Actress Hayden Panettiere has died in South Carolina, USA, at age 36. Her representative confirmed the news to Deadline, and her father, Kip Panettiere, released a statement expressing deep sorrow. The cause of death has not been disclosed. She was known for playing the immortal cheerleader Claire Bennet in the drama HEROES.
Shogakukan's Coro Coro Comic website published the final chapter of Makoto Fukami and Shusaku Namikawa's Chogen Market Heroes: Menko Reverser Kakeru manga. The final chapter will be free to read on August 22. The manga, an adaptation of the board game by Creatures, launched on March 28.
As the second half of 2026 approaches, Japanese gaming outlets Inside and Game Spark have each published a list of five recommended 'prep games' to play this summer before the release of highly anticipated sequels and new titles. The lists focus on games that either continue directly in story or deepen understanding of an upcoming release through shared worldviews and settings. Among the selections, 'Trails in the Sky the 2nd', a full remake sequel to 'Trails in the Sky the 1st', is highlighted for its continuous story and linked bonuses with the previous game. The article notes that the 'Trails in the Sky' series is the origin of the entire 'Trails' franchise, making it essential for series newcomers. Another pick is 'Fire Emblem: Three Houses', released in 2019, which the sources suggest may share a worldview connection with the upcoming 'Fire Emblem: Ban Shihong', citing a shared place name and a reminiscent character. Both outlets list the same five games, with 'Trails in the Sky the 2nd' and 'Fire Emblem: Ban Shihong' as the lead entries, each slated for release on September 17, 2026.
Anique Inc. announced on August 10 that it will hold an experiential virtual exhibition titled "Footsteps of Heroes" in VRChat, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the anime "My Hero Academia." The event runs from August 28 at 12:00 to September 27 at 23:59, with free admission. Visitors can tour recreations of U.A. High School and Deku's room, and interact with props and exhibits to trace the heroes' journey. The exhibition is accessible via smartphones, tablets, Windows PC, and VR devices, with entry possible without VR goggles. Original goods using a newly drawn key visual will be sold through Anique's EC site, Anique Shop, during the same period. The venue, Anique Museum, is a permanent VRChat world that has previously hosted exhibitions for "serial experiments lain" and the Vocaloid MEIKO. The anime, based on Kohei Horikoshi's manga, began in April 2016 and aired eight seasons through 2025, with four theatrical films released. The manga series has surpassed 100 million copies in cumulative circulation worldwide.
Relic Entertainment released Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand on Steam on July 30. The standalone wave defense roguelite does not require the base game. Players pick one of four factions, survive 12 waves, and choose random upgrades between waves. It supports two-player co-op and costs 3,500 yen, with a 10 percent discount to 3,150 yen until August 13.
Nihon Falcom released the latest promotional trailer for the story RPG Trails in the Sky the 2nd on August 7, 2026. The video, set to the theme song Silver Will, Golden Wings, shows Estelle Bright and her companions deciding to set out on a new journey as senior bracers. It also condenses highlights including fierce battles against the clandestine society Ouroboros and the greatest crisis to strike the Liberl Kingdom. The game is the second installment in the full remake project following Trails in the Sky the 1st, which was released in September 2025. Based on the original The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC, it depicts the conclusion of the journey of bracers Estelle and Joshua. The remake renews character expressions, revamps event scenes, and inherits a battle system that seamlessly switches between quick battles and command battles. It also includes enhanced actions for each character and production set across the entire Liberl Kingdom. Trails in the Sky the 2nd is scheduled for release on September 17, 2026, for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Steam. The standard edition costs 8,800 yen, the Ouroboros Box costs 13,860 yen, and the Digital Deluxe Edition costs 12,650 yen, all tax included.
CQ LABS released Crusader Quest: Heroes Town on March 31 for PC and Mac. The idle RPG lets players collect pixel-art heroes, rebuild Hero Village, and rescue goddesses. Developer Alan discussed the game's origins, its busier-than-typical idle gameplay, and a tough post-launch period where update-and-hotfix cycles became routine.
Premium Bandai began accepting orders on July 10 for the SDW HEROES Revival Kira Steel DX Set, a special coating two-pack featuring the 78th Generation Musha Gundam and Stealth Gundam Aerial from SD Gundam World Heroes Kira Steel Story. The set costs 5,720 yen and ships in January 2027.
Relic Entertainment announced Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand, a standalone wave-based defense game with roguelite progression. It launches July 30 on PC via Steam, supports 2-player co-op, and features four factions, 36 boss types, and eight difficulty levels.
Kotobukiya announced a wide range of new figure prototypes and color samples at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 2. The company revealed supervising prototypes for "Super Kaguya-hime!" figures of Kaguya, Tsukimi Yachiyo, and Sayori Sakayori, as well as a prototype for "Magic Knight Rayearth" Hikaru Shidou. Under the OSHI WORKS line, prototypes were shown for "Attack on Titan The Final Season" characters Mikasa, Armin, Levi, and Sasha. The new OSHI WORKS Mini brand debuted with color samples of "The Apothecary Diaries" Maomao and "TRIGUN STARGAZE" Vash the Stampede and Nicholas D. Wolfwood. For game-related figures, Kotobukiya showed the first color sample of a 1/4 scale "Goddess of Victory: NIKKE" Anis figure. OSHI WORKS Mini color samples were also displayed for "Persona 3 Reload" and "Persona 5 The Royal" protagonists, plus prototypes for "Trails" series characters Estelle Bright and Joshua Bright, and SNK characters Mai Shiranui, Angel, and Kula Diamond. Additional figures included "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" Rebecca and "Snowball Earth" Tetsuo Yabusame and Ao Nogi.
Terrinoth: Heroes of Descent, a tactical RPG adaptation of the board game Descent, launched June 8 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Overseas reviews give the PC version a Metacritic score of 79 based on six reviews. Critics praise the combat and multiplayer but note a thin story and weak character attachment.
Good Smile Company's MODEROID series is releasing a plastic model kit of Testa-Rossa, the Vermilion Knight from The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel. The kit stands approximately 180mm tall, features movable joints, clear parts for jewels, and includes a weapon sword. Pre-orders are open for a December 2026 release at 9,500 yen.
NIS America announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure will launch for Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 on September 10. The ports feature improved performance, 4K resolution, upscaled textures, and mouse support on Switch 2. A Crossbell duology Limited Edition is also available.
Relic Entertainment, in co-development with Blackbird Interactive, announced Company of Heroes: Definitive Edition during the PC Gaming Show 2026 stream on June 8, 2026. The package combines the original 2006 World War II real-time strategy game with its two expansions, Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor, into a single release. The Definitive Edition features visual upgrades including improved textures and lighting, HUD optimization for ultra-wide screens, and gameplay enhancements such as vehicle reverse operations, automatic unit reinforcement, and customizable hotkeys. A new highest difficulty level called Ruthless A.I. has been added. The game supports full 64-bit architecture for better stability on modern systems and is designed to be compatible with the large library of community-made mods from the past two decades. It includes three full campaigns, multiplayer and co-op for up to eight players, four factions, and over 50 maps. The release date has not been set, but the Steam store page is live and Japanese UI and subtitles are planned.
Publisher Hooded Horse announced on May 29 that the turn-based strategy RPG Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has sold 1 million units. The game entered early access on April 30 and sold 250,000 units in its first 24 hours. A roadmap for early access was also released alongside the sales milestone.