1d ago
SpiralAI launched RyzaChat:AI Ryza to Create Your Own One-Summer Dream Story on August 25, 2026, for iOS and Android in Japan. The free-to-play app, licensed from Koei Tecmo Games, is a free-scenario AI chat RPG set in the world of Atelier Ryza 1 through 3. Players talk to Ryza to travel, gather materials, synthesize, and fight, with no fixed script. The release was originally planned for August 18, but pre-registrations exceeded expectations, so SpiralAI delayed it to secure additional GPU resources for the real-time AI processing. Ryza's voice uses recordings by original voice actor Yuri Noguchi, synthesized with SpiralAI's own technology, and the text model is SpiralLLM, trained on all Ryza scenarios and setting books. Illustrations by Toridamono are hand-made, with no image or video generation AI. The app supports Japanese, English, Brazilian Portuguese, Indonesian, Hindi, and Traditional Chinese, with a global version planned. Revenue is returned as royalties to the illustrator, voice actor, and IP holders.
Aug 18
SpiralAI postponed the August 18 release of RyzaChat:AI, the AI chat RPG set in the Atelier Ryza world, citing higher-than-expected pre-registrations and the need to strengthen server infrastructure. A new release date will be announced once decided. The app, planned for iOS and Android, features free-scenario AI chat with Ryza.
Aug 14
SpiralAI will hold a live stream on August 18 to mark the release of RyzaChat: AI Ryza and Your One Summer Dream Story, an AI chat-style RPG licensed from Koei Tecmo Games. Yuri Noguchi, the voice actress for Ryza, and Famitsu Weekly editor-in-chief SAGA will play the game live on the Famitsu TUBE YouTube channel. The game is scheduled to launch August 18 for iOS and Android.
Aug 6
SpiralAI announced on August 6 that its chat AI app RyzaChat:AI, based on the Atelier Ryza series and licensed from Koei Tecmo Games, will launch for iOS and Android on August 18. The game is a free-scenario AI chat-style RPG where conversing with Ryza advances travel, alchemy, and battles. It offers two modes: RPG Mode for story progression and Chat Mode for leisurely interaction. The AI uses SpiralLLM, trained on all scenarios and setting materials from the original Atelier Ryza, and conversation content is not used to train the model. All assets are handcrafted under the supervision of illustrator Toridamono, with no image or video generation AI used. Ryza's voice uses recordings by original voice actress Yuri Noguchi, recorded exclusively for the app and operated via SpiralAI's proprietary voice synthesis. Revenue is returned as royalties to the illustrator, voice actress, and original IP holders. Alongside pre-registration, SpiralAI began a user survey with a deadline of August 17, asking seven questions about honest feelings toward free-scenario AI chat RPGs, future project candidates, and questions for an August 18 release live stream.
Aug 4
SpiralAI announced on August 4, 2026 that it will release RyzaChat: AI Ryza and the One Summer Dream Story You Create, a free-scenario AI chat RPG licensed by Koei Tecmo Games. The app is scheduled for release in August 2026 on iOS and Android, and pre-registration opened the same day on the official website. Set in the world of Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout, the game lets players advance travel, alchemy, and battles through conversation with Ryza rather than command selection. Players can switch between RPG Mode for story progression and Chat Mode for casual time with the character. The text AI uses SpiralAI's proprietary SpiralLLM, trained on all scenarios and setting materials from the original game. The project follows five stated principles: all Ryza assets were handcrafted under illustrator Toridamono's supervision with no image or video generation AI used, Ryza's voice uses recordings made exclusively for the app by original voice actress Yuri Noguchi, the world follows the original map under Koei Tecmo Games supervision, and revenue is returned as royalties to illustrators, voice actors, and original IP holders.
Jul 15
A playable demo of ReBlade: The Death Spiral at Bilibili World 2026 reveals a top-down roguelike with a parry system, weapon customization via IC chips, and a boss fight against a yokai named Zhang Yu Ge. Developer ChillyRoom, known for Soul Knight, has been working on the game for three years with a team of seven and is in its final stages.
May 19
Koji Suzuki, the novelist who created the Ring horror franchise and helped launch the J-horror boom in the west, died in a Tokyo hospital on Friday. He was 68. His 1991 novel Ring spawned films, manga, and spinoffs, and his other works include Dark Water, Spiral, and Loop.