Cygames is a Japanese game developer and publisher marking its 15th anniversary in 2026, actively expanding its student creative contest, deepening its horse racing sponsorships in Europe, and investing in in-house animation production, while its studio Cypic (formerly CygamesPictures) is producing the upcoming Kagurabachi TV anime.
Cygames is in its 15th anniversary year, marked by a new serial feature on its owned media Cygames Magazine that began in June 2026 with a look back at its first original IP, Rage of Bahamut. The company continues to run its annual student creative contest, now in its seventh year, with seven categories that for 2026 include analog games and manga for the first time. The contest accepts entries from September to November 2026, with a grand prize of 1 million yen.
The company's horse racing sponsorship strategy extends into a second consecutive year as main sponsor of the French G1 race Grand Prix de Paris, which will run as CYGAMES GRAND PRIX DE PARIS on July 14 at ParisLongchamp. Two other races on the same card also carry Cygames naming rights. In the Uma Musume Pretty Derby franchise, Cygames held the first tour-style event for the series in Tokyo in June 2026, with future stops planned in Los Angeles, London, Seoul, and Yokohama. A new horse character, Title Holder, was announced at the event, voiced by Yui Kase.
In game releases, Cygames released a demo for Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok on June 18 across Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC, ahead of the full expansion launch on July 9. The company also posted a storyboard-to-final-animation comparison video for Uma Musume character Gentildonna alongside a recruitment drive for animation designers, signaling continued investment in in-house animation production. Cygames issued an apology after backlash over generative AI, stating it will not use AI in its products without prior notice and that all current games are crafted by staff. Its studio Cypic, previously known as CygamesPictures, is producing the television anime adaptation of Kagurabachi, directed by Tetsuya Takeuchi, set for April 2027. Cygames Pictures' original anime Apocalypse Hotel won two Seiun Awards in 2026, for Best Media Award and Best Comic for its spinoff manga.
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Cygames held the opening show of the first Umamusume world tour on June 20-21 at Ariake Arena. The two-day event featured performances by cast members, historical references to real horse racing, and a surprise appearance by the voice actor for newly announced character Titleholder. The concert included songs from the game's recent scenarios and a tribute to the franchise's global growth since its English version launched in 2025.
Cygames has revealed the latest development status of its long-awaited high-end console title Project Awakening through an interview with CGWORLD published on July 10, 2026. The project, first announced in 2016 as the company's debut console game, had seen little public update since a 2018 PS4 announcement and a 2021 tech demo. The interview, conducted as a recruitment piece for Cygames' in-house artist organization Design Division 4, states that the core part of the game is finally coming together and development is now entering a phase of rapid acceleration. Key changes include a switch from Cygames' proprietary Cyllista Game Engine to Unreal Engine 5, and a complete overhaul of character models after the company upgraded its 3D scanning equipment in 2019. The game is an open-world action RPG aiming for hyper-photorealistic visuals, with a setting based on 13th-century Europe. Staff who completed work on Granblue Fantasy: Relink have joined the team, and Cygames has expressed a serious ambition to win Game of the Year. No release date or price has been announced.
Cygames released GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok on July 9, 2026, for PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch 2. The large-scale expansion for the 2024 action RPG adds a new story, four playable characters (Beatrix, Eustace, Garanza, and Maglifrira), a roguelike single-player mode, a summon system that lets players control primal beasts, and a new difficulty level called CHAOS. The Standard Edition costs 6,930 yen, the Special Edition costs 9,900 yen, and an upgrade kit for original Relink owners costs 3,960 yen. Separate DLC unlock tickets for the characters Fraux and Fediel are also available for 330 yen each. On Steam, the expansion and original Relink together peaked at about 38,000 concurrent players, and the upgrade kit holds a 94% positive rating from 185 reviews. According to Automaton, the expansion was not part of Cygames' original post-launch plans but was developed in response to player feedback. A free demo is available on all platforms.
Cygames announced at EVO 2026 that Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising will receive Version 2.60 and a Nintendo Switch 2 version on September 17. Version 2.60 adds character Id and the Ainsteddo Archipelago stage. The Switch 2 version includes Id, all previous DLC characters, local wireless multiplayer, the full story mode, and Digital Figure Mode.
Cygames announced on June 28 that the next major update for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, version 2.60, will arrive on September 17. The update adds Id, the dragon-powered swordsman from the action RPG Granblue Fantasy: Relink, as a downloadable character. Id is voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda and was an antagonist in Relink, standing in the protagonists' way as the greatest swordsman in the Zega Grande sky realm. The update also includes a new stage, the Einstedt Archipelago, a new universal system for all characters, and battle balance adjustments for multiple fighters. On the same day, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Versus: Rising launches. The Switch 2 edition includes all 40 characters from the base game and previously released DLC, including Id and the NieR: Automata collaboration character 2B. It supports local wireless multiplayer and includes the full story mode and Digital Figure Mode. A save data linkage bonus with the upcoming Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok, releasing July 9, will grant Id's weapon skin and a Lyria lobby avatar in Versus: Rising.
Cygames announced on June 22 that it will hold the Cygames Creative Contest 2026, a student competition now in its seventh year. The contest, which has run annually since 2020, aims to nurture the next generation of creators. For this edition, the entry categories have been partially revamped to accept a broader range of works. The seven categories are Character Illustration, Background Illustration, 3DCG, Game, Video, Non-Genre, and High School Student. The Game category now includes both digital games for PC and smartphones as well as analog games such as board games and card games. The Non-Genre category covers works that do not fit elsewhere, including advertisements, costume designs, game proposals, UI, and manga. The Grand Prize winner will receive 1 million yen and an iPad Pro with accessories. Category Awards and Judge's Awards each offer 100,000 yen, and a School Award provides 50,000 yen. Entries will be accepted from September 1 to November 24, 2026. Eligibility is limited to students enrolled in graduate schools, universities, junior colleges, technical colleges, vocational schools, and high schools. Individuals and groups may apply, and multiple entries across different categories are permitted. Selection proceeds through three stages: Cygames Contest Management Selection, Cygames Designer Department Selection, and Final Selection.
Cygames held the "Uma Musume Pretty Derby 7th EVENT WORLD TOUR 'THE STAGE' in TOKYO" at Ariake Arena on June 20 and 21, 2026. The event is the first tour-style event for the franchise, with future stops announced for Los Angeles, London, Seoul, and Yokohama. The next venue is the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. During the Tokyo performances, Cygames announced Title Holder as a new Uma Musume, voiced by Yui Kase. The real Title Holder won the Kikuka Sho, Tenno Sho (Spring), and Takarazuka Kinen, and is known for bold runaway tactics. Its sire is Duramente, which may lead to story connections with Duramente, Admire Groove, and Air Groove. A collaboration with Lawson was also announced, featuring Epiphaneia and Victoire Pisa in casual clothes. SPYAIR will provide the 5.5th anniversary song for the game, with lyrics by MOMIKEN and composition by UZ, scheduled for August 24. A "★3/SSR Guaranteed THE STAGE in TOKYO Live Gacha" is available, with separate DAY1 and DAY2 lineups.
Cygames released a demo for Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok on June 18 across Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. The demo includes early story content, four quests with online cross-play, and a tutorial. Playing the demo grants rewards for the full game, which launches July 9.
Cygames launched a new serial feature titled 'Cygames Memories' on its owned media 'Cygames Magazine' on June 16 to mark the company's 15th anniversary. The first installment covers 'Rage of Bahamut', the first original IP from Cygames, with behind-the-scenes stories, newly drawn illustrations, and free wallpapers.
Cygames announced a recruitment drive for animation designers and shared a storyboard-to-final-animation comparison video for Gentildonna from Uma Musume Pretty Derby. The video shows how the finished effects of fire and lightning match the storyboard's composition and instructions.
The 57th Seiun Awards were announced, with Cygames Pictures' original anime Apocalypse Hotel winning Best Media Award and its spinoff manga Apocalypse Hotel Pusupusu taking Best Comic. The awards were revealed at the Japan Science Fiction Convention, with the ceremony set for July.
Anime Feminist's weekly round-up for January 7-13, 2026, covers a range of topics including mixed Japanese representation in PreCure, a discussion of shojo manga adaptations, and Cygames' response to backlash over generative AI. The round-up features premiere reviews of over 20 winter 2026 anime series, with highlights including "Isekai Office Worker" for its unique BL premise and "The Holy Grail of Eris" for its innovative villainess setup. A segment titled "Drama Over Anime" compares influential shojo series like "Boys Over Flowers" and their live-action adaptations, noting the cultural footprint of shojo manga beyond anime. The round-up also announces the upcoming launch of Mothership, a queer- and women-owned video game publication co-founded by former Polygon writers. Cygames issued an apology after backlash over generative AI, stating it will not use AI in its products without prior notice and that all current games are crafted by staff. Additional segments cover Shuzo Oshimi's works, otome game videos, and news about sexual harassment in Japanese politics.
Cygames announced a partnership with France Galop to become the main sponsor of the Grand Prix de Paris, a G1 turf race held July 14 at ParisLongchamp. The race will run as the naming rights event "CYGAMES GRAND PRIX DE PARIS" for the second straight year. Two other races on the card will also carry Cygames naming rights.
Shochiku confirmed that Takeru Hokazono's Kagurabachi manga will receive a television anime adaptation in April 2027. The series is in production at Cypic, the studio previously known as CygamesPictures, with Tetsuya Takeuchi directing. Takeuchi's past work includes key animation on the Rock Lee versus Gaara fight in Naruto, a sequence Hokazono cited as a reason for his excitement about the adaptation. Keigo Sasaki is handling character designs, and Taihi Kimura, winner of the 2025 Seiyu Awards Best New Actor prize, will voice protagonist Chihiro Rokuhira. Shochiku and CyberAgent sit on the production committee. The announcement arrived during the fifth Jump Press program and was accompanied by a trailer, a teaser visual, and a commemorative illustration from Hokazono. A world tour starting in summer 2026 will screen 20 minutes of the first episode at events worldwide, culminating in a full first-episode screening in Japan in spring 2027 before the broadcast. The manga has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since September 2023 and has over 4 million copies in circulation.