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Blade
1h ago
Mahershala Ali has left the lead role in Marvel's Blade film, he confirmed to American GQ. The project was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2019 and was originally set for a November 3, 2023 release, but lost its director before filming began and has faced delays since. Ali, who voiced Blade in the 2021 film Eternals, said the studio was not serious about the project. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige expressed regret over the stalled production.
8h ago
The live-action drama 'Blade Runner 2099' will stream exclusively on Prime Video starting Wednesday, November 25. The limited series runs 8 episodes and is set in Los Angeles in 2099, 50 years after 'Blade Runner 2049'. Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer star. A Japanese teaser trailer and scene photos were released.
9h ago
The second phase of the Honkai: Star Rail x Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] collaboration is underway. New characters Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh are implemented, and the Trailblaze Mission interlude Phantasm: Holy Grail War has been released. The event story, reportedly supervised by Kinoko Nasu, is dense with Fate references and centers on Rin as the protagonist. The event explains both franchises' basics so newcomers can follow it.
17h ago
Henry's House announced on August 6 that its roguelite battle top game Slayblade will launch on PC via Steam on August 20, 2026, Japan time. The developer describes the game as a Beyblade-inspired life sim roguelike, set in a 2000s-style miniature city where players skateboard, find opponents, and build custom tops from over 60 part types. Each part carries stats for weight, acceleration, and spin resistance, and players can purchase parts at shops or through gachapon. The game progresses in daily cycles with morning, afternoon, and night phases, including street battles, illegal nighttime fights with cash stakes, lawn mowing for income, and shrine donations that boost experience. The story follows a protagonist whose father invented an infinitely spinning Slayblade and disappeared five years ago; the player aims to win the World Championship to uncover the truth, though the developer notes the story is limited to short cutscenes at the start and end. A demo is available on Steam, currently English-only, and lets players experience about half of the parts and unlockable content, with progress carrying over to the full version. The demo has earned a Very Positive rating on Steam, with 85% of 221 user reviews positive at the time of writing.
1d ago
Nintendo Support announced on August 5, 2026, via X that several bugs have been confirmed in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, which began distribution on July 30 for the Nintendo Switch 2. The first bug causes accessory equipment slots to decrease from 3 to 2 under specific conditions. This occurs after starting Advanced New Game, using the Accessory Expansion Kit to obtain 3 slots, then loading an amiibo in the menu and receiving Bonus WP. The issue does not happen if anything other than Bonus WP is obtained. The second bug makes the battle BGM quieter. Nintendo is preparing update data to fix these issues, and will announce the distribution date once decided. Until then, players are advised to avoid the bug conditions when using amiibo. The game is available for download on Nintendo Switch 2 at 9,778 yen (tax included), with an upgrade pass for 1,000 yen for those who purchased the Switch version. A packaged version is scheduled for release on October 1 at 9,778 yen.
1d ago
S-GAME announced on August 6, 2026 that development of the action RPG Phantom Blade Zero is complete. The game is scheduled for release on October 29, 2026 for PC and PS5. Pre-orders will begin on August 12 at 11:00 Japan time across the PlayStation Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Alongside the pre-order opening, an 11-minute trailer will be released, featuring new story elements, characters, battle scenes, and what the studio calls 'something unexpected.' Phantom Blade Zero is described as a kung-fu punk action RPG set in a phantom world where ancient Chinese landscapes coexist with rusted industrial facilities. Players control Soul, an assassin serving the mysterious organization The Order, who has only 66 days to live and seeks revenge after being framed for a crime. The announcement follows earlier statements from S-GAME that the team is not concerned about overlapping release timing with GTA6, focusing instead on game quality.
1d ago
4Gamer's Weekly Steam Square column for July 25, 2026 highlights two notable Steam releases: Conqueror's Blade: Three Kingdoms, a large-scale strategy action game set in the Three Kingdoms era, and Scrap Mechanic, a multiplayer sandbox survival game. The column also covers other releases, announcements, and sales information on Steam.
1d ago
Crunchyroll announced at AnimagiC in Germany that it will stream six anime series, including Eleceed, FX Fighter Kurumi-chan, Shangri-La Frontier season 3, The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World II, The Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Enjoys a Second Lease on Life, and Uncle's Obsession with Cute Things. The service also added the English dub of Sound! Euphonium season 1.
1d ago
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World season 2 will debut in October on TBS and BS11. The staff revealed new cast members, including Miyu Kubota as Elisa Griffith, replacing Nana Harumura, who retired in January. Masahiro Takata returns to direct, and Zero-G now animates the series.
2d ago
Takara Tomy announced on July 29 that it will increase production and hold made-to-order sales for some BEYBLADE X products after shortages continued since spring 2026. The company said demand for the fourth-generation spinning top series has exceeded expectations worldwide, particularly in Asian regions including Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Shortages have persisted since around Golden Week, and even new products released from June to August have not been supplied in sufficient quantities. The increased production will roll out sequentially from the end of July to August, with supply volumes expanding thereafter. Three products will be sold via made-to-order on the Takara Tomy Mall: the CX-16 Start Dash Set C, UX-20 Starter Glory Valkyrie LF, and UX-21 Hells NETHER Deck Set. The application period runs from 12:00 on August 7 to 23:59 on August 11, with shipping scheduled for around mid-January 2027. Orders are limited to one per person or household to prevent resale and hoarding. The BEYBLADE X development team apologized for the shortage in a YouTube video released the same day.
3d ago
IDW Publishing began releasing Yuki Imada's Sonic the Hedgehog: The Blade of Courage manga in English through the IDW Comics app on Wednesday, July 29. The manga, which follows Sonic teaming up with a slow human named Yuta to travel through a jungle and save the world, originally launched in Shogakukan's Monthly CoroCoro Comic magazine in June 2025. Shogakukan shipped the single compiled book volume on December 26. The English release is the first official translation of the series, made possible through partners at Sega and Shogakukan. However, shortly after the debut, Imada expressed frustration on X, sharing a screenshot of the app's review section where several reviews credited other Sonic creators, such as Ian Flynn and Tracy Yardley, instead of Imada. Imada wrote that he drew the art and wrote the story himself, and that he had never felt so insulted. IDW's Sonic editorial team said they were thrilled to bring the official English release to readers, noting fans had been looking forward to Sonic and Yuta's quest to stop Dr. Eggman.
3d ago
Nintendo's Splatoon Raiders, the first spin-off in the Splatoon series, debuted at number one on Japan's video game rankings for the week of July 20-26, according to Famitsu data compiled by Anime News Network. The Nintendo Switch 2 title sold 474,684 copies in its first week, nearly triple the second-place game's weekly total. Rhythm Heaven Groove held steady at number two with 78,355 copies, bringing its cumulative total to 674,592. Tomodachi Life remained in third place with 23,468 copies, pushing its lifetime sales past 1.5 million. The rest of the top five included Powerful Pro Baseball 2026-2027 at number four and Mario Kart World at number five. The chart also saw new entries from Shochiku Games' Yog-Sothoth's Yard at number 12 and MAGES.'s Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsu no Ma ni ka Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken Memorial Vacation at number 14, both released on July 23. Long-running titles continued to appear, with Minecraft at number eight and Splatoon 3 at number 11. The list, sourced from Famitsu, covers software sales across all platforms in Japan for the specified week.
3d ago
This week's gaming roundup covers a wide range of announcements and updates. Final Fantasy XIV's Evercold expansion received new details from the EU Fanfest in Belgium, including two crossover raids with Neon Genesis Evangelion and Final Fantasy VII, a new ranged tank class called the Bastion, and a non-linear story structure with automatic enemy scaling. The expansion is slated for January 2027. Meanwhile, Monolith Soft released an update for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on Switch 2, adding 60 FPS and 4K resolution in handheld mode, a new Merc Assault mode, new outfits for Pyra and Mythra, and a new Blade from Xenosaga, M.O.M.O., whose inclusion has sparked speculation about Nintendo acquiring the Xenosaga rights. Other stories include Cyber Connect 2's mobile port of Fuga: Melodies of Steel, a first look at Chronoscript: The Endless End, and several smaller releases and announcements.
3d ago
SHIFT UP released a music video for "Wanna be in LOVE" Feat. Evie on July 31, tied to the in-development sequel Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN. The video, which features protagonist Evie singing and walking through the game's city, was created using game resources and regenerated with AI assistance, as stated in the video description. YouTube's disclosure section notes that audio and visuals were partially modified or entirely generated by AI. The video has drawn criticism from the community, with comments ranging from calls to stop using AI altogether to complaints about low quality, such as Evie's face changing unnaturally and the text "Fairness and Peace" on her suit appearing distorted. Some fans who are not opposed to AI use still reacted negatively, saying "What matters is how AI is used" and "Don't use AI for promotions." SHIFT UP CEO Kim Hyung-tae responded that the character Evie was built over more than a year by the studio's artists and modelers, and that AI did not create her from scratch. The A.I Labs logo appears at the end of the video, and the company has an internal organization focused on AI-driven development efficiency. Platforms and release timing for Stellar Blade: BLOOD RAIN have not been announced.
3d ago
Aniplex announced on July 31, 2026 that it will release a 1/7 scale figure of Saber from the ongoing collaboration between the space fantasy RPG "Honkai: Star Rail" and "Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]". Pre-orders opened the same day on Aniplex Online and at retailers including AmiAmi. The figure is priced at 31,900 yen (tax included) and is scheduled for delivery in June 2027. The sculpt recreates the collaboration illustration by Takashi Takeuchi, with dynamic effect parts depicting the trajectory of Saber's sword to capture a moment of impact. Saber wears a special collaboration-only costume that differs from her outfit in "Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]", sculpted down to the smallest details. The figure is a made-to-order product, with the order period running until October 21 at 23:59. A purchase bonus is a colored paper board using the collaboration illustration by Takeuchi.
Jul 31
Nintendo released the download version and upgrade pass for Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition on July 30, 2026. The packaged version is scheduled for release on October 1. The download version costs 9,778 yen, while owners of the original Nintendo Switch software can upgrade for 1,000 yen. The Switch 2 Edition improves resolution and frame rate, supporting 4K in TV mode and 1080p in handheld mode at 60fps. New design outfits for Pyra and Mythra appear and are reflected both on the field and in event scenes. A new mode called Mercenary Action lets players directly control Blades in battle, selecting up to six Blades to deploy, switching between them, and chaining attacks to activate Special Arts. M.O.M.O. from the Xenosaga series joins as a new rare Blade, able to switch between light and dark attributes via mode changes. The edition supports amiibo, granting bonuses such as experience points and items up to three times per day. Players have also discovered that Field Skill checks now count Blades that are not engaged, removing the need to re-engage Blades from the menu.
Jul 28
HoYoverse released the second part of the Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] collaboration PV for Honkai: Star Rail on July 23, 2026. The PV features Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh joining the game on July 24, along with other characters, and includes references to other Fate series works.
Jul 27
Nintendo released a new overview trailer for the Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, revealing that the character Momo from Xenosaga will appear as a Rare Blade. The digital version and upgrade pack launch July 30, with a physical release on October 1.
Jul 26
The week of July 27 to August 2, 2026, sees a slate of major releases across platforms. Leading the lineup is 'Halo: Campaign Evolved', a Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original 2001 campaign, launching July 29 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S at 7,900 yen. It includes 10 original missions plus three new ones, 4-player online co-op with cross-play, and a Campaign Remix mode with randomized modifiers. Early reviews are positive, with Metascores of 81 on PS5 and 84 on Xbox Series X as of July 26, though the lack of competitive multiplayer drew some criticism. Also releasing July 30 is 'Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition', an enhanced version for the new console. The same day sees the extraction shooter 'Mistfall Hunter' on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, along with 'BLUE REFLECTION Quartet: The Miracle of the Girls' (7,480 yen), 'Culdcept the First', 'Volcano Princess', 'TATSUJIN EXTREME', and 'Honoboshi no Niwa'. On July 31, dark fantasy action RPG 'The Relic: First Guardian' arrives on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The week's releases span genres from FPS and RPG to puzzle and simulation, with several titles also available on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
Jul 26
HoYoverse began the second phase of the Honkai: Star Rail and Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] collaboration on July 24. The update adds the collaboration-exclusive 5-star characters Rin Tohsaka (voiced by Kana Ueda) and Gilgamesh (voiced by Tomokazu Seki), each available in their own event warps with increased drop rates. Players can also choose one free 5-star character from Gilgamesh or Archer (voiced by Junichi Suwabe) until the end of Version 4.6. The collaboration event story, titled "Phantom Creation: Holy Grail War," casts players as mages from another world who enter a Phantom Holy Grail War alongside Rin Tohsaka. The collaboration PV, titled "A Long-Awaited Reunion," includes visual references to Fate/Grand Order, Fate/Zero, and Fate/strange Fake. The project was produced with the cooperation of Fate series creator Kinoko Nasu and illustrator Takashi Takeuchi, who oversaw story composition and character skill design.
Jul 24
Nintendo released a promotional video on July 24 for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, detailing new features ahead of its July 30 digital release. The upgrade adds new design costumes for the heroines Homura (Pyra) and Hikari (Mythra), created by character designer Masatsugu Saito. The costumes feature starry sky motifs and are visible in both gameplay and event scenes. A new quest type called Mercenary Group Action expands on the existing idle Mercenary Group system, letting players directly control up to six Blades in real-time combat, switching between them and using special arts. The edition also introduces M.O.M.O. (voiced by Rumi Shishido), a rare Blade from the Xenosaga series. M.O.M.O. can switch between light and dark attributes via Actual Mode and Imaginary Mode, and serves a healing role. The download version and upgrade pass cost 9,778 yen and 1,000 yen respectively, with the physical version following on October 1. The game runs at 4K 60fps in TV mode and 1080p 60fps in handheld mode on Switch 2.
Jul 24
Team Spino LLC and Boltray Games released the action RPG Dinoblade on Steam on July 24. The game is a third-person Soulslike set in a prehistoric world reshaped by a catastrophe. Players control a young Spinosaurus that carries a massive greatsword in its mouth, fighting rival weapon-wielding dinosaurs and apex predators called Alphas across biomes such as canyons, jungles, and snowy plains. Combat involves combos, dodging, rolling, and parrying, with the ability to transform into an inner beast and use special abilities. The developer is Jean Nguyen, a senior animator at Sucker Punch Productions who worked on Ghost of Yōtei. The game's Steam wishlist count exceeded 500,000 before release, and the demo received an Overwhelmingly Positive rating with 97% positive reviews from about 4,900 users. After launch, the full game holds a Very Positive rating with 89% positive reviews from 285 reviews as of the time of reporting. A 10% launch discount brings the price to 2,340 yen through July 31.
Jul 17
ABC-Mart will release a collaboration sneaker between Beyblade X and the HAWKINS kids' shoe line on July 30. The MACH BEY shoe features a dial-fit system for easy adjustment and quick removal. It costs 6,490 yen and comes with a limited sticker for early buyers. Select stores will also display Beyblade series history panels.
Jul 15
Takara Tomy Mall is running a lottery for the BEYBLADE X UX-21 HellsNesser Deck Set and the BX-57 3on3 Deck Case Black Ver. until July 20, 2026. The deck set includes the balance-type HellsNesser Z blade with a height-switchable blade and a bit combining offense and defense. The case is a black version of the 3on3 case. Both items are scheduled for release on August 8, 2026.
Jul 15
A playable demo of ReBlade: The Death Spiral at Bilibili World 2026 reveals a top-down roguelike with a parry system, weapon customization via IC chips, and a boss fight against a yokai named Zhang Yu Ge. Developer ChillyRoom, known for Soul Knight, has been working on the game for three years with a team of seven and is in its final stages.
Jul 12
Takara Tomy's BEYBLADE X has announced its first collaboration with the Ultraman series, releasing a starter set themed after Ultraman Tiga on September 12, 2026. The set features interchangeable parts to replicate Tiga's three forms, a special launcher, and a sticker. It will be displayed at events in July and released in eight Asian regions.
Jul 12
Digital Extremes announced the 'Iceblade of Narin' major update for Warframe at TennoCon 2026, arriving in autumn 2026. It introduces the first ice-themed female Warframe since Frost, along with Citrine Prime, Qorvex, Banshee Deluxe Skins, and a Banshee rework. A new star system TAU and a detective-like Warframe Brysko were also revealed. The update includes a story episode about Lotus moving Lua into the Void.
Jul 10
Axel Entermedia revealed the key visual for Touken Ranbu - ICE BLADE -, the first ice show based on the Touken Ranbu franchise. The event runs October 3-4 at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo. Top skaters including Kaori Sakamoto, Takahito Mura, and Keiji Tanaka perform alongside voice actors. The story involves a five-headed dragon attacking a honmaru and an Ice Spirit awakening. Ticket sales begin July 3.
Jul 9
Manga Up! Global added three manga over the past week: Trained to be the Ultimate Anti-magic Spellblade (July 2), Uglymug, Epicfighter SSS (July 6), and AGERECO! Getting Into the Voice Acting Spirit! (July 10). The fantasy, comedy, and voice-acting titles are now available on the platform.
Jul 7
In response to Sony's announcement that physical disc support for PlayStation will end in 2028, a foreign gamer writes an op-ed tribute to classic PS1 games. He highlights titles available digitally in Japan, including Wipeout, G-POLICE, Armored Core, Rakugaki Showtime, and Bushido Blade, sharing personal memories and noting the impending end of digital purchase services for PS Archives.
Jul 6
Team Spino LLC announced that the soulslike action RPG Dinoblade, where a young spinosaurus wields a greatsword in its mouth, has exceeded 500,000 wishlists on Steam. The game is set to release on July 24 and will support Japanese.
Jul 3
Bandai's SUPER BEST series will reissue the DX Brace Buckle from Kamen Rider Blade, the DX K-Taros from Kamen Rider Den-O, and two sets of DX Gashats and accessories from Kamen Rider Ex-Aid. All four items launch on July 25, 2026, priced between 4,400 and 9,900 yen.
Jul 3
Composer Yoko Shimomura will hold a 39th anniversary orchestra concert on September 25, 2026, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Concert Hall. The concert, titled "39! ~Thank You!~," will feature the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Grammy Award-winning Arnie Roth. The announced setlist includes pieces from games Shimomura composed for, such as "Home Town Domina" from Legend of Mana, the main theme of Xenoblade, "Beware the Forest's Mushrooms" from Super Mario RPG, "Stand Your Ground" from Final Fantasy XV, "The Other Promise" from Kingdom Hearts, a Live A Live medley, and "Cocone's Theme" from Napping Princess. Organizer advance ticket sales begin July 4 at 10:00 AM, followed by playguide advance sales on July 13, and general sales on August 22. Ticket prices are ¥9,900 for S seats and ¥8,800 for A seats.
Jul 3
The production committee for "Touken Ranbu - ICE BLADE -" released a new character visual for Heshikiri Hasebe, drawn by the original game staff. The ice show runs October 3-4, 2026 at National Yoyogi Stadium First Gymnasium. Advance ticket lotteries opened July 3.
Jul 2
Furyu Corporation announced on July 2 that the PlayStation 5 version of Beyblade X: Evol Battle has been confirmed for release. The company also released two new DLC packs for the game on the Nintendo Store: Digital Bey Booster VOL.6 and VOL.7, which add a total of eight new Beyblades. VOL.7 is available for free until July 22 at 23:59 JST. The Steam versions of the DLC are scheduled for July 30. Alongside the DLC, Furyu launched Season Pass VOL.2, Special Blader Pack VOL.2, a Super Ultimate Pack bundling previous and current content, and a Super Ultimate Edition that includes the base game. All four bundles are offered at a 15 percent discount during a launch sale. The Steam versions of the Super Ultimate Pack and Super Ultimate Edition also include a soundtrack. The PS5 version's release date has not been announced.
Jun 30
HIDIVE announced on June 30 that it will exclusively stream the dark fantasy anime adaptation of Kumo Kagyu's light novel series BLADE & BASTARD as part of its 2027 simulcast lineup. The series will be available to subscribers in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and other select markets. The announcement included the release of an English-subtitled teaser trailer. The anime is directed by Tomoki Kobayashi, with series composition by Naruhisa Arakawa, character designs by Rina Iwamoto, and music by Hayato Matsuo. Animation production is handled by studio xingfu. The voice cast includes Makoto Furukawa as Iarumas, Tomori Kusunoki as Garbage, Daiki Yamashita as Raraja, Saori Hayami as Ainikki, and Shion Wakayama as Berkanan. The story follows Iarumas, a man resurrected from death with no memories, who retrieves bodies from a dungeon and eventually partners with a young swordswoman named Garbage. The light novel series, illustrated by so-bin, began in December 2022 and has six volumes. A manga adaptation launched in June 2023 and has eight volumes. HIDIVE president John Ledford said the company is thrilled to add the series to its 2027 slate. Fans at Anime Expo 2026 can attend panels and a voice actor Q&A on July 4.
Jun 30
Beneath the Tangles' Reader's Corner column covers new volumes of The Fake Alchemist, The Remarried Empress, Vagabond Definitive Edition, Insomniacs After School, Blade & Bastard, Girl Crush, and Lycoris Recoil. The review highlights Vagabond Definitive Edition Vol. 5 as a standout, praising its artwork and storytelling.
Jun 28
The Touken Ranbu - ICE BLADE - production committee released a new character visual for Hizamaru, drawn by the original game staff. The ice show runs October 3-4, 2026 at National Yoyogi Stadium First Gymnasium, with a cast including figure skaters and voice actors. Advance ticket reservations open July 3.
Jun 23
Team Spino LLC announced that its action RPG 'Dinoblade' will release on Steam on July 23, 2026, with a launch date trailer released on June 23. The game casts players as a young Spinosaurus that wields a greatsword in its mouth, fighting against weapon-wielding dinosaurs in a prehistoric world reshaped by a catastrophic disaster. Combat emphasizes combos, dodging, rolling, and parrying, with players defeating apex predators called Alphas to unlock new skills and discover legendary weapons. The story follows the protagonist's quest to prevent an impending extinction and uncover the truth behind the disaster. A demo is available on Steam, where it has earned an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' rating from approximately 4,400 reviews. The creator, Jean Nguyen, previously worked as a senior animator at Sucker Punch on 'Ghost of Yōtei'. The game has surpassed 460,000 wishlists on Steam. One source notes a discrepancy: the trailer lists July 23, while the Steam store page shows July 24 in Japanese time.
Jun 22
Claims that overseas forum users urged credit card companies to regulate the upcoming Stellar Blade sequel have been debunked. The post, made on ResetEra, was a trolling attempt that resulted in the user being banned. The forum is not organizing any such call for regulation.
Jun 17
Takara Tomy announced the UX-00 Starter Samurai Saber 5-60K Metal Coat: Samurai Blue Japan National Football Team Ver. Beyblade will be available for made-to-order sales at the JFA STORE. The product features a Samurai Blue color scheme inspired by the Japan national football team and includes a winder launcher starter and a team sticker. Orders run from June 19 to July 20, 2026, with delivery scheduled for late November 2026.
Jun 16
Multiple outlets report that several studios under Xbox Game Studios are at risk of closure, with Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, and Double Fine named as those facing potential shutdown or forced independence. According to The Verge, Ninja Theory staff were informed of the closure on June 15, 2026, and the studio hopes a buyer can be found. Bloomberg reports that Compulsion Games and Double Fine are in discussions to leave Xbox Game Studios. The reports follow the recent resignation of Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan and Chief of Staff Louise O'Connor, as reported by The Game Business. These moves come after Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced a business reset earlier this year, which included plans for large-scale layoffs and budget cuts. The studios in question were all acquired by Microsoft between 2018 and 2019. Ninja Theory had just announced a new title, 'Senua', at the Xbox Games Showcase days before the reported closure. Microsoft has not officially commented on the reports.
Jun 15
Hobby Japan announced the roguelite armor break card game Queen's Blade Re:Build will launch on Steam on July 23, 2026. A Nintendo Switch version is scheduled for fall 2026. The game is a deck-building roguelite where players collect cards and destroy enemy costume parts in real-time battles. A demo is available on Steam.
Jun 15
The roguelite life sim Slayblade, described by its creator as Beyblade crossed with a Y2K life sim, has a demo on Steam. Players skate a 2000s city, battle with spinning tops, and earn prize money for new parts. The demo includes about half the content and carries progress to the full version.
Jun 14
The ice show "Touken Ranbu - ICE BLADE -" will take place at Yoyogi National Gymnasium First Gymnasium in October 2026. A newly drawn character visual of Yamatonokami Yasusada, created by the original game staff, has been released. The event marks the franchise's first foray into ice skating performances, with multiple showtimes across two days.
Jun 13
S-Game's Phantom Blade Zero director Qiwei Liang told PC Gamer he has not considered the November release of Grand Theft Auto VI, despite his game now launching October 29 after a delay from September 9. Liang said he is focused only on the game's quality and completeness, and that a one- or two-month delay allows for bug fixes and optimization. He also expressed concern about rising hardware prices and the need to make the game playable for as many players as possible without sacrificing quality.
Jun 12
ABEMA will stream all episodes of Fate/Zero and Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works for free over two consecutive weekends, starting June 13. The Fate/Zero marathon runs June 13 and 14, covering all 25 episodes split into two blocks. The following weekend, June 20 and 21, ABEMA will air all 26 episodes of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, including episode 0. Both series will be available on the ABEMA Anime SPECIAL channel. After each broadcast window, viewers can watch the episodes on demand for free for one week. Fate/Zero adapts the light novel prequel by Gen Urobuchi and tells the story of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, produced by ufotable, adapts the second route of the original visual novel and follows Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka in the Fifth Holy Grail War. The event is part of ABEMA's 10th anniversary programming.
Jun 12
A comparison video from YouTube channel ElAnalistaDeBits shows the graphical differences between the Wii, 3DS, Switch, and Switch 2 versions of Xenoblade Chronicles. The Switch 2 version reaches 60fps and upscaled 4K resolution, while the Switch version ran at 30fps and dynamic 720p. The video highlights the generational gap in graphics and performance.
Jun 11
Drecom released a main visual by illustrator Jun Suemi for the 45th anniversary of the RPG Wizardry on June 11, 2026. The artwork features characters from Wizardry Variants Daphne and the novel Blade & Bastard. A special survey collecting fan memories and messages runs until August 31.
Jun 10
Chiyoko Maruume and Tokegoro launched the new manga Twilight Blade on Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ platform on Wednesday. Viz Media's Shonen Jump service and Shueisha's MANGA Plus are publishing the manga digitally in English simultaneously with the Japanese release.