Key is a visual novel brand under Visual Arts, currently running a Steam Summer Sale on 17 titles and co-producing the RPG Heaven Burns Red with Wright Flyer Studios, whose media mix is built around ASMR and stage adaptations rather than anime or manga.
Key's recent coverage centers on two fronts: its catalog of visual novels and its role in the Heaven Burns Red media mix. Visual Arts is running a Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion on 17 Key titles, including 'Kanon', 'AIR', 'CLANNAD', 'Little Busters!', and 'Summer Pockets', with discounts up to 65% off until July 10. The sale makes a broad slice of the brand's history accessible during a major seasonal Steam event.
Heaven Burns Red, co-produced by Key and Wright Flyer Studios, has chosen ASMR and a 2.5-dimensional stage adaptation as its media mix instead of anime or manga. At CEDEC 2026, WFS staff explained the choice: the story is told through the eyes of protagonist Tsukasa Kayamori, which limits what can be told about the game's more than 48 characters. The media mix was planned around the IP's narrative-first nature.
No other Key projects appear in the provided stories. The brand's current standing is defined by its ongoing catalog sales and its narrative-driven approach to expanding Heaven Burns Red beyond the game itself.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/key.
CC BY 4.0.
AMERICAN HOLIC is releasing a retro-cute Mickey & Friends apparel collection on August 7, 2026, at stores nationwide and online. The 8-item lineup includes tote bags, cable knit polos, vintage-style T-shirts, a denim shirt, a drawstring bag, and character face charms. An early sale runs August 5-16 at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store.
Sunscorched Studios released a demo for horror game KEYKRUNCHER on Steam on August 10. Players eat keycaps to earn points before a monster called IT reaches them. Missions and a gacha system add strategy. The full game launches in the fourth quarter of 2026, without Japanese support.
Dat Japan announced Arena Remake, a modernized version of the 90s PC strategy RPG that was bundled in GAMEPACK and preinstalled on Fujitsu FMV computers. The game includes a faithful Legacy Mode and a new Arrange Mode with roguelike elements and added story. It launches for PC and Switch in winter 2026.
Researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and University Hospital Münster published a study in Medical Science Educator analyzing gaming habits and arthroscopic surgery training scores. Among 50 participants, no differences appeared between gamers and non-gamers, and Splatoon 2 skill showed no significant association. However, scores in Super Monkey Ball Athletic correlated significantly with some surgical training scores, suggesting potential low-cost supplementary training.
Developer Part Time Monkey announced Dirtnap, a 2D multiplayer arena shooter set in destructible underground maps. It supports up to 10 players in local and online play, with modes like deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the flag, and a no-respawn battle royale. Early access on PC via Steam is planned for August.
At CEDEC 2026, Nintendo developers Kazuya Takahashi and Wataru Tanaka explained how Donkey Kong Bananza for Nintendo Switch 2 builds its game cycle around destruction. The session covered how voxel technology, prototyped after Super Mario Odyssey, led to a concept where breaking terrain creates the reason to break more.
The RPG Heaven Burns Red, co-produced by Wright Flyer Studios and Key, chose ASMR and 2.5-dimensional stage adaptation as its media mix instead of anime or manga. At CEDEC 2026, WFS staff explained the reasoning: the story is told through the eyes of protagonist Tsukasa Kayamori, which limits what can be told about the game's more than 48 characters. The media mix was planned around the IP's narrative-first nature.
Shueisha Games and developer iMel announced a video game adaptation of Honobu Yonezawa's mystery novel Seasons of Books and Keys for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, launching in winter 2026. The fully voiced game stars Kazuki Ura and Yūichirō Umehara, features an original episode by Yonezawa, and supports Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese subtitles.
The Donkey Kong Bananza development team won Best Awards in three of the four categories at the CEDEC Awards 2026, held July 22-24 at Pacifico Yokohama North. The Computer Entertainment Association (CESA) announced the winners on July 23. The team took Engineering, Game Design, and Visual Arts honors. The Sound Best Award went to the Nintendo Music development and operations team, giving Nintendo a sweep of all categories. The Engineering award cited advanced integration of terrain destruction and physics simulation using voxel technology. Game Design recognized an exciting exploration experience through destruction leveraging character appeal. Visual Arts honored voxel technology realizing a fully destructible 3D world. The Sound award noted continuous library building of a vast number of songs and provision of music experiences utilizing the characteristics of game music. Shuhei Yoshida received the Special Award, announced July 1, for his contributions to computer entertainment development, including leadership of the PlayStation brand and support of indie games. The Best Awards were determined by votes from CEDEC2026 attendees and speakers from among the previously announced Excellence Awards.
Nintendo announced on July 14 that the Nintendo Museum in Uji City, Kyoto, will begin selling Nintendo Switch 2 merchandise at its Bonus Stage shop from July 15. Items include T-shirts, mugs, a ballpoint pen, a ring notebook, a pin set, and game software package stickers for Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. The museum, which focuses on Nintendo's history, will now carry current-generation console merchandise.
Strong Monkey Games announced DEAD SPIN on July 9, a deck-building roguelike set in a ruined casino. Players duel opponents using slot machines, with the loser receiving an electric shock. Between rounds, players purchase chips and symbols to customize their slot contents. The developer describes it as a combination of Inscryption and Balatro with amplified eeriness. A playtest is open on Steam until July 19. The game is scheduled for release on PC.
Shueisha Games announced on June 30 that it will cancel the release of the PC adventure game Ukiyo, which was in development by Free Key Design. The game, set in a cyberspace world with a Japanese-style aesthetic, follows a samurai cat named Kai trapped in a virtual space called UKIYO. It had been shown at events like BitSummit and Tokyo Game Show in 2022, but updates on its official X account had stopped. Shueisha Games apologized to those waiting for the release and said future information will come from the developer. According to Game Spark and GameBusiness.jp, the publisher and developer on the Steam store page have been changed to FREAKY DESIGN, which was previously handling the design aspect. The game was originally part of Shueisha's Game Creators CAMP support project. Seaknot Studios, which handled game system production, has not commented on the change.
Sega released the vocal song selection album 'Super Monkey Ball Step and Roll - Vocal Selections' on music streaming services on June 29, 2026. The four-track album features songs from the 2010 Wii title, with lead composer Tomoya Ohtani refreshing the mixing and mastering for the release.
Toei Animation presented its next film project, the 2D-3D hybrid animated film Monkey Quest, at the Annecy Festival. Studio SANZIGEN is handling the 3D animation. The film follows a girl and her brother who free a forgotten protector of Earth. The cast includes Adam Devine, Elsie Fisher, and J.K. Simmons. The film is in post-production and aiming for a 2027 release.
Visual Arts is holding a Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion on 17 titles from its Key brand, including 'Kanon', 'AIR', 'CLANNAD', 'Little Busters!', and 'Summer Pockets', with discounts up to 65% off. The sale runs until July 10.
PANDORA Inc.'s VTuber training project, the Human Pupation Project, will release a series of acrylic keychains called KEY-UNIT, modeled after participating cast members, starting June 22, 2026. Each cast member gets three designs representing different stages of their activity story: ERROR, SYNC, and OVERRIDE. The project frames the items as a way to generate revenue beyond live streaming.
GEEKS RULE is releasing a T-shirt featuring Monkey Punch's original theatrical poster art for the 1978 film 'Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo' (also known as 'Lupin vs. Clone'). The 15-color silkscreen print uses advanced color separation to reproduce the complex artwork. Priced at 12,100 yen, it goes on early sale June 20 at DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA, with a later lottery sale online.
Alliance Arts announced on June 19, 2026, that its new PC title PUKEY GODDESS SHOT TRICK will launch in fall/winter 2026. The game is a Russian roulette drinking survival title where players face the yandere demon Fam Sœur, voiced by Nanahira, at the hellish bar Pandemonium. Players choose shot glasses with varying alcohol levels and toast repeatedly, aiming to get the demon drunk enough to make her spill her soul. As the player character becomes more intoxicated, they can break the rules and use drunkard tricks to survive. The game features seven or more destructive endings and includes exploration of a 3D hellish bar. The producer and scenario writer is WHO YOU (Fūshō Hayashi), art director is odyk, and all music is composed by Aiobahn +81. The theme song DEMON'S SHOT is written and performed by DEMONDICE. The Steam wishlist count exceeded 400,000 within about a month and a half of the initial announcement at INDIE Live Expo 2026.4.25. Alliance Arts also opened an official BOOTH store selling a double-sided acrylic stand of Fam Sœur and a die-cut sticker set.
A touring VR live exhibition for The Yellow Monkey, featuring immersive footage from their June 2025 show at GLION ARENA KOBE, will run at venues in Tokyo, Aichi, and Hyogo starting August 17, 2026. The exhibition also includes costume displays, photographs, and a special reunion anniversary area at the Tokyo stop.
KaraQ Games has opened pre-registration for Cardcaptor Sakura: Key of Memories on iOS and Android. The free-to-play smartphone game, based on the Cardcaptor Sakura series, lets players collect over 100 costumes as digital figures called Sakura Miniatu. It launches June 25.
GEEKS RULE announced a collaboration T-shirt for the 55th anniversary of the Lupin III anime. The shirt reproduces Monkey Punch's original theatrical poster for the 1978 film Lupin vs. Clone using 15-color silkscreen printing. It will be available for early sale at DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA on June 20, with a lottery sale later online.
ModRetro, led by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, will release the ModRetro M64, a Nintendo 64 compatible console using an AMD FPGA, overseas on July 28, 2026. The console plays original cartridges without dumping, and the company states no copyright or patent issues exist. A live demo was shown at AMD's COMPUTEX 2026 booth.
Nintendo announced during its June 9 Nintendo Direct that a new event called DK Challenge will be available exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 users through the Nintendo Switch Online app. The event runs from June 10 to September 1, 2026, and lets players complete challenges set in various Donkey Kong works to earn challenge cards. Separately, the paid DLC DK Island & Emerald Rush for Donkey Kong Bananza will host a collaboration with Super Mario Bros. The collaboration features Donkey Kong and Pauline wearing Mario-themed costumes, with mushrooms and coins appearing in stages. The first of four planned collaboration rounds begins immediately after the Direct ends.
IndieArk released a demo for DarkBazaar, a roguelite from Danish studio KeyQuest Studio. Players act as an underground weapon dealer repaying a crime boss by buying and selling weapons on the Dark Web. The demo includes 51 weapon effects, a Weapon Collection feature, and deck-building mechanics. The full game is due in Q3 2026.
poncle, the UK-based developer of Vampire Survivors, announced plans to establish a Japan studio by the end of 2026. Sawaki Takeyasu, the creator of El Shaddai and representative director of crim, will serve as the studio's representative director and president. Takeyasu announced the appointment on his X account on June 9, 2026, saying he would support poncle founder Luca Galante and the team while preparing the studio. The Japan studio aims to streamline communication with Japanese partners and create new collaboration opportunities. Takeyasu previously collaborated with poncle on a crossover between his game Mythological Construction Star Note and Vampire Survivors, and also created the package design for the spin-off Vampire Crawlers. Galante has said he grew up experiencing Takeyasu's work and felt honored that Takeyasu enjoyed Vampire Survivors enough to make a homage. The announcement coincides with the reveal of a new brand called SURVIVATON for future poncle survivor-like games, and a new expansion pack Legacy of the Bloodmoon for Vampire Survivors.
Nintendo has added Donkey Kong 64 to the NINTENDO 64 Nintendo Classics service for Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. The 1999 3D platformer now includes rewind and save-anywhere features, and the official N64 controller remains available for purchase separately.
Holo Indie released Holo Hokey, a VR air hockey game where players become a Hololive VTuber. Priced at 500 yen, the game offers three modes, character-specific special abilities, and 80 challenge stages. The review notes the game provides a rare opportunity to interact with Hololive members in virtual space.
COVER Corporation and iRocks have launched a collaboration featuring hololive talent Shirakami Fubuki. The lineup includes a K85R PRO triple-mode mechanical keyboard and a T29 flagship ergonomic chair, both with exclusive Fubuki-themed illustrations and design elements. The products are available now through iRocks.
Nintendo will add Donkey Kong 64 to the Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics library on June 4, 2026, the company announced on May 28. The title is available to subscribers of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, Donkey Kong 64 is a 3D action game developed by Rare. It features five playable Kongs: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Tiny Kong, Lanky Kong, and Chunky Kong. Players explore eight hub worlds, collect Golden Bananas, and battle the Kremling army led by King K. Rool. The game includes side activities such as collecting coins and blueprints and photographing fairies. It also contains a multiplayer mode for up to four players and bonus content that unlocks the original 1981 arcade Donkey Kong and the 1983 game Jetpac. Donkey Kong 64 previously appeared on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015, but that service ended in 2026. The re-release is the first time the game has been available on a Nintendo platform since then. The Nintendo 64 Classics service is also playable on the Nintendo Switch 2.
The official website for the Grand Blue Dreaming anime revealed a key visual and the opening theme song artist for the third season on May 24, a date recognized as "Scuba Diving Day" in Japan due to a wordplay on "Go to Sea." The band FUNKY MONKEY BΛBY'S will perform the opening theme song titled "Natsuko." The season is set to premiere in July on Tokyo MX, BS11, MBS, and AT-X channels. This season will take the cast to Palau, marking the first time the setting has been outside Japan. New cast members include Sayaka Ohara as Sayaka Kotegawa, Asami Seto as Chief, and Aya Suzaki as Maki. The second season ended in September 2025, and the third season was announced shortly after its finale. The anime is produced by studios Zero-G and Saber Works, with Shinji Takamatsu returning as director, scriptwriter, and sound director. The manga by Kenji Inoue and Kimitake Yoshioka began serialization in Kodansha's Good! Afternoon magazine in April 2014 and has 26 volumes as of April 2026.
Toei Animation general manager Asama Yosuke told Variety at Cannes that the era of anime being made only by Japanese people is over, saying the studio aims to create works rooted in local cultures with creators worldwide. The remark from a foundational studio executive signals a potential shift in the industry's self-definition.