16
Bandai Namco Entertainment released the demo for Echoes of Aincrad, the new action RPG set in the Sword Art Online universe, on June 16. The demo covers the entire beta test chapter that opens the full game, letting players experience the period before the official service of the in-game MMO Sword Art Online becomes a death game. Playtime is roughly three to four hours, and save data carries over to the full release. Players control a fixed young swordsman avatar during the beta test, then customize their real appearance when the main story begins. The demo includes five missions, all weapon types, and a tutorial for the combat system, which features light and heavy attacks, sword skills, guarding, dodging, parrying, and a severance mechanic that lets players destroy enemy limbs. Partner character Iori, a hardcore beta tester, accompanies the player and can be ordered into Switch Mode or Free Mode. The full game launches July 9 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and July 10 on PC via Steam. Aimer performs the theme song "Live to Survive." Streaming guidelines restrict full-game streaming to Very Hard difficulty with Death Game Mode enabled until July 17.
Jun 10
Bandai Namco announced Hello Kitty Party Land, a new party game featuring over 160 Sanrio characters, during the Nintendo Direct livestream on Tuesday. The game launches for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on October 29. It includes over 40 mini-games, 16 partner characters, and board games for up to four players.
Jun 9
Bandai Namco and Kairosoft announced One Piece: Grand Gourmet, a restaurant management simulation game, during the June 2026 Nintendo Direct. The game launches on October 23, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam, iOS, and Android at a price of $19.99. Players take charge of the Baratie Number Two, a floating restaurant, and work with the Straw Hat Crew to expand it. The game features over 400 One Piece characters rendered in pixel-art style, a first for the franchise. Players collect ingredients, cook dishes with Sanji, and customize the restaurant with more than 200 items inspired by locations like Whole Cake Island and Egghead. Recipes include dishes such as Water-Water Meat BBQ and Sea King Penne Gorgonzola, with additional recipes unlocked through exploration. The Switch 2 version supports Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. Kairosoft previously developed a similar anime-themed management game, Doraemon's Dorayaki Story.
Jun 8
Bandai Namco Entertainment has released official screenshots for the new action game Gundam Rogue Orbit, set for release in 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The game's official website and X account are now live. Players pilot the Gundam Helix as protagonist Rex alongside partner Haro Vee.
Jun 3
Bandai Namco Entertainment opened pre-orders on June 3 for two special editions of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve at Premium Bandai. The Collector's Box costs 15,730 yen and the Ace of Aces Box costs 39,600 yen, both shipping in September ahead of the game's October 2 release.
Jun 2
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced during Sony's State of Play livestream on June 3 that Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve will launch on October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The game is the latest entry in the Ace Combat series, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Players take the role of a fighter pilot rescued at sea by the aging aircraft carrier Endurance, belonging to the Federation of Central Usea. The player is entrusted with the legendary ace known as the Wings of Seave, a symbol of hope, and must reclaim lost territory alongside three new companions. The game is developed by Bandai Namco Aces Inc., a studio formed in July 2022 by Bandai Namco Entertainment and ILCA, and is built on Unreal Engine 5. A port of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War will be included as a pre-order bonus for the digital version and as an early purchase bonus for the physical version. Early access for the Deluxe Edition begins on September 29.
Jun 2
Kohei Ikeda, game director for Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, announced on Monday that he has left Bandai Namco Entertainment after 20 years at the company. His departure follows that of former Tekken project producer Katsuhiro Harada, who left at the end of 2025 and now leads SNK's new studio.
Jun 1
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on June 1 the launch of the NAMCO LEGENDARY 2026 project, an initiative to develop content from classic Namco games. The project centers on five titles marking anniversaries this year: Galaga (45th), The Adventure of Valkyrie, Genpei Tōma Den, and Family Stadium (all 40th), and Time Crisis (30th). Alongside game releases, the project includes a pop-up shop called Namco Game Selection Summer Market at Hakuhinkan TOY PARK in Ginza, Tokyo, running from July 11 to August 6, featuring goods from Pac-Man, Dig Dug, Mappy, and others. A demo version of the 3D puzzle game Namco Legendary Mountains, developed by B-Side, is available on Steam for PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and Mac. A plug-and-play gun controller from Tassei Denki, which includes Time Crisis, Gun Bullet, Steel Gunner, and Steel Gunner 2, is also on sale. Additional merchandise includes the second wave of Classic Game Blankets from KADOKAWA Game Linkage, featuring designs from The Adventure of Valkyrie and Mappy, releasing September 16 at 3,300 yen each, as well as Galaga pins and family cassette cases. The project aims to make Namco titles more accessible to both longtime fans and new generations.
May 31
Aniplex president Atsuhiro Iwakami will become the next president and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, effective April 2026, as reported by the Nikkei and covered by Animenomics. Iwakami, who has led Aniplex for ten years, will be the first executive with a video production background to head the Japanese music giant. The appointment reflects the growing influence of Aniplex within Sony Music Group, as more than half of Sony Music's sales in Japan now come from non-music sources, including Aniplex. Aniplex produced both "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle," the highest-grossing anime film globally, and "Kokuho," Japan's highest-grossing live-action film. External revenue from Sony Music's visual media and platform business, which includes Aniplex, rose 42.8 percent in the nine months ended December 2025 compared to the same period last year. Prior to leading Aniplex, Iwakami worked on productions such as the "Monogatari" series, "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," and "Sword Art Online," and produced the mobile game "Fate/Grand Order" and the "Demon Slayer" anime adaptation.
May 30
Bandai Namco Music Live and MusicRay'n announced that 'Mirror Shibuya,' an illustrated audio drama starring the multidimensional artist SZNO, will begin streaming on SZNO's YouTube channel on March 21, 2026. The six-episode story follows Yuno, a member of the idol group Spark★Twinkle, who is attacked and falls unconscious, then wakes up in a mirrored version of Shibuya where she meets a mysterious girl named SZNO. The series is described as an urban fantasy work combining music, subculture, and urban legends, centered on two versions of Shibuya: one of shadow and one of light. The project features a notable creative team: setting and character design concept by Jin (creator of Kagerou Project), character design by Ritao (who contributed to KAF and Project SEKAI: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku), and music direction by Seiji Mizushima (director of Mobile Suit Gundam 00). Voice actress Eriko Nakamura (Haruka Amami from THE iDOLM@STER) plays the mysterious bat character. Seven VTubers from the MEWLIVE production also appear, including Yuno Mihanada, BearTrice Kumano, and Kurone Yousagi. New music from SZNO will be released every Saturday through the end of April.
May 25
Bandai Namco Entertainment released a trailer for My Hero Ultra Rumble Season 17, which launches May 27. The season adds Mirko as a new playable character, several new costumes, and a new battle style for Present Mic arriving after June. The game is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
May 19
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced that Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters will launch on August 28 for Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The game features 22 national teams and over 110 playable characters. Pre-orders include a 2026 Japan National Team Jersey cosmetic and other bonuses.
May 19
Bandai Namco Filmworks released a new video for the Patlabor EZY anime project on Thursday, introducing the main characters of the Special Vehicles Division 2. The project consists of eight episodes released as three theatrical films. The first film, File 1, debuted on May 15, 2026, and contains the first two episodes in an omnibus format. File 2 follows on August 14, 2026, with episodes four through six, and File 3 arrives in March 2027 with the final two episodes as a two-part story. The story is set in the 2030s, where Labors have become commonplace and are increasingly replaced by autonomous robots. SV2 still uses a tuned-up version of the SV-98 Ingram. The cast includes Sumire Uesaka as Towa Kuga, Kikunosuke Toya as Kippei Atori, Ami Koshimizu as Saki Hirata, Chikahiro Kobayashi as Akihiko Hazama, Setsuji Sato as Yuta Yanai, Yume Matsumura as Hachikuma Yuzuki, and Megumi Hayashibara as Kimika Saeki. Shigeru Chiba reprises his role as Shigeo Shiba. Yutaka Izubuchi directs at J.C. Staff, with Kazunori Ito writing the script. Mori Calliope performs the opening theme, and Mariko Nagai performs the ending theme.
May 17
Bandai Namco will open a Mega Kawaii Mart pop-up shop at the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights, Illinois on May 15, 2026. The store will sell MegaHouse figures and merchandise, including Look Up figures and Mega Cat Project items featuring characters from Naruto, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia. A Nyaruto mascot will appear for photo ops on May 15-16.
May 17
Bandai Namco Filmworks revealed the main trailer and visual for the sixth film in the Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199 series, titled Aoi Meikyū (Blue Labyrinth). The film opens June 26. The trailer shows the Yamato appearing in present-day Tokyo as the crew passes through a space-time node to 2026. The anime runs seven films total.
May 17
Bandai Namco Entertainment is partnering with short anime maker Plott to develop Tengutosen, a new intellectual property debuting in July. The project tests whether vertical-screen short anime can replicate the commercial energy of traditional action manga adaptations, leveraging Bandai Namco's merchandise strengths.
May 16
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced that Armored Trooper Votoms: Die Graue Hexe will reach Japanese theaters as a two-part film series. The first part opens on November 20, 2026. The date arrived with a new trailer and key visuals. Original Votoms creator Ryōsuke Takahashi returns as supervising director. Kenji Kawai, known for his work on Mobile Suit Gundam 00, is composing the score. Mechanical design duties go to Yoshihiro Sono, who worked on Votoms: AT Stories, and Shinobu Tsuneki, whose credits include Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These. The project was first revealed in January 2026. The second film does not yet have a date. Bandai Spirits and Megahouse, two Bandai Namco subsidiaries, will produce merchandise tied to the films. Bandai Spirits plans a High Grade model kit and a Hi-Metal R figure of the Scopedog in a desert color scheme. Megahouse will release 8cm model kits in its VA-KIT Platoon line. More merchandise details are expected at the 64th Shizuoka Hobby Show, which runs May 16 and 17 at Twin Messe Shizuoka.
May 16
New survey data from the Japan Animation Creators Association shows a sharp rise in full-time salaried roles at anime production studios. In 2024, 47 percent of respondents held permanent positions, up from 17 percent in 2013. Non-permanent work fell from three in four to one in two over the same period. Average monthly working hours dropped to about 190, and median annual earnings rose to ¥4 million, though work stress remains high.