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1h ago

3COINS and Kura Sushi Launch Collaboration Goods on October 16

Kura Sushi and lifestyle goods store 3COINS will begin a collaboration on October 16, sold at both chains' locations nationwide. At 3COINS, an at-home lineup includes Bikkura Pon! at Home (1,320 yen), Conveyor Belt Sushi at Home (3,080 yen), paper plates and cups (550 yen), takeout eco bags (880 to 1,320 yen), a menu clear file (330 yen), a menu zip bag (660 yen), and nail tips (880 yen). Kura Sushi will sell a Soy Milk Green Smoothie (300 yen).

1d ago

Kotobukiya Reissues BUSTER DOLL Tank And Paladin For May 2027

Kotobukiya is re-releasing BUSTER DOLL Tank and BUSTER DOLL Paladin from the Megami Device line, both set for May 2027 at 7,480 yen each with tax included. Both kits use the Machineca Block2-M base body designed by Masaki Apsy, stand about 172mm and 176mm tall, and swap between armed mode and base body mode. Kotobukiya Shop orders add special color hair parts and unpainted face parts.

2d ago

PalVerse Uma Musume Pretty Derby Vol. 2 Pre-Orders Open With Six Figures

Bushiroad Creative has opened pre-orders for PalVerse Uma Musume Pretty Derby vol. 2, a six-type deformed figure wave featuring Tokai Teio, Oguri Cap, Mejiro McQueen, Tamamo Cross, Satono Diamond, and Kitasan Black. The packs cost 1,210 yen with tax and the full box 7,260 yen with tax. Release is scheduled for May 14, 2027.

2d ago

Pocketpair Brings Its Largest Palworld Booth To Tokyo Game Show 2026

At Tokyo Game Show 2026 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Pocketpair exhibited a Palworld-themed booth the company describes as the largest in its history. The booth featured life-size Pal statues, a moving Jetragon statue, 23 cosplayers, a cosplay stage, a raid event, Totoparu-cho, and free crane games. Visitors who posted photos to social media received one of 20 sticker types.

2d ago

Paleokin Announced as Co-Op Prehistoric Survival Crafting Game

Game Spark's indie picks for the third week of September include Paleokin, an open-world survival crafting game set in a prehistoric era with mammoths and dinosaurs. Players explore a procedurally generated world, gather resources, farm, hunt, and manage hunger, thirst, sanity, illness, bleeding, and fatigue across changing seasons. Combat uses spears, bows, and slingshots with timed guards. Creatures can be tamed, bred, and ridden.

2d ago

Palm Simulator 2 Releases on Steam for PC at 135 Yen

Dynamic Games released Palm Simulator 2, a game where the player becomes a palm tree on a beach. It adds five playable characters, day-and-night changes, new maps, visual effects and environmental sounds, on top of the arcade and real modes and simple controls. It is on Steam for PC at 135 yen, discounted 30 percent until October 9.

4d ago

Overgeared Anime Adds Same-Day English Dub For September 27 Debut

Crunchyroll will stream a same-day English dub for Tempal: Item no Chikara, the television anime of REDICE STUDIO's Overgeared webtoon. Ricco Fajardo voices Grid, with Alexis Tipton as Irene, Morgan Laure as Yura, and Bradley Gareth as Doran among the leads. The Japanese broadcast starts October 2 on Tokyo MX and BS11, directed by Ayako Kono at J.C. Staff with EGG FIRM producing.

4d ago

Palworld Pop Up Shop Opens At Shibuya Modi On September 26

Chugai Mining's Content Division will run "PALWORLD POP UP SHOP 2026 in Shibuya Modi," a merchandise event for the monster-raising open-world survival crafting game Palworld, from September 26 to October 4, 2026, at Shibuya Modi 1F Calendarium. The lineup covers Pals and the leader characters Zoe and Lily across acrylic figure stands, trading can badges, trading acrylic cards, acrylic keychains, die-cut stickers, pouches, and mouse pads. Prices run from 550 yen for a single can badge to 6,160 yen for an eight-piece trading acrylic card set. Shoppers who spend 3,000 yen or more, tax included, at the venue shop can enter a lottery once per transaction for a cushion, a complete ten-type sticker set, or one random sticker sheet. Paying with an EPOS card, or presenting one and then paying in cash, adds a second lottery entry.

4d ago

Steam Autumn Sale Runs Through October 9 With Palworld and Pragmata Discounted

Valve started the Steam Autumn Sale at 2:00 AM Japan time on October 2, and the sale runs until 2:00 AM on October 9. Pocketpair put Palworld at 30 percent off for 2,380 yen and Craftopia at 40 percent off for 1,680 yen, with the publisher saying every eligible title sits at its lowest price yet. Capcom's BIOHAZARD requiem is 30 percent off at 6,293 yen and PRAGMATA is 20 percent off at 6,392 yen. Square Enix and Atlus opened their own sales ahead of Valve's start, listing Persona 3 Reload at 70 percent off for 2,303 yen and FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH at 70 percent off for 1,973 yen. 4Gamer.net reported Pocketpair's discounts and Automaton listed titles including ARC Raiders at 50 percent off and Monster Hunter Wilds at 25 percent off.

4d ago

Code Geass Star Chaser Aspal Anime Set For 2027 With Nomura Directing

A new Code Geass anime, Code Geass Star Chaser Aspal, is set to premiere in 2027, with a teaser trailer and visual released on Saturday. Kazuya Nomura directs, Mado Nozaki handles series scripts, Rolua designs the characters, Yoshi. designs the Agalmata, Junbun Lin is in charge of background and special effects, and Ichinogi designed the title logo. SUNRISE is credited with the original work, planning, and animation production. The teaser arrived through the franchise's official YouTube channel ahead of the 20th anniversary project, which also includes the stage play Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion - Seido ni Jyunzuru Kishi 2 in Osaka and Tokyo starting January 23, and a 20th Anniversary Exhibition opening in Tokyo in September 2026 and Osaka in November 2026. The franchise said in December 2024 that several new works were in production. A Code Geass and Gundam Wing crossover manga, Minuet Zero, launched on Kadokawa's KadoComi platform on July 10.

Sep 18

PalVerse Adds Star Wars Figures From Bushiroad

Bushiroad Creative will release PalVerse / STAR WARS, a palm-sized deformed figure lineup, on Friday, September 18, 2026 at anime goods and hobby shops, mass retailers, and major online shops. The set has seven types: Luke, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO, Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, and one secret. Each figure is about 90mm tall and made of PVC. A pack costs 1,100 yen with tax, a box 6,600 yen with tax.

Sep 17

Paleokin Prehistoric Survival Game Heads To Steam Early Access In Q1 2027

Accept Permadeath has announced Paleokin, a survival game set in prehistoric times. Players gather food, build bases, farm, tame and breed dinosaurs, and fight mammoths and dinosaurs across a procedurally generated world. Solo and co-op play for up to four players are supported. Paleokin is scheduled for Steam Early Access in Q1 2027, with an Early Access period expected to last about six months.

Sep 15

Marsupilami 2 - Salsa Palombia Lands Metascores of 81 on PC and 80 on PS5

Marsupilami 2 - Salsa Palombia, a 2D platformer action game released September 3, 2026, holds a Metascore of 81 on PC from 7 reviews, 80 on PS5 from 5, and 74 on Nintendo Switch from 4, per Game Spark's roundup. Critics call it fun and colorful, with some noting complex character switching and long stages. The Xbox Series X version has too few reviews to be scored.

Sep 13

Pocketpair Teases Palworld v1.1 Kickoff Photo

The official Palworld X account posted a photo on August 13 showing a monitor outside a Pocketpair meeting room that reads "Palworld v1.1 Kickoff 2026/08/13 15:00-17:00." Taken literally, an initial planning meeting for version 1.1 was held that afternoon. The English account posted similarly, and replies are filling with update requests from players. Updates to the first decimal place count as major updates for Palworld.

Sep 11

PalVerse Hololive Vol.2 Opens For Pre-Order With Five Talents

Bushiroad Creative opened pre-orders on Amazon.co.jp for PalVerse Hololive vol.2, the second set of its deformed trading figure line. The lineup is Hoshimachi Suisei, Yuzuki Choco, Ozora Subaru, Himemori Luna, and Shishiro Botan. Each figure stands about 90mm and is made of PVC. The box is listed at 7,260 yen including tax, with a scheduled release on March 12, 2027.

Sep 11

Project Sekai Adds Vivid BAD SQUAD's Seikai as Rhythm Game Song

Vivid BAD SQUAD's unit song "Seikai" was added to Project Sekai: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku as a rhythm game song on September 6, 2026, available to anyone from the in-game Present section. The lineup also includes "Kyofu All Back," "Kofukukei," "Haneuta," and "Pentatonic." The event "After the Fire" and the "Shady Stare Gacha" are running alongside it.

Sep 9

Monster Hunter Teams with Down Maker NANGA for Sleeping Bag, Jacket, T-Shirt

Shogakukan opened pre-orders on September 9 for a three-item Monster Hunter collaboration with down manufacturer NANGA, produced by the outdoor magazine BE-PAL. The lineup includes a Palico Gaming Sleeping Bag priced at 85,800 yen, a Raging Rajang Down Jacket at 59,400 yen, and an Eco Hybrid Rathalos / Windward Plains T-shirt at 8,250 yen per color. The sleeping bag and jacket ship around January 2027.

Sep 8

Pocket Pair Reveals TGS 2026 Booth Giveaways and Merchandise

Pocket Pair published the giveaway and merchandise lineup for its Tokyo Game Show 2026 booth on September 8. TGS 2026 runs September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe, with general public days from September 19 to 21. The main booth offers a Kigurumi Tsupper Nyan PR card for the Palworld Official Card Game, a limited T-shirt featuring Pals from version 1.0, and a junk towel depicting Bushigael taking a bath. A Palworld x Red Bull collaboration vending machine distributes Red Bull cans with a limited sticker using a newly drawn N'dakoala illustration. The merchandise booth sells a ball-chain plush currently available overseas, a Paripidon one-point T-shirt, a mug, and a tumbler. Purchase bonuses include a Kigurumi Okocho PR Soul Card for purchases of 3,000 yen or more, an Okocho Shopper Bag for the first 100 people who buy 20,000 yen or more of Palworld Official Card Game booster packs, and a 3D Seal for any single purchase. The roles for all 23 official cosplayers were also revealed, and a food truck in the outdoor food court hands out 3D Seals and original wet tissues with food purchases.

Sep 8

Palworld Card Game First Set Passes 4.4 Million Packs Shipped

Bushiroad announced the Palworld Official Card Game's first booster pack, Dawn of Palpagos, has surpassed 4.4 million packs in worldwide cumulative shipments. The two-player trading card game launched July 30 with over 50 Pal cards in new illustrations, including Zoe and Lily. At Tokyo Game Show 2026, the Pocketpair booth will display all first-set cards and preview illustrations from the second set, Awakened Legend, due October 30.

Sep 3

YAO Project Announces Second Song, Born From Okinawa Roots

The music project YAO, made up of Awich, CHICO CARLITO, ONE OK ROCK, and Paledusk, will release its second song digitally on September 4. Titled "Arufu na Sekai no Hate ni," the track grew out of the members' dialogue about Okinawa's history and culture, and was previewed during ONE OK ROCK's August tour dates.

Aug 31

Steel Ball Run Trio Joins Bushiroad Creative's PalVerse Pale. Figure Line

Bushiroad Creative's PalVerse Pale. figure brand has added Steel Ball Run JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zeppeli, and Diego Brando appear as deformed figures, on sale since Friday, August 28, 2026, at anime goods and hobby shops, mass retailers, and major online shops for 3,300 yen each.

Aug 28

Korean Pop Culture Expo KPEX to Launch in New York City in 2027

LeftField Media announced the launch of KPEX: Korean Pop Culture Expo, a three-day convention celebrating Korean entertainment and culture in New York City. KPEX will run May 29-31, 2027, at the Javits Center, with programming covering K-Pop, K-Dramas, K-Comics, K-Games, K-Food, and K-Beauty, plus panels, screenings, workshops, autograph sessions, shopping, and nightly concerts. The event is led by Greg Topalian, Robert Khoo, and Peter Tatara.

Aug 28

Hololive's Marine, Kobo and Kanade Get PalVerse Pale. Figures

Bushiroad Creative has opened preorders for two new PalVerse Pale. figures featuring Hololive Production VTubers Houshou Marine and Kobo Kanaeru, available through retailer AmiAmi. The figures are part of the PalVerse Pale. series, known for its American animation-style deformation designs. Houshou Marine's figure is approximately 120mm tall, while Kobo Kanaeru's is about 110mm tall. Both are PVC and ABS painted finished products, priced at 3,960 yen including tax each, with AmiAmi offering them at 3,360 yen including tax. Both figures are scheduled for release in January 2027. The announcement was made on August 24, 2026, with AmiAmi currently accepting reservations. Bushiroad Creative is the manufacturer for both items. The figures are part of the larger PalVerse Pale. series, which includes other Hololive and anime-themed figures.

Aug 20

Pocketpair Brings Its Largest Ever Booth to Tokyo Game Show 2026

Pocketpair will exhibit at Tokyo Game Show 2026 with its largest booth in company history, featuring life-size statues of Pals like Sekhmet and Nyansie, a moving Jetdran statue, and dark humor exhibits including cages and a Mokoron holding a machine gun. The booth includes photo spots, an assault event, a cosplay stage with 23 cosplayers, and playable demos of Windrose and Never Grave.

Aug 19

Survival Horror The Pale Mimic Launches to Very Positive Steam Reviews

Dark Snow Games released survival horror The Pale Mimic on Steam on August 17. It has earned a Very Positive rating from 94 reviews, praised for atmosphere, story, and horror presentation. Players survive in Alaska as a fugitive with a dog, hunted by a mimic that imitates sounds.

Aug 19

Palworld and No Man's Sky Collaboration Hopes Rise After Hello Games CEO Responds

Hello Games CEO Sean Murray responded warmly to a post about a potential Palworld collaboration, after Pocketpair publishing head John Buckley had repeatedly expressed interest. Murray's heart reaction marks the first positive response in an exchange that had seemed one-sided, raising hopes for a collaboration between the two games.

Aug 14

Call of Duty: Black Ops II Tops PS Store July 2026 Rankings on PS5 and PS4

Sony Interactive Entertainment published the July 2026 PlayStation Store download rankings on August 14, 2026. The 2012 title Call of Duty: Black Ops II took first place in both the PS5 and PS4 categories. The game became playable on current platforms on July 10, 2026, through a surprise release developed by Treyarch and Iron Galaxy Studios. On PS5, Palworld ranked second and Pro Baseball Spirits 2026 third. On PS4, Powerful Pro Baseball 2026-2027 placed second and Monster Hunter: World third. The PS VR2 category was led by Beat Saber, while eFootball topped the free-to-play list for another month. The rankings also cover the US and Canada, where Black Ops II also reached first place on both PS5 and PS4. The PS4 chart featured several older titles, including Dragon Quest XI S, FINAL FANTASY IX, FINAL FANTASY VI, SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE, and Bloodborne. The original Call of Duty: Black Ops appeared at fifth and twentieth on PS4. The port is priced at 5,900 yen, with a 2,950 yen price for PS Plus subscribers.

Aug 9

Palworld Card Game Launches With Gold Leaf SSS Rarity Tsuppanyan

Bushiroad released the Palworld Official Card Game on July 30 with a ceremony at its headquarters. Producer Takaaki Kigaya joined Mugendai My Type members Minezuki Ritsu and Sengoku Yuno for a ribbon-cutting. The first set, Palpagos Dawn, includes booster packs and two trial decks. A special SSS rarity card features a gold leaf Tsuppanyan.

Aug 7

Daughter of the Volcano Complete Edition Adds Full Voice Acting and New Content

Colorful Palette announced a complete edition of the raising simulation Daughter of the Volcano, developed by studio Egg Hatcher. The game will launch on iOS, Android, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. Developers Zoi and Fry detailed new additions, including full voice acting and Japanese improvements, in an interview with Automaton.

Aug 6

AI Character Pod Dipal D1 Puts Custom VRM Models on Your Desk

Shanghai-based Dipal showed the Dipal D1, a cylindrical desktop pod with an 8-inch 2.5K curved OLED display, at ChinaJoy 2026. It runs an 8-core 7nm SoC, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a battery, handling real-time conversation with Japanese support and reading gestures through a camera. Users can load their own VRM, FBX, GLTF, and 2D models. The price is around 160,000 yen.

Aug 5

PalVerse Deformed Figures Bring Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren to Palm Size

Bushiroad Creative has added two anime series to its PalVerse line of palm-sized deformed figures. The Jujutsu Kaisen set, which went on sale July 31, 2026, includes six characters: Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, Yuta Okkotsu, Choso, Kenjaku, and Sukuna. Each figure stands about 90mm tall. A single pack costs 1,100 yen, while a box of six costs 6,600 yen and guarantees a complete set when unopened. Buyers who purchase a box at participating stores such as the Bushiroad Online Store, Animate, and Hobby Zone receive a bonus sticker set. The Frieren: Beyond Journey's End lineup, also six characters, features Frieren, Fern, Stark, Himmel, Heiter, and Eisen. Packs are 1,210 yen and boxes are 7,260 yen. Reservations for the Frieren set close August 4, with a release scheduled for November 27. Both lines use random packing, but box purchases ensure collectors get all six types.

Aug 3

Garena to Launch Palworld Online Mobile MMORPG This Year

Garena announced on August 3 that it is developing Palworld Online, a mobile MMORPG based on Pocketpair's Palworld IP, with a release planned within 2026 for iOS and Android. The game is being made under an official license from Pocketpair and will rebuild the original survival crafting experience for smartphones, introducing a new story setting and original side stories alongside the core elements of capturing and raising Pals, exploration, and base management. As an MMORPG, Palworld Online features a seamless open world where players can form groups, build joint bases, engage in PvE and PvP content, challenge bosses in the open world, visit other players' bases, and search for rare Pals together. The mobile version optimizes the UI and controls for touch operations, supporting one-touch play across a range of device specifications. Garena's president, Terry Zhao, said the company aims to maintain the depth, immersion, and freedom of Palworld while delivering a mobile-optimized experience. Pocketpair's CEO, Takuro Mizobe, noted Garena's experience in global expansion, localization, and live service operations for mobile games. Palworld Online is scheduled for release on mobile in 2026, with further details on the service start date to be announced later.

Jul 22

Palworld Trailers Flooded With Protests Against PS Disc Phase-Out

On July 10, 2026, Palworld launched as a digital-only title on PC, Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. However, the official PlayStation YouTube trailer for the game, which has about 49,000 views and roughly 1,300 comments, is filled with messages unrelated to the game itself. Commenters are demanding physical discs and criticizing the discontinuation of disc production for PlayStation consoles. The same pattern appears on the PlayStation official X account, where a Palworld announcement post on July 10 drew over 7,000 replies, most of which protest the disc phase-out. The protests have also hit trailers for other games, including the indie title Teeto, whose developer responded calmly, saying releasing a physical version is their dream. Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld, has not commented on the situation. The movement reflects how strongly some overseas console gamers feel about the loss of physical media.

Jul 19

Game Spark Roundup Highlights Palworld, AC Black Flag, and Indie Picks

Game Spark's editorial team selected seven notable titles from its July 2026 first-half coverage, including Palworld's 1.0 update, the Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake, and the complete edition of Volcano's Daughter, as well as indie titles like the Taiwanese RPG Legend of Zhao Lei, the Aretha Collection, and the deck-building roguelite Fogpiercer.

Jul 16

Palworld Surpasses Counter-Strike 2, Becomes Most Played Game on Steam

Pocketpair's Palworld reached its full version 1.0 on July 10, 2026, and within a week the game became the most played title on Steam at one point. On July 16 around 1:30 PM JST, CEO Takuro Mizobe reported on X that Palworld had recorded the highest instantaneous peak concurrent players, surpassing Counter-Strike 2. The Steam version peaked at over 921,000 concurrent players, according to SteamDB data cited by Automaton, while other sources reported around 850,000. The full release added 47 new Pals, 25 variant Pals, new areas such as Tenyo Village and the World Tree, and an Awakening system that lets players strengthen Pals with Luminous Stones. The patch notes spanned 27 pages. The game also saw a 427% increase in Xbox users after the full launch, and Twitch viewership rose 4,200% from the previous month. Palworld entered early access in January 2024 and had surpassed 40 million total players before the full release. Discounts of 30% are ongoing on Steam until July 24 and on PS5 until July 29.

Jul 16

Volcano Princess Multiplatform Release Set for July 30 with New Content

Colorful Palette will release the raising simulation game Volcano Princess on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS on July 30 for 1,300 yen. The previously Steam-only title gets revised translations, full voice acting with new cast, additional stories, stills, and a dungeon. A trial version is available now. A free update for the Steam version is planned for October.

Jul 12

Palworld Steam Concurrent Players Surpass 850,000 After Full Version Launch

Pocketpair announced that Palworld's concurrent player count on Steam exceeded 850,000 on July 12, 2026, following the full version 1.0 release on July 10. The surge pushed the game to second place on Steam's most-played chart, behind Counter-Strike 2 and ahead of Dota 2 and Taskbar Hero, according to SteamDB data. The game maintained 500,000 concurrent users as of July 13. On Twitch, average viewer count for Palworld streams rose 4,200% month-over-month. The full version update added new Pals, areas, a revamped battle system, and base-building improvements, with patch notes spanning 27 pages. Before the full version launch, total player count across all platforms had exceeded 40 million. Palworld currently holds a 'Very Positive' rating from approximately 430,000 Steam reviews. The game is available on PC, Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One, and supports Game Pass.

Jul 12

Automaton's Weekly Roundup: 7 Game Articles This Week

Automaton's 90th weekly roundup features seven game articles that drew attention, including the official release of Palworld with over 200,000 concurrent Steam players, and announcements for indie titles ECHOES, Anomaly Control Simulator, Touhou Crisis R, Sponge Break, Rogue Carrier, and a game about Steam sale buying.

Jul 11

Palworld Version 1.0 Launches With New Areas, Pals, and Major Upgrades

Pocketpair released the version 1.0 update for Palworld on July 10, 2026, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The early access survival game, now in its full release, adds new areas, over 200 new partner skills, a level cap increase to 80, an awakening system, and quality-of-life improvements detailed in a 27-page patch note. The game has been in early access for about two and a half years.

Jul 10

Palworld Version 1.0 Launches With Massive Overhaul, New Areas and 72 New Pals

Pocketpair released the full version 1.0 of Palworld on July 10, 2026, ending an early access period that began in January 2024. The open-world survival crafting game, which has exceeded 40 million total players, introduces two new regions: the floating Tenyo-kyo and the story-critical World Tree. The update adds 72 new Pal species, bringing the total to 287, and overhauls nearly every system including Pal parameters, base building, multiplayer, and graphics. New breeding mechanics called Awakening and Mutation are included. The number of tower bosses rises from five to eight, and the player level cap expands from 50 to 80. To mark the release, 4Gamer.net will host a Twitch stream starting around 1:00 p.m. JST, touring the new areas and hunting for new Pals. The streamer has played the development version but warns that the game has changed so significantly that even veteran players may feel like newcomers.

Jul 10

Game*Spark Rebrands for Palworld 1.0 Launch in Limited-Time Collaboration

Game*Spark has changed its site logo and official X (formerly Twitter) icon and header image to a limited-time collaboration edition with Palworld, marking the game's version 1.0 full release on July 10, 2026. The collaboration runs from July 10 to July 17. Palworld is available on PC, Mac, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. The open-world survival crafting game, which entered early access in January 2024, officially launches with new elements and additional Pals.

Jul 9

Palworld Devs Warn: Delete Old Mods Before 1.0 Full Release Or Risk Crashes

Pocketpair issued a warning on July 9, 2026, asking Palworld players to delete any old mods from the game folder before the 1.0 full release on July 10. The company said that because the 1.0 update changes game specifications, leftover mod files can cause crashes during startup or play, save data loading failures, and quest progression issues. Pocketpair stated that it 'sincerely supports mod culture' but recommended disabling mods, backing up saves, and verifying game file integrity on Steam. The full release added 47 new base Pals and 25 new subspecies, new areas including Tenyo Village and the World Tree, a revamped main story, and a level cap increase from 65 to 80. The 1.0 update also introduced an Awakening system using Gleamstones. The total player count for Palworld had exceeded 40 million as of July 8. On launch day, concurrent players on Steam surged past 470,000, ranking 4th on the platform behind Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, and Dota 2. A 30% off sale on Steam priced the game at 2,380 yen until July 10.

Jul 8

YAO Project Drops First MV '777,' Selected as Red Bull CM Song

The new collaborative project YAO, featuring Awich, CHICO CARLITO, ONE OK ROCK, and Paledusk, released the music video for their debut song '777' on July 7. The track was chosen as the commercial song for Red Bull's new Sudachi Edition energy drink, with the TV ad airing from July 12.

Jul 5

New Games Releasing This Week: Black Flag Resynced, Granblue Fantasy Relink, Palworld

Game Spark and Inside have published their weekly roundups of new game releases for the week of July 6, 2026, covering both the Japanese and North American markets. The headline titles this week are 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced', 'GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok', and 'Palworld', all scheduled for release on July 9 and July 10 respectively. 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced' launches on July 9 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. 'GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' also arrives July 9 on PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch 2. 'Palworld' follows on July 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Other notable releases include 'Echoes of Aincrad' (July 9 on PS5, Xbox, PC; July 10 on PS5, Xbox, PC), 'Digimon Story Time Stranger' (July 9 on Switch 2 and Switch), 'Wuthering Waves' (July 10 on Xbox Series X|S), and 'College Football 27' (July 9 on PC, PS5, Xbox). The lists also include dozens of smaller indie and digital-only titles across all platforms.

Jul 2

Dystopian Life Sim 'Dystopicon' Launches on Steam July 27

Developer Palitroque announced 'Dystopicon' will release on PC via Steam on July 27. The simulation game tasks players with surviving in a society where robots have taken human jobs, earning money by watching TV while managing health, hunger, comfort, and fun. A demo with Japanese display support has been available since December 2025.

Jul 1

LinuxMD Project Runs Linux on Original Sega Mega Drive Hardware

Developer Daniel Palmer has released LinuxMD, an experimental project that boots Linux on an actual Sega Mega Drive console from 1988. The project requires a Mega EverDrive flash cartridge with SSF2 mapper support to provide the necessary 4MB of RAM. Palmer also provides a modified QEMU emulator fork for testing, though it runs faster than real hardware.

Jun 29

Red Bull Launches In-Yo! Series With YAO Supergroup

Red Bull has launched a new video series called Red Bull IN-YO! on its hip-hop channel Red Bull Mic. The first installment features the supergroup YAO, bringing together Awich, CHICO CARLITO, ONE OK ROCK, and Paledusk for a cross-genre session blending hip-hop and rock. The video is now available on YouTube.