Bandai Namco Entertainment is running a broad slate of 2026 releases and updates across arcade, console, PC, and smartphone platforms, including Ace Combat 8, Captain Tsubasa 2, and Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad, while also reviving classic titles through remasters and the NAMCO LEGENDARY 2026 project.
Bandai Namco Entertainment enters the second half of 2026 with a dense release calendar. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches October 2 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, with a port of Ace Combat Zero as a pre-order bonus. The game is developed by Bandai Namco Aces Inc., a studio formed in July 2022 by Bandai Namco Entertainment and ILCA, and built on Unreal Engine 5. The company will exhibit the game at Tokyo Game Show 2026, its first domestic game event appearance, alongside demos for DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3 and BLEACH Mirrors High.
Several titles are shipping in the same window. Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters releases August 27 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, with a Steam version on August 28. The game removes fouls and referees entirely, prioritizing special moves and chain combos. Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad launched July 9 in Japan and July 10 worldwide, with a permadeath Death Game Mode and a theme song by Aimer. The Blood of Dawnwalker, the debut title from Rebel Wolves, launches September 3 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Bandai Namco is also maintaining live-service and legacy lines. Tekken 8's Season 3 adds Bob, Kunimitsu, Roger Jr., and Yujiro Hanma. The Idolmaster TOURS arcade game received a Second Stage update with Tour Mode and its first original song. The NAMCO LEGENDARY 2026 project bundles five anniversary titles, including Galaga and Time Crisis, with merchandise and a pop-up shop. G-MODE Archives+ revived Lost Chronicle on Switch and Steam, the fourth Bandai Namco feature phone title to get a modern re-release. The company also announced a remaster of Super Robot Wars Z II: Hakai-hen while continuing support for Super Robot Wars Y.
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Bandai Namco Entertainment announced a major update to the arcade game THE IDOLM@STER TOURS, launching the new series Second Stage on August 6, 2026. The update adds Tour Mode, a new gameplay mode focused on touring with an idol, plus the game's first original song, a new UR card rarity, and over 90 newly drawn cards.
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on August 5 that it will exhibit at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe. The company's main booth in Hall 5 will feature playable demos of several upcoming titles, including the latest entry in the Ace Combat series, ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE, which makes its first appearance at a domestic game event. Also on offer are demos for DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3, scheduled for release within 2027, and the smartphone game BLEACH Mirrors High, which includes new characters designed by Tite Kubo. The demo for ACE COMBAT 8 requires a numbered ticket distributed at the booth on public days, September 19 to 21. Additional exhibits include ONE PIECE: Ocean's Delicious Restaurant, a simulation game where players manage a sea restaurant, and Tales of Eternia Remastered, which has a reservation campaign for original goods. The Family Game Park at TKP Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hall will host demos for Once Upon a Katamari and Tamagotchi's Petit Petit Omisecchi Omachido~sama! Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. New merchandise for several titles will be sold in advance at the ASOBI STORE satellite location in Hall 11.
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced a remaster of the 2011 PSP game Super Robot Wars Z II: Hakai-hen. The company also detailed new content for Super Robot Wars Y, including an anniversary expansion pack on August 5 and a free update on August 4 that adds missions and a new BOOST team mode.
The Tengu Tōsen short anime project, a joint production by Bandai Namco Entertainment and Plott, began streaming its first full main story episode on its official YouTube channel last Friday. The series follows Akari Hinomiya, a boy imbued with a demon spirit, as he fights tengu alongside the Tōbatsushi.
G-MODE announced on July 22, 2026, that it will release "G-MODE Archives+ Lost Chronicle" for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on July 23, 2026. The game is a faithful port of the original fantasy RPG that Bandai Namco Entertainment distributed as a feature phone app. It is the fourth Bandai Namco Entertainment title to be revived under the G-MODE Archives+ label, following "Xenosaga Pied Piper," "Namco Chronicle," and "Pac-Man." The story follows a protagonist exploring a world destroyed by a black flash and shrouded in dark fog, seeking the mystery of a cataclysm that occurred a thousand years ago. Players purify miasma-covered lands, accept requests from city guilds, explore fields, and advance missions to survey the land, discover new resources and technologies, and rebuild the devastated world. Characters can be customized with six attributes-Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, Dark, and Light-and multiple jobs including Fencer, Scout, Mage, and Cleric. The price is 800 yen, and the game supports Japanese language only.
Bandai Namco Entertainment held a media preview for its upcoming soccer action game "Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters" on July 17, 2026. The game, based on the "World Youth" arc of the manga, is set to release on August 27, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, with a Steam version following on August 28. The preview revealed a deliberate design choice: the game has no referees and no fouls, allowing players to execute tackles and special moves without interruption. Controls have been simplified to a single button for dribble and tackle moves, with a new "full power" variant on the Y button. A chain system rewards consecutive moves by speeding up special move gauges, and chain levels transfer to the opponent if the ball is lost. Goalkeepers have an HP bar, and shooters must pick a shot trajectory while the keeper chooses a direction in a mind game. The game also includes a Miracle Team Move system that can trigger automatic goals under specific conditions. An edit protagonist returns, with a single custom character who can learn moves from teammates. Original characters, such as the kung-fu goalkeeper Yue, were designed under the supervision of original author Yoichi Takahashi. The developers emphasized that the game aims to capture the dramatic, unpredictable feel of the manga rather than simulate real soccer.
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on July 15, 2026, that the Nintendo Switch 2 version of "Once Upon a Katamari" will launch on October 8, 2026. The Switch 2 port adds mouse controls and improves frame rate and resolution. A free update for the original Switch version, adding the same mouse controls and performance enhancements when played on Switch 2, will also arrive on October 8. On the same day, the paid downloadable content "Rolling Live Highlights" will be released across all platforms: Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. The DLC compiles content from the 2025 "Katamari Rolling LIVE" event, including 10 challenges, 6 companions, 12 songs, and 18 accessories. Two new editions are available: the download-only "Royal Sound Edition," which bundles the game with all previous DLC packs plus "Rolling Live Highlights," and the "Rolling Live Highlights Edition," sold both digitally and physically. The existing "King of Sound Edition" will be discontinued on October 7, 2026.
The Steam version of The Idolmaster: Starlit Season is on sale for 3,608 yen, 60% off the regular 9,020 yen price, as part of Amazon Prime Day 2026. The game brings together idols from the 765 Pro, Cinderella Girls, Million Live!, and Shiny Colors brands, plus new idol Kokoro Okugami, in a training simulation spanning roughly 10 months. The discount is promoted as a recommended entry point for newcomers to the series on PC.
Bandai Namco Entertainment released a new trailer for Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad on Tuesday, previewing the game's Death Game Mode. The mode is a permadeath option that deletes the player's save file upon character death, with no respawns. It is normally available only after completing the game once, but early access is included with the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions. The game launches in Japan on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 9, and on PC via Steam on July 10. The Western release is July 10 across all platforms. Players create their own customizable avatar and explore Aincrad alongside characters like Kirito and Asuna. Aimer performs the theme song "Live to Survive." The game has four editions: Standard, Deluxe, Ultimate, and Aincrad (Bandai Namco Store exclusive). The Ultimate Edition adds a digital soundtrack, digital artbook, an in-game armor pack, and the bonus anime "Unanswered//butterfly," which follows other characters during the original Sword Art Online story. The Deluxe Edition includes expansion DLC and a starter item pack.
Rebel Wolves, the studio founded by former CD Projekt RED developers, and Bandai Namco Entertainment held a media preview for their debut title "The Blood of Dawnwalker" on July 7, 2026. The open-world dark fantasy action RPG launches on September 3 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Narrative director Jakub Szamałek gave an interview alongside hands-on play sessions of the first four hours. The game stars Coen, a young man who becomes a Dawnwalker-human by day and vampire by night-after his village is attacked by the vampire lord Brencis. Coen has 30 days and 30 nights to rescue his family before Brencis's coronation. Time advances only when the player makes significant choices, not during exploration or combat. The "narrative sandbox" design allows players to approach the main goal freely, including the possibility of storming the castle on day one. Combat uses a directional system where blocking and attacking in the right direction conserves stamina. The vampire form offers powerful abilities like teleportation and bloodsucking, but bloodlust can trigger uncontrollable urges to bite and kill NPCs, even those with whom Coen has built close relationships. The game is the first entry in a planned multi-title saga spanning centuries.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.