On August 20, 2026, an alpha version of Atproto Spaces was released, enabling storage and sharing of private data on the AT Protocol. This allows implementing private features on AT Protocol-based services and is expected to lead to private accounts on Bluesky. Data is not encrypted, and no security audit has been conducted.
Moonless Formless announced Withering Realms, a horror action RPG set in 1926, will begin early access on PC (Steam) on September 3 Japan time. Players control Clover, a 9-year-old ghost girl, alongside a doll made of wood, metal, and human remains, exploring the town of Penwyll. The early access version offers the full story with over 50 weapons and items, 110 creature types, and 7 massive dungeons.
Following the announcement of 'ONE PIECE FILM BAAD' for 2029 at ONE PIECE DAY'26, fans are debating the meaning of the title. The logo, handwritten by Eiichiro Oda, emphasizes the letter 'D', fueling theories about the Will of D. and a Blackbeard-focused story. No plot details have been disclosed yet.
The television anime of Kotobukiya's Arcanadea plastic model series will debut in January 2027, airing on TV Asahi and 24 stations across Japan in the NUMAnimation block, plus BS Asahi. Keiichirō Kawaguchi directs at Yokohama Animation Lab, with Atsuhiro Tomioka overseeing scripts. New cast includes Nobunaga Shimazaki, Konomi Inagaki, Mai Kanno, and Moka Kanzaki.
JetBrains Research surveyed more than 15,000 professional developers worldwide for its Developer Ecosystem Survey 2026. The findings show 90% use AI coding agents at least once a week, and 68% use them daily at work as of May to July 2026. Claude Code usage rose from 3% in early 2025 to 39% by mid-2026, nearly double GitHub Copilot's 21% share.
Activision releases Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on October 23, 2026, for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The Steam store page includes a note stating the developer uses generative AI tools to develop some game assets. Overseas gamers are debating whether in-game truck and gacha machine artwork is AI-generated, with reactions split between those demanding human artists and those who say it does not affect gameplay.
GIGAZINE published its ranking of best-selling digitized articles on Amazon for July 2026. Topping the list is an interview with director Yoshitoshi Shinomiya about the anime film 'Hanamidori ga Akeru Hi ni'. Other popular entries include cosplay compilations from Wonder Festival, life-size figures from 'Atelier Ryza' and 'Re:Zero', and pieces on AI novel countermeasures and literary awards.
Google DeepMind's AI tool Backstory, announced in 2025, is accelerating fact-checking work at news organizations. The tool checks SynthID watermarks and C2PA metadata to detect AI-generated images, traces an image's online history, and compiles a cited report. It is currently available only through the Trusted Testers Program, with thousands of journalists and researchers testing it. India Today's six-member fact-checking team uses it for the first stage of verification.
4Gamer.net went hands-on with Helcast, a physics-based merge puzzle and deck-building roguelite from Sweden's Ricpau Studios, at gamescom 2026. The playable demo, presented by Japanese publisher HYPER REAL, showed a turn-based Norse mythology game where merging weapons like a falling-block puzzle drives combat. The early access version is set for Steam in Q1 2027.
Kia is re-entering Japan through Kia PBV Japan, a Sojitz subsidiary, launching the PV5 Cargo and PV5 Passenger EV vans. Prices range from 6.19 million yen to 7.69 million yen. The company targets 1,000 units in 2026, leveraging subsidies up to 1.96 million yen and a low-floor design of 419 mm.
Amazon's Manga Weekend Festival recommends Bakuman., the manga by artist Takeshi Obata and writer Tsugumi Ohba, on a 50% points-back sale for all 10 volumes. The piece notes the work feels like a half-documentary, but first editor Souichi Aida and writer Ohba have said much of it is fiction. Editor names were borrowed from real Jump editors, and the editorial system is a tool for realism, not a true depiction of the office.
The Clinic For Medical and Health Information Channel posted a video on August 27 in which Dr. Hirokazu Muraoka discusses THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 for about 55 minutes. The channel usually covers medical topics with videos around 10 minutes long, making this the longest video on the channel. Muraoka, who describes himself as not a gamer, calls KOF98 his favorite game and proposes an ideal remake.
Langfuse is an open-source, self-hostable AI engineering platform that records the full execution path of LLM calls and AI agents as traces. From a browser, users can review which LLM was called, which tools executed, what was searched, processing time, token usage, and estimated costs. It integrates with OpenTelemetry, LangChain, the Google Gen AI SDK, and LiteLLM, and was part of Y Combinator's W23 batch.
Marvel Studios announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 that Ghost Rider will enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ryan Gosling will star, having lobbied the studio as a longtime fan of the character. Shawn Levy directs a film slated for a 2028 release. The character also appears in the fighting game Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, released August 6.
Game Spark looks back at Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, the 2006 street action adventure game released for PS2, Xbox, and PC. Developed by The Collective and published by Atari, it stars graffiti writer Trane in the near-future city of New Radius, where players paint walls and structures while building reputation, avoiding police, and fighting rivals.
Tokyo Game Dungeon 13 featured Tales Gear HD, a remake of BLUE&WHITE's 2007 shooter. The 2.5D vertical-scrolling bullet hell adds a Tail Pod system that converts absorbed enemy fire into power-ups and counterattacks. Developer Morikemu confirmed it is his 11th work and his first Steam release.
Inforenz will release the Poppy Playtime Iron Studios Statue 'Art Scale' 1/10 Scale Huggy Wuggy. The polystone statue captures Huggy Wuggy's distinctive fur and eerie expression with bared sharp teeth. A dedicated display base inspired by the game's world is included. It is priced at 70,000 yen (tax included) and scheduled for release in late September 2027.
At CEDEC 2026, PlatinumGames producer and director Yuji Nakao and lead game designer and combat director Takuma Ishikawa detailed the design flow behind Ninja Gaiden 4. The session covered writing concepts as player experiences rather than feelings, a three-stage system design process to avoid rework, and enemy design centered on the player's perspective. The talk aimed to help developers build combat actions they can play in their heads before implementing them.
Developer Simon Edwardson launched RollTab, a free iPhone and iPad app that uses a Transformer-based AI model with 125 million parameters to generate continuations of piano performances. The app records MIDI keyboard input, then produces a continuation in under two seconds. Edwardson trained the model on public domain classical music.
Game Spark's August 16-22, 2026 Weekly Treasure Hunt roundup covers newly announced and released indie games. Highlights include open-world racer Heatwarped, planet-builder Planet Architect, campy horror FPS Sanguine Shock, The Binding of Isaac: Repentance+ console ports with online co-op, SiN Reloaded's September 24 release date, and the DEAD TRASH free Harbor update.
Inside's August 23 roundup covers three notable games not yet released in Japan. Lord of Mysteries' smartphone version launched on August 21 after its PC release, topping major app platforms. Star Will resumed posting after three months, hinting at a 2026 beta test. Hui Guang Zhi Cheng 1907 began recruiting beta testers on August 20.
Koei Tecmo Games released 'BLUE REFLECTION Quartet: 少女たちのキセキ' (BlueRef Q), packaging four games. The second, 'BLUE REFLECTION RAY/澪', originally a TV anime, is adapted into a game covering the final stretch. Players control Hiyori while Ruka follows, and the pair constantly holds hands in 3D. The game requires prior anime knowledge and includes a database and flashback scenes.
AlterStaff founder Wengu Hu discussed AI2U: I'll Stay With You to the End ~Yandere Cat-Ear AI Girlfriend, a PC/Mac escape adventure released August 13. The yandere characters run on LLMs and react to player speech or voice input. The project began as a 2023 itch.io prototype called Yandere AI Girlfriend Simulator, built in three weeks with Vivianna Yan. The game is on sale until August 27.
At gamescom 2026, Wired Productions presented three playable horror demos from Asian indie developers: BrokenLore: DON'T LIE from Japan's Serafini Productions, AGNI: Village of Calamity from Indonesia's Separuh Interactive, and Kumarn: The Wandering Spirit from Thailand's WereBuff Studio. The UK publisher focuses on folklore and psychological horror, with each game drawing on regional beliefs and traditions.
Amazon is running a 50 percent points-back offer on all 12 Kindle volumes of Kentaro Yabuki's manga Black Cat. The bulk price is 7,764 yen, earning 3,888 points. The series ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2000 to 2004, and a 24-episode anime aired from 2005 to 2006.
Amazon Kindle's manga bestseller ranking for August 28, 2026, is led by new releases from August 25, including "Orkusen Kingdom Chronicles 7" and "Saga of Tanya the Evil (35)." Many titles are on sale at 99 yen each, such as all volumes of "Iron Linebarrel Complete Edition" and "Air Master," pushing sale books to dominate the chart.
BANDAI SPIRITS revealed the full lineup for Ichiban Kuji Splatoon 3 Volume 3, launching August 22 at Seven-Eleven, Ito-Yokado, and Nintendo TOKYO/OSAKA/KYOTO/FUKUOKA. The A prize is a Splattershot Light that shines ink-shaped beams in the dark, with a 50 cm Squid Bunker plush as B prize and an 80 cm version in the Double Chance Campaign. Draws cost 750 yen.
A talk event featuring original staff of the 1998 TV anime 'serial experiments lain' will close the special screening event 'SEVESKIG presents 'let's all love lain''. Producer Yasuyuki Ueda, writer Chiaki J. Konaka, and illustrator Yoshitoshi ABe will appear after the final screening on September 9 at Ikebukuro HUMAX Cinemas. The talk will also be live-streamed in audio format.
To commemorate the release of Mobile Police Patlabor EZY File 2, the curry from the in-series Chinese restaurant Shanhai-tei has been commercialized as a retort product. The curry reproduces the recipe left by the previous-generation owner, developed with Tadashi Iwamoto, chairman of the Japan Western Cuisine Association. It sells for 864 yen per 180g serving.
Magmix surveyed 134 viewers from July 23 to August 13, 2026, asking which 2026 summer anime they decided to watch to the end after a few episodes. 'Reiwa no Dara-san' took first with 9 votes, while 'Iron Wok Jan!' and 'Mushoku Tensei III: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu' tied for third with 8 votes each.
Inside's Taiwan Comic Exhibition cosplay feature highlights VTuber Mikari Suisho, portrayed by cosplayer Sora at the Beimen 76 Office booth. The casual summer style, a vivid yellow cap, sheer blue top, and denim skirt, is presented across six photos. The event drew roughly 635,000 visitors over five days.
Bandai Namco Entertainment revealed two new short videos for Bleach Mirrors High on Saturday, announcing that pre-registrations for the mobile game are now open. The game is scheduled for release in 2026. It follows a lone soul awakened in Karakura Town after the Thousand-Year Blood War, with customizable Soul Reaper avatars and card-based three-character battles.
gamescom 2026 exhibitor registrations rose 15% year-on-year at the end of the early-bird period, setting a record for the third consecutive year. Organizers say the exhibition area will be completely full for the first time in 2026, and they are already planning venue expansions for 2027 and beyond.
Publisher tinyBuild and developer Hologryph announced on August 27 that unauthorized access compromised 'Secret Neighbor' in-game data. Player profiles and progress were deleted, though no personal information leaked. Servers are temporarily halted across all platforms until vulnerabilities are resolved. The attacker demands a sales suspension on all platforms, with no financial motive stated.
Loxarc released footage of the 'red haze' phenomenon in 'Japan Stigmatized Property Association 3' from a VTuber's play session, stating it is 'not a promotional case or PR'. The developer continues to investigate the cause, which remains unknown, after earlier reports that the anomaly could not be reported.
FREEing is accepting reservations for the Nanami Chiaki Bunny Ver. 1/3 scale figure from Super Danganronpa 2. The figure costs 77,000 yen including tax, and the reservation period ends August 26. Shipping is scheduled for January 2027.
Bandai will release the Niformation JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Seal Wafer ~The Animation Special I~ at confectionery sections of mass retailers nationwide from August 24. The set includes one sticker and a wafer, with 32 sticker types total, including one secret type, covering characters from the 1st and 2nd series and Steel Ball Run. It includes foil-stamped JJR (JoJo Rare) stickers and all 5 types of the 5th Rare commemorating Niformation's 5th anniversary. The price is 149 yen including tax.
Bandai has opened the Godzilla Burst PLAY series with Build Mechagodzilla, a playset where three construction machines combine into a monster form and can be rearranged into multiple configurations. The line also includes Godzilla (2026), a figure based on the upcoming Godzilla Minus Zero film with seven movable points. A campaign offering a limited-color version of the figure runs from November 7.
BANDAI SPIRITS revealed the full lineup for the second Ichiban Kuji for Korean idol group IVE. Prizes include acrylic stands in standing and sitting poses, square clear files, and sticker sets, with a visual board as the Last One Prize. Draws cost 590 yen each, with in-store sales starting September 19, 2026.
Bushiroad Creative's deformed figure brand PalVerse is releasing a Kuroko's Basketball set. Six characters appear in the palm-sized series: Tetsuya Kuroko, Taiga Kagami, Ryota Kise, Yukio Kasamatsu, Shintaro Midorima, and Kazunari Takao. The figures go on sale August 28, 2026, with a box purchase completing the set.
BANDAI SPIRITS revealed the full prize lineup for Ichiban Kuji Anime 'Jujutsu Kaisen' 5th Anniversary FINAL! The set includes MASTERLISE figures of Yuji Itadori and Yuta Okkotsu, an acrylic board with newly drawn illustrations, big acrylic stands, clear posters, rubber charms, and a Satoru Gojo MASTERLISE figure as the Last One Prize. Each ticket costs 800 yen including tax. In-store sales start September 26, 2026, with online sales beginning October 8, 2026.
Dengeki Hobby Web reports that the Neo Dynamite Action line is adding the Daiapolon Anime Color Ver., a painted finished figure of the UFO Warrior Daiapolon. It can separate and combine into three units: Apollo Header, Apollo Trangoo, and Apollo Legger. The figure includes series weapons, optional hand parts, a Space Clear, and mini UFO fighter figures. Pre-orders are open at Rakuten Books.
Good Smile Company announced a reprint of the Lucy figure from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners in its POP UP PARADE L size series. The painted non-scale finished figure stands approximately 225mm tall and is scheduled for release in February 2027 at 9,800 yen including tax.
Good Smile Company is adding Polyester and Polyurethane, the angel brothers sent to Daten City in New PANTY & STOCKING with GARTERBELT, to its Nendoroid lineup. Each figure stands about 100mm tall, costs 6,900 yen including tax, and is scheduled for release in January 2027. Both come with three face parts and an official shop bonus angel wing part.
Kalypso Media has set Tropico 7's overseas release date for January 28, 2027, with the domestic date to come. A hands-on demo on a 5,000-citizen island confirmed that each individual is fully simulated from birth to death. Satisfaction is calculated from actual visits, so a hospital without available appointments fails to meet health needs.
Good Smile Company is adding three figures from 'The Legendary Brave Da-Garn' to its BRICKROID collection robot series. Da-Garn X, Ga-Oon (Animal Mode), and Seven Changer are set for release in April 2027. The painted ABS figures use a shared design format and can attach to standard block toys.
Good Smile Company announced THE合体 J-Decker, a complete combination toy from the anime Brave Police J-Decker. The police car transforms into Deckerd with no leftover parts, and Deckerd combines with J-Roader to form J-Decker. It includes weapons, interchangeable hands, and gimmicks. Scheduled for June 2027, priced at 32,000 yen.
Maze Theory released a gameplay trailer for its VR survival adventure game Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars at gamescom 2026. The game is based on Andy Weir's novel and the summer 2026 Amazon MGM Studios film starring Ryan Gosling, but features an original story written by Weir that covers an untold part of the Hail Mary mission. Players take on the role of protagonist Ryland Grace in the cockpit of the spacecraft, where they can interact with objects and operate controls with high physics accuracy. The trailer highlights the alien Rocky, who communicates through a musical language and broken machine translation, and reacts expressively to player actions. The demo lasted under five minutes and included comedic moments, but the full game reportedly includes tense survival elements beyond a simple space walk. The release date is undecided, but the game is planned for Meta Quest, PICO, and Android XR platforms, with a scheduled launch in late 2026. Wishlisting is available on the Meta store page.
KADOKAWA's lottery service Kujibikido is selling an online lottery with new marine-themed illustrations of the Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club members by illustrator Anibache. Sales start September 8, 2026 at 17:00. The prize lineup includes acrylic figures, can badges, and more, with no losing draws.
Bandai announced the 3rd entry in the Precure Narikiri DX Fight Collection gashapon series, releasing on Gashapon Online starting August 28, 2026, at 11:00 AM. The set includes five items: Dream Torch from Yes! Precure 5, Princess Candle from Smile PreCure!, Love Pre Brace from HappinessCharge PreCure!, Twinkle Stick from Star Twinkle PreCure, and Heart Rouge Rod from Tropical-Rouge! PreCure. Each play costs 400 yen, with delivery around late December 2026.