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Craft
Facts
- Noted
- CRAFT is a small experimental vehicle in development under JAXA's ISAS next-generation space transport research. · 2026-08-29
- Noted
- The flight model of the liquid oxygen tank has been delivered, and partial prototyping of the liquid hydrogen tank is complete. · 2026-08-29
- Noted
- The work supports the world-first air-assist flight initiative. · 2026-08-29
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1h ago
MJOLNIR SPACEWORKS is providing welding-free aluminum tanks for the propulsion system of CRAFT, a small experimental vehicle in development under JAXA's ISAS next-generation space transport research. The flight model of the liquid oxygen tank has been delivered, and partial prototyping of the liquid hydrogen tank is complete. The work supports the world-first air-assist flight initiative.
2h ago
CRAFTS&MEISTER announced a free update for the party brawler BLOKES on BLOCKS! arriving September 3. It adds two stages and three new win conditions, expanding the game to 11 stages and 6 rules. New items, costumes, and accessories join too. The game is available on PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch.
Aug 14
Inforenz opened preorders for seven new official Minecraft items. The lineup includes a blind-box excavation kit, an Enderman motion sensor light, a Creeper crane game, two mini pinball machines, and two GOO JIT ZU squishy figures. Prices run from 2,640 yen to 47,520 yen for the box set, with release dates from late September 2026 to mid-January 2027.
Aug 9
Jimothy, a round raccoon found in Seattle on July 13, 2026, has become a viral meme. Game studios and fans have created tributes in World of Warcraft, Old School RuneScape, Dead by Daylight, The Sims, Halo, Among Us, and more. Fan-made content includes a browser game, a Stardew Valley pet mod, and a Minecraft add-on.
Aug 8
Minecraft's latest Java snapshot introduces concrete stairs and slabs in all 16 colors, plus maps in some abandoned camp chests that lead to new camps and structures. Both features are available in the Java snapshot, with Bedrock beta and preview support coming soon.
Aug 6
Nintendo announced that Minecraft Dungeons will be the next game in the Issai Trial event for Nintendo Switch Online members, playable free from July 27 to August 2. A sale on the game and DLC runs through August 9, with discounts up to 50 percent. The sequel, Minecraft Dungeons II, launches September 29.
Aug 4
Microsoft announced on July 28 that it will bring an Xbox booth to gamescom 2026, held in Cologne, Germany from August 26 to 30. The booth, located in Hall 7 at A-0.61, will feature 25 upcoming games across 140 playable stations. Attendees can get hands-on time with early builds of 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4,' 'Fable,' 'Minecraft Dungeons II,' 'Gears of War: E-Day,' 'METRO 2039,' 'STRANGER THAN HEAVEN,' and 'Alien: Isolation 2,' among others. The booth will also host the first public playable demo of the 'Gears of War: E-Day' campaign, ahead of its October 6 release, and a live demo theater presentation for 'Fable' by developer Playground Games. From 23:00 Japan time on August 26, the community event 'Xbox FanFest' will be streamed on YouTube and Twitch, featuring developer interviews, first looks at gameplay, and new trailers. The stream will include American Sign Language and English audio description support. The booth is wheelchair accessible, with adaptive controllers available on request, and quiet rooms for users who prefer reduced sensory stimulation.
Jul 27
Mojang Studios updated the system requirements for Minecraft Java Edition on July 21, 2026, for the first time in roughly 17 years. The minimum memory requirement jumps from 2GB to 8GB (12GB for integrated GPUs), and the recommended memory rises to 16GB. The new minimum specs target 1080p at 30fps on the Performance preset, while recommended specs target 1080p at 60fps on the Fancy preset. The update also requires a Vulkan 1.3-compatible GPU, replacing the aging OpenGL graphics API. Mojang cited the game's growth over 17 years, expanded world sizes, new features, and the need to modernize internal technology as reasons for the change. The studio warned that systems below the new minimum may still launch the game for now, but performance is not guaranteed, and future Vulkan transitions could make the game unplayable on older hardware. The company also noted that the requirements remain relatively low compared to modern AAA titles and do not demand a high-end gaming PC.
Jul 27
Shōnengahōsha announced on July 27 that Sho Kasugai's manga Millennium Family is getting a television anime adaptation. The anime will air on TBS and other stations, though a debut date has not been revealed. Masato Jinbo, known for directing Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei! and The Rising of The Shield Hero Season 2, is directing the series at studio PartsCraft and also supervising the scripts. Hiroshi Yoneda, who worked on Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Vow in the Snow, is handling character design and serving as chief animation director. Rikuya Yasuda voices the protagonist Theo. The manga launched in Young King Ours magazine in March 2021 and has eight compiled volumes released so far, with the ninth volume set for July 30, 2026. The story follows seven immortal siblings born in England who possess eternal life, making them targets for criminals, hospitals, and military organizations. AI localization company Orange Inc. licenses the manga in English through its e-bookstore service emaqi.
Jul 14
Bandai is reissuing the Minecraft Figure Assort ~Ender Dragon Battle~ gashapon set in July 2026. The five-type capsule lineup includes a big-size Ender Dragon, Steve with Netherite equipment, Steve with Diamond equipment, an End Crystal, and an Enderman. Each capsule costs 300 yen. The reissue is identical to the December 2025 release.
Jul 8
Minecraft's latest snapshot adds the Cushion block, a placeable item with 16 color variations that can be placed on any flat surface including fences and chests. Players have discovered it can hide pressure plates, activate switches when sat on, and have its height adjusted with snow. Social media reactions include surprise and praise, with some calling the update 'the best' and a 'revolution'.
Jul 7
Microsoft announced 10 titles coming to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass between July 9 and 21, 2026. Two day-one new releases, Ascend to Zero and Fogpiercer, lead the lineup. Other additions include the Xbox debut of The Planet Crafter and the official launch of Palworld on July 10.
Jul 7
Amazon Kindle has launched a large-scale sale offering up to 50% points back on select Kadokawa manga titles, running from July 7 through July 13 for the Kadokawa campaign and until July 23 for the Summer Super Point Fair. The promotion coincides with Amazon Prime Day and covers dozens of series, including Delicious in Dungeon, Tsukihime: A Piece of Blue Glass Moon, Nichijou, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5: Mementos Mission, and Gunslinger Girl. For Delicious in Dungeon, all 14 volumes (excluding volume 10) are eligible; buying the full set costs 10,742 yen and yields 5,012 yen in points. The Delicious in Dungeon World Guide: Adventurer's Bible Complete Edition and Ryoko Kui's sketchbook Daydream Hour are also included. The Persona manga adaptations are similarly discounted: all 11 volumes of Persona 3 cost 6,897 yen with 3,454 points back, all 13 volumes of Persona 4 cost 8,173 yen with 4,092 points back, and all 3 volumes of Persona 5: Mementos Mission cost 2,057 yen with 1,029 points back. Other notable titles in the sale include Fate/stay night, Fate/Zero, Today's Menu for the Emiya Family, A Bride's Story, Neon Genesis Evangelion, The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Erased, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, and The Eminence in Shadow.
Jul 4
Dark Horse Manga announced four new manga licenses during its Anime Expo panel on Friday, including Kenji Tsuruta's The Sky is but One Roof of the World and Gou Tanabe's H.P. Lovecraft's The Haunter of the Dark. All titles are scheduled for spring 2027 release and are available for pre-order now.
Jul 1
At a California Senate hearing on the 'Protect Our Games Act,' ESA Vice President Jennifer Gibbons interrupted a lawmaker to state that community servers for 'Minecraft' and 'Call of Duty' are 'illegal' and constitute piracy. The bill, which aimed to keep games playable after service termination, passed the Assembly but failed in the Senate. The ESA later clarified its position on private servers in an email to Kotaku.
Jun 29
Kayak Co., Ltd. published six-year trends from its annual elementary school gaming survey on June 29, 2026. Minecraft leads at 31.8%, Roblox jumps to 2nd at 12.7%, and Fortnite drops from 1st to 5th at 4.9%. The data shows a shift from competitive battle games to creation and social play.
Jun 24
Mojang released a new snapshot and preview for Minecraft on June 24, adding the Dappled Forest biome inspired by Michigan autumn colors. The update includes poplar trees with red, orange, and yellow leaves, wool stairs and slabs, and a new structure called the Abandoned Camp. All additions were previously shown at Minecraft Live in May 2026.
Jun 22
Lowe Bros. Studios announced MonCraft 199X, a 2D open-world survival craft monster-collecting game set in a Y2K-collapsed alternate world. Players capture and command Mon in real-time, craft, build, and explore with up to 8 players online. Steam early access is planned for late 2026 to early 2027.
Jun 18
Developer EXBO has renamed the free MMOFPS Stalcraft: X to Stalzone. The original name was rejected for trademark registration because it resembled Blizzard's StarCraft. A legal battle and a change to Stalcraft: X did not resolve the problem. The name also misled players about the game's genre, which is now an extraction shooter with MMO elements.
Jun 17
Nvidia released Game Ready driver version 610.62, which fixes a screen flickering issue in Apex Legends during long play sessions, improves World of Warcraft stability, and adds support for the Titanfall-inspired 6v6 shooter Empulse ahead of its June 25 early access launch. The driver is WHQL certified and available via the Nvidia app or website.
Jun 17
Mojang released the Chaos Cubed update for Minecraft on June 17, 2026. The update adds the Sulfur Cave biome with geysers, sulfur crystal pillars, and new building blocks. A new mob, the Sulfur Cube, changes its properties based on the block it absorbs, with examples including cherry wood, magma cubes, and TNT.
Jun 17
Elecom is sponsoring a free summer event where up to 1,000 elementary school students build cities in Minecraft. The event runs July 18 to August 16 at e Stadium Izumi and other venues in Osaka. Participants will use Elecom's KEY PALETTO keyboard, designed for children new to PCs.
Jun 12
Shiro Games launched the early access of SpaceCraft on Steam on June 11. The sci-fi MMO reached a peak of over 4,000 concurrent players, but user reviews are mixed at 69% positive from 315 reviews. Negative feedback centers on the game being an MMO, with some players expecting a single-player experience.
Jun 10
Mojang and Double Eleven have set a September 29, 2026 release date for Minecraft Dungeons 2, the sequel to the blocky hack-and-slash spin-off. The game was announced during Minecraft Live in March 2026, and a new trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 confirmed the launch window. A preview event allowed journalists to play the game and interview the developers. The sequel abandons the mission-based stage selection of the original in favor of a single interconnected world. A new jump function adds vertical exploration and jump attacks. Armor is now divided into four slots instead of one, and a new item type called Talismans provides passive effects that level up over time. A new rarity tier, Special, sits between Rare and Unique. The game supports cross-platform multiplayer from launch on Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, and PS5. Cooperative play has been overhauled: all players can open their inventory simultaneously, dropped items are color-coded per player, and a teleport-to-ally button is available. The development team said the changes are designed around comfortable group play. The demo also featured a boss that wiped out a group of experienced journalists, indicating a higher difficulty than the original.
Jun 9
Microsoft Japan announced during the June 9 Nintendo Direct that a Nintendo Switch 2 edition of Minecraft will launch in 2026. The new version features enhanced lighting and shadow effects, described by sources as a visual upgrade. Players will be able to transfer their save data from the original Nintendo Switch version. Both physical and digital editions will be available. The announcement was accompanied by footage showing the improved rendering of underwater scenes, plains, caves, deserts, and jungles. The game, originally released in 2011 by Mojang Studios, has appeared on numerous platforms and is now set for release on Nintendo's next-generation console.
Jun 9
Minecraft Dungeons reached a new peak of around 4,700 concurrent players on Steam on June 8, 2026, breaking its previous record. The surge follows a steep discount on the Ultimate Edition and the announcement of Minecraft Dungeons II, set for release on September 29.
Jun 7
Mojang Studios announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 on June 8 that Minecraft Dungeons II, the sequel to the action RPG spin-off set in the Minecraft universe, will release on September 29, 2026. The game supports up to four-player cooperative play, where players explore dungeons and battle bosses. It will launch on Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch, and will be available day one on Xbox Game Pass. A promotional video shown during the showcase offered glimpses of combat, equipment, and story elements. The announcement marks the first new entry in the Minecraft Dungeons series in six years, following the original 2020 release.
Jun 5
Samar Studio began early access for 'Deep Crafter', a deep sea exploration and factory automation survival craft game, on Steam on June 5, 2026. Players control scientist Mia to explore an ocean planet, collect materials, and build automated facilities. The ultimate goal is to design interstellar portals and save humanity's future. The game is priced at 2,250 yen, with a discount until June 19.
Jun 5
McAfee Labs has issued a warning about a large-scale Malware-as-a-Service campaign called WeedHack targeting Minecraft players. The malware is disguised as mods or game clients and has already infected over 110,000 devices, stealing account credentials and personal data. The attackers and victims are primarily teenagers and young adults.
Jun 2
Imagineer announced it will release syn Sophia's life simulation game Magical Craft: My Enchanted Dress Shop in the West for Nintendo Switch on October 2. The game, which debuted in Japan in November, lets players create dresses, gather materials, and chat with villagers in a village called Fleune.
Jun 1
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has posted a rating for a native version of Minecraft on Nintendo Switch 2. The listing includes an E10+ rating and platform designation, though no port details have been announced. The current Switch 2 backward compatibility does not support enhanced graphics features.
Jun 1
Mojang Studios broadcast MINECRAFT LIVE from TwitchCon on May 31, 2026, revealing the new Dappled Forest biome with autumn-colored Poplar Trees and an Abandoned Camp structure. The show also detailed Minecraft Dungeons II, including the Twisted Warden boss, a new Lego set, and confirmed the second film's title as A MINECRAFT MOVIE SQUARED with Kirsten Dunst cast as Alex.
May 31
Mojang and Warner Bros. have announced the official title for the sequel to the 2025 film "Minecraft: The Movie." The film will be called "A Minecraft Movie Squared" and is scheduled for release in the United States on July 23, 2027. The title was revealed during the "MINECRAFT LIVE - MAY 2026" event on May 31, 2026. Alongside the announcement, a behind-the-scenes video confirmed that Kirsten Dunst will play the character Alex. Jack Black returns as Steve, and Jason Momoa returns as Garrett. Matt Berry, who voiced Nitt Wit in the first film, will appear in an undisclosed role. The video also showed that filming is taking place in New Zealand, as it did for the first film. Director Jared Hess and Mojang executive Jens Bergensten announced a building contest called the "Minecraft Movie Build Challenge." Winning entries may appear in the film or its credits. The first film grossed $310 million at the opening box office.
May 27
Mojang Studios released Minecraft Java Edition 26.2 Pre-Release 1, which removes the peer-to-peer connection feature introduced in the previous snapshot. The feature let players join games from their friend list without a dedicated server, but Mojang said it was not an ideal experience for all players and is not ready for official release. The update also includes UI changes, model updates, and performance fixes.