Tim, operator of itch.io's official YouTube channel, announced the platform's first showcase, 'itch.io Showcase,' to be held in Q4 2026. Submissions are free for any game currently on itch.io, from small indies to large works. Entries close September 15, 2026, 0:59 JST, with successful applicants contacted by mid-October.
Actor Tim Curry died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles at age 80, TMZ reported. Curry was known for roles including Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Pennywise in It. He also voiced the Cat King in the English dub of Studio Ghibli's The Cat Returns.
The Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind anime film drew an 8.3% household rating when it aired on NTV on August 14. Among regular anime series, Sazae-san led with 7.6%, followed by Chibi Maruko-chan and Detective Conan. Ratings are Kanto-region estimates from Video Research.
Capcom unveiled a new trailer for Monster Hunter Outlanders during this year's gamescom Opening Night Live event, introducing a new Elder Dragon monster named Ruger Aidal. The game is an open-world survival title for iOS and Android devices, scheduled for release in 2026. Pre-registration has begun on the App Store and Google Play. Chinese developer TiMi Studio Group, a subsidiary of Tencent, is developing the game under license from Capcom. The trailer shows Ruger Aidal appearing with a mysterious aurora phenomenon, spreading its large wings, and transforming into a sun-like mass of flames that burns everything around it. The game features multiplayer support and a system to switch between characters. Franchise composer Tadayoshi Makino is handling the music. TiMi Studio Group announced in November 2022 that it was working on a new mobile Monster Hunter game. The studio is known for developing Call of Duty Mobile and Pokémon Unite. In the ongoing third closed beta test, events such as "Nergigante Invasion" and "Hunting Dash" are scheduled to run from August 28.
GKIDS announced on Saturday that it has acquired North American rights to two films: the Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust anime and the live-action adaptation of Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimeters per Second. The distributor will screen the Japanese-language version of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust with English subtitles in select theaters this fall, ahead of theatrical and home entertainment releases planned for 2027. The 2000 film, directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri at Madhouse, is based on Hideyuki Kikuchi's novel series and follows D, a half-vampire hunter hired to rescue a woman abducted by the vampire Baron Meier Link. Cartoon Brew notes the film was developed with an international audience in mind, with its English soundtrack recorded in Los Angeles before Japanese dialogue was completed. GKIDS will also screen the live-action 5 Centimeters per Second in North American theaters. That film opened in Japan in October 2025, ranking second in its opening weekend with 278,000 tickets sold and 420 million yen earned in three days. SixTONES member Hokuto Matsumura stars, Yoshiyuki Okuyama directs, and Kenshi Yonezu performs the theme song.
Mob Entertainment announced 'Escape from Playtime' during the Future Games Show at gamescom 2026 broadcast on August 27, 2026. The game is a survival horror title with up to 4-player co-op, set in the world of 'Poppy Playtime.' It supports single-player and online co-op. Players control the Smiling Critters, first introduced in 'Poppy Playtime' Chapter 3, as they crouch, jump, and climb to escape from failed experiments created by Playtime Co. They explore locations such as classrooms, warehouses, and laboratories, following a mysterious voice to collect parts and resources and bring them back to a safe place. The facility changes with each playthrough via auto-generated layouts, and the game supports proximity voice chat. The initial early access release will include 8 characters, one area, and multiple enemies, with plans to add new areas and features based on feedback. The supported platform is PC (Steam), with Japanese language support planned. A trailer and Steam store page were released alongside the announcement.
The TV anime The Vampire Dies in No Time 2 is holding a collaboration with internet cafe DiCE from September 4 to October 4, 2026, at three locations. Newly drawn art shows Draluc, Ronald, and John lounging in gaming chairs. The event offers three drinks, including one named after a John-related gag, plus eight merchandise items and random coasters.
The smartphone game KOF '98 UMOL is celebrating its 10th anniversary. A new anniversary-limited fighter, Ash, appearing in a form described as gone mad in a spiral of blood, has made his debut. The game is also running several concurrent events, including the 10th Anniversary Time Machine, Lucky 7, Lucky Festival, and Competition Grand Ceremony, which run through late August and early September.
A24's PRIMETIME, starring Robert Pattinson as journalist Chris Hansen, will release in Japan in 2027. The film depicts the behind-the-scenes of the reality TV show To Catch a Predator, which used sting operations to expose adults targeting minors online. It premieres in North America on September 25, 2026, and is in competition at the Venice Film Festival.
AtHeart released the second single '3!4!' from the TIME TRAVEL PROJECT on August 19. The song is a remake of Roo'Ra's 1996 hit, with original author Lee Hyun-do participating in the arrangement. The track reinterprets the original's new jack swing base with electric piano and guitar arpeggios. A music video featuring the group in Y2K style also debuted.
GOG released a Preservation Program update for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, adding ultra-wide support, FOV adjustment, an FPS limiter, and a real-time overlay. The update follows the remake's cancellation and aims to make the classic run on modern hardware. The game is available for $9.99 with a 70% discount until August 23.
Warren Spector, the producer behind "Ultima Underworld," "System Shock," and "Deus Ex," announced his retirement from game development in a LinkedIn post. Spector entered the tabletop RPG industry in 1983 and joined Origin Systems in 1989, where he worked on "Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss" (1992) and "System Shock" (1994). He later moved to Looking Glass Studios for "Thief: The Dark Project" (1998) and then to Ion Storm, where he released "Deus Ex" in 2000. His career also includes "Epic Mickey" (2010) at Disney Interactive Studios and work on the unreleased "System Shock 3" at OtherSide Entertainment, where he served as co-founder and Chief Creative Officer. Spector said his career spans 44 years, with 17 games and 9 expansion packs, and his final work is "Thick as Thieves." He cited age, health issues, and a changing game business as reasons, saying he no longer finds it enjoyable. He plans to focus on writing, reading, lecturing, consulting, and practicing piano, while remaining involved in the industry through consulting.
Anime! Anime! reader poll for 2026 summer anime ending themes ran July 16-23, with sequels and second cours drawing the most votes. The ED for "Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! 2" took first place, followed by "Yomi no Tsugai" second cour and "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4" second cour.
Inforenz will release a 1/10 scale statue of Huggy Wuggy from the horror game Poppy Playtime. The polystone figure reproduces his fur and eerie expression with bared teeth, and includes a display base inspired by the game. It is priced at 70,000 yen and scheduled for late September 2027.
Developer Eye Blink Twice announced console versions of the psychological horror game Time To Wake Up, with Serafini Productions handling publishing. A new trailer shows the game's blink mechanic, where the world shifts with each blink. The game is set for PC via Steam in Q3 2026, with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions in development.
The Secret World of Arrietty led the Japanese animation TV rankings for August 3-9 with a 7.4% household rating, followed by Sazae-san at 6.2% and Detective Conan at 4.9%. The list includes ten programs, with ratings ranging from 7.4% down to 1.5%.
COSPA has opened reservations for a new line of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime apparel and goods featuring Rimuru Tempest and his slime form. The lineup includes a T-shirt, a thermos stainless steel mug, smartphone cases, pass cases, a towel, a metal carabiner, and two sticker designs. Most items are available for preorder until September 6, 2026, with some sold early at a pop-up shop.
Retailers list the 13th volume of Honobonoru500's Flung into a New World? Time to Lift the 200-Year Curse! light novels as the final volume. The novel ships on October 15. J-Novel Club publishes the series in English. The web novel began on Shōsetsuka ni Narō in May 2018, and TO Books published the first novel in January 2020.
The live-action series Love is Better the Second Time Around revealed three new cast members for its second season, all playing Takashi's ex-boyfriends. The season will premiere on September 1 on MBS, TBS, CBC, RKB, and HBC. The opening theme song "Scenario" by artist Mel was also previewed in a new trailer.
Polden Publishing and Pitstop Panic announced Timber Truck: Chaos Coop, a physics-based co-op adventure for PC via Steam. Players take on the role of the world's worst lumberjack team, drowning in debt, and must work together to cut trees, load logs onto trucks, cross rivers and crumbling bridges, and deliver them to the sawmill to earn money. Geese that aim to do away with the players appear along the way, resulting in utter chaos.
DMM TV released its 2026 spring anime completion ranking, measuring which series viewers watched to the end without skipping episodes. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime took first place, also leading the play count ranking. Re:Zero placed second, with several new titles outperforming their play counts.
4Gamer.net spotlights Crushed In Time, a point-and-click adventure where players solve puzzles by grabbing objects, stretching them like rubber bands, and releasing them. The game is set in its own development studio, with Sherlock Holmes and Watson investigating a character's disappearance across prototype, alpha, and beta stages. A free demo is available.
GAME Watch rounds up notable Nintendo Switch 2 titles slated for the second half of 2026, prioritizing console exclusives while also picking multiplatform releases. The list includes ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Fire Emblem: Banshi Senkou, Minecraft Dungeons II, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, and Final Fantasy Resonance, with release dates from August through October.
ASHA and KOKONA, who appeared in the girl group audition 'No No Girls' produced by BMSG and Chanmina, will debut as the unit TAKARA on August 8, 2026. Their self-produced song 'Time is money' releases the same day. They follow HANA and Fumino as the second artists under NO LABEL ARTISTS.
AtHeart will release its second single '3!4!' from the 'TIME TRAVEL PROJECT' worldwide on August 19 at 18:00. The track is a remake of Roo'Ra's 1996 hit. A promotional schedule, designed like a 1990s electronic organizer, was revealed on August 3, teasing concept photos, mood films, and music video teasers.
Netflix will premiere the original drama series Downtime on September 17, starring Mayu Matsuoka and Riisa Naka. The eight-episode show follows a plastic surgeon who loses her university hospital post and joins a cosmetic surgery clinic run by a charismatic doctor. The cast includes Shotaro Mamiya, Minami Tanaka, and Riku Hagiwara.
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.
Ultimate Games will release CO's Entertainment's penguin sandbox A Game About Penguins on August 10 for PC via Steam, with Japanese text support planned. The game supports up to 12 players online and includes 363 customization items, 98 fish types, minigames, snowball fights, house decorating, and quests from 8 NPCs. PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions are planned for this year or next. A free demo, A Game About Penguins: First Catch, is available on Steam now.
Furyu's F:NEX brand announced two 1/4 scale Japanese doll figures of Asuka Langley Shikinami and Rei Ayanami from Evangelion: 3.0+1.0, made in collaboration with doll maker Yoshitoku. Reservations opened July 25 at FURYU HOBBY MALL and other outlets. Each figure costs 198,000 yen.
The live-action series based on Keiko Kinoshita's boys-love manga confirmed two more returning cast members for its second season. Aloha Takamatsu returns as Yuto Shiriashi and Junya Shiraishi returns as Kyosuke Sugimoto. The season is an original story set two years after the first season's ending, premiering September 1 on the Dramaism block.
Crunchyroll began streaming That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea on Friday in several regions, including the UK and US. The film is available with English subtitles and an English dub, plus other languages. It opened in Japan on February 27, ranking #3 in its opening weekend.
Miho Okasaki and Megumi Toyoguchi, the voices of Rimuru and Raphael in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, spoke at Anime Expo 2026 about how their characters have grown together. The two actors still find the roles challenging after four seasons, and they deliberately do not discuss their approach before recording, discovering each other's choices at the test recording instead.
G-MODE held its special YouTube program 'G-MODE NEXT PREVIEW' on August 5, 2026, announcing new information on nine titles. The program revealed three new publishing titles: the Nintendo Switch version of the SNS puzzle mystery adventure 'Mikakutei Jiken no Kansokusha -Demons' Timeline-', whose Steam version has surpassed 10,000 downloads; the Switch version of 'Heart Treasure Stella Journey', a picture-book-like universe exploration game selected for the official 'Bitsummit PUNCH' selection; and 'Call into the Hollow: [2300]', an SF narrative adventure combining voice input and generative AI, scheduled for 2027. Follow-up information was also released for scheduled titles, including the puzzle action game 'Nero & Sci Integral Edition' launching August 18, the public opinion manipulation news novel game 'Commentator' with a newly revealed logo and key visual, the satoyama exploration adventure 'Satoyama no Oto Haru Sanpo' set for spring 2027, and the rhythm adventure 'One Song, One Life' planned for 2026. Two titles begin distribution on August 6: the kanji quiz game 'Nihon Isshu Kanji no Tabi' and the feature phone robot simulation RPG revival 'G-MODE Archives+ Kijin Den STRIKE-G-'. Trial play exhibits of 'Commentator', 'One Song, One Life', and 'Nihon Isshu Kanji no Tabi' are planned at the Tokyo Game Dungeon 13 event on August 8.
Light Flyer Studio has opened pre-orders for the download version of the new RPG Another Eden Begins for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. The game is scheduled for release on September 17, 2026. The scenario is written by Masato Kato, who previously worked on classic RPGs such as Chrono Trigger and Xenogears. The story is a large-scale adventure themed around time travel across three eras: ancient, modern, and future. Alongside the base game, the DLC Additional Character Packs Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 will launch on the same day, September 17, 2026. Vol. 1 features Chiruriru and Tiramisu, while Vol. 2 features Ershir and Benedito, with each pack priced at 1,000 yen including tax. A Season Pass bundling Vol. 1 through Vol. 5 is planned for 4,500 yen including tax. Vol. 3 through Vol. 5 are scheduled for sequential distribution within 2026, featuring Iefa and Venefica, Iska and Claude, and Ashtia and Vict respectively. Several collaboration events are planned to commemorate the release. A limited-time collaboration cafe themed around The Banquet of Parsifal Palace will run at Nagoya PARCO from August 28 to October 5. Animate Cafe Gratte will be held at five Animate stores from September 12 to 30, offering items selectable from 19 characters. A trial play event will take place at the Happinet booth during Tokyo Game Show 2026 in September.
Saber Interactive announced Rideshare "Stimulator" on July 31, a driving simulation where players run a ride-sharing business and transport passengers through city streets inspired by European and American cities. The game, developed by UNIGINE, is scheduled for release in late 2026 on PC via Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. A core feature is realistic traffic rules: players must wait for traffic lights to change, yield to pedestrians, and navigate congestion to deliver passengers on time. Driving style and vehicle condition directly affect passenger ratings, reviews, and tips, which in turn allow players to purchase new vehicles and upgrades. Between rides, players perform maintenance such as cleaning and repairing their car. Each passenger brings a unique story, ranging from funny to strange, adding unpredictability to every trip. Steve Allison, Chief Business Officer at Saber Interactive, described the game as a blend of relaxing gameplay and driving simulation, and noted that players will experience exaggerated situations that real ride-share drivers might or might not encounter. The announcement positions the title as a new entry in Saber's simulation catalog.
Marvel Comics and WEBTOON announced three original webcomic series created exclusively for the WEBTOON platform during Marvel's Next Big Thing panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday. The slate includes Tony's Girl, That Time Deadpool Fell Into WEBTOON...and Found The Longest Title of All Time!!!, and X-Men Korea, all designed for vertical-scroll reading.
Yen Press announced on Thursday that it has licensed two light novel series under its Yen On imprint and one manga title. The company also revealed an audiobook adaptation of Mamoru Hosoda's Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki novel. Further announcements are planned at San Diego Comic-Con.
Microsoft announced on July 23 the introduction of 'Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC,' a feature that allows original Xbox games to be played natively on Windows PCs and handheld gaming PCs such as the ROG Ally. The early release version launched the same day with four titles: 'Blinx: The Time Sweeper,' 'Conker: Live and Reloaded,' 'Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge,' and 'Fuzion Frenzy.' These games can be purchased individually via the Microsoft Store or are included in all Xbox Game Pass plans. Players who already own the digital console versions can play on PC at no extra cost through Xbox Play Anywhere. The PC versions include customizable graphics settings such as up to 4x resolution upscaling, VSync, fullscreen and windowed modes, anisotropic filtering, and enhanced anti-aliasing. Microsoft plans to add the Achievements feature for these titles within the next few months, and for other original Xbox titles later in 2026. The company described this as the first step in a broader initiative to preserve and expand past Xbox games to Windows PC over time.
Crunchyroll announced it will stream the Assassination Classroom the Movie: Our Time film starting July 23 at 8:00 p.m. EDT with English, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles and an English dub. The film collects episodes cut from the original anime due to time constraints and is described by creator Yūsei Matsui as both a 10th anniversary project and a continuation of the main story.
On July 20, 2026, numerous anime, manga, and game franchises posted Marine Day greetings on social media. The Japanese national holiday, which honors the ocean and marks the end of the rainy season, prompted official accounts and creators to share beach-themed illustrations, character birthday messages, and promotional content. Among the posts, the official Kaiju No. 8 account promoted an upcoming original short anime titled "Narumi's Weekday" with a pun on the character's name and the kanji for sea. The MAPPA studio released a new illustration by Rie Nishimura for the soccer series DAYS, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. The Sound! Euphonium account reminded followers that the film Sound! Euphonium: The Final Part 2 opens on September 11. Classroom of the Elite noted that July 20 is also the birthday of character Honami Ichinose. The That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime account promoted the streaming of its movie Tears of the Azure Sea on U-NEXT. The Chiikawa movie account promoted the July 24 release of Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu. Voice actor Yuki Kaji posted a personal greeting, and the band Orange Range shared a summer song. The roundup, compiled by Anime News Network, spanned three articles covering dozens of entries.
Yasuki Tanaka's Summer Time Rendering suspense manga is getting a live-action film in 2027, directed by Ken Ninomiya. The announcement was made on July 22, the same date the series' events begin. A live-action project was originally announced in 2021 alongside the anime adaptation, which premiered in April 2022 and covered the entire manga.
Cover Corporation announced a collaboration with Medialink Group for an afternoon tea party-themed merchandise line featuring seven talents from hololive, hololive Indonesia, and hololive English. The products debut at ACGHK 2026 from July 24 to 28 at the Medialink Group booth.
The stage play adaptation of Itaru Bonnoki's manga The Vampire Dies in No Time will get a revival run at Tokyo's Theater H from November 20-29. Daiki Murakami returns to write, direct, and write lyrics, with Ikkei Yamamoto reprising his role as Draluc and Hiroki Suzuki as Ronald. The original play ran in June 2023.
Good Smile Company announced on July 15, 2026, that Evangelion Unit-13 from 'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time' will be released as a plastic model kit in the MODEROID series. Pre-orders opened on July 16, 2026, at 12:00 JST via Amazon.co.jp and other channels. The kit stands approximately 175mm tall, features articulated joints, and includes interchangeable hand parts, a Lance of Longinus, and interchangeable chest parts that allow reproduction of the sub-arms crossed state. It uses molded colors, pre-colored parts, and stickers to achieve a film-accurate color scheme upon assembly. The prototype is by Dyson Max. The kit is priced at 4,800 yen (tax included) on Amazon.co.jp, with a scheduled release date of January 31, 2027. The announcement was made on the official Mechasmile X account (@gsc_mechasmile).
Manga creator Niichi announced on July 19, 2026, that a television anime adaptation of their romantic comedy manga "Sometimes Even Reality Is a Lie!" has been green-lit for a 2027 release. The announcement was accompanied by a commemorative illustration from Niichi. The manga began as a self-published doujinshi in 2018 and was serialized on Niichi's X (formerly Twitter) account. Kadokawa's Chukei Publishing has been compiling the chapters into volumes since 2020, with eight volumes currently available. The ninth and final volume is scheduled to ship on September 16, 2026. J-Novel Club releases the manga in English. The story follows Kaoru Terasaki, a male gamer who plays a female character in an MMORPG. When he finally meets his long-time in-game friend Nanami Osaka in person, he discovers she is a girl. To avoid her overprotective father, Kaoru must cross-dress as a girl. The series blends romantic comedy with a gender-bending premise. No studio, director, or cast has been announced yet.
In an interview with Game Spark, developer Tim Trankle discussed his short deep-sea horror game 'There's Nothing Down There', released on PC June 4 for 264 yen. The 30-minute game was influenced by 'Iron Lung' and 'Subnautica', but also unexpectedly by the 'Sly Cooper' series, which inspired its navigation of giant alien machinery. Trankle emphasized designing a horror experience without chase sequences, focusing on an overwhelmingly large enemy.
MediaOCD announced on July 15, 2026, the next wave of titles for its Discotek Deep Dives initiative, adding 29 Blu-ray releases for July pre-order. The lineup spans multiple franchises, including extensive Lupin III collections, all five seasons of Symphogear, Mazinger Z parts 1 and 2, and the Saint Seiya Classic Movie Collection. Other notable additions include Sonic X (Japanese subtitled), Monster Rancher (English dub), Ultimate Muscle (English dub), Kiss×sis (TV and OAD), Marmalade Boy, and live-action adaptations of Dororo and Uzumaki. The initiative, which began in January 2026, aims to make Discotek Media's back catalog more accessible by adding 20 to 30 titles monthly, prioritizing releases that are becoming hard to find. All July titles are available for pre-order now and are expected to ship in the coming weeks.
Netflix announced a September 17 release date and a teaser trailer for its drama series 'Downtime,' which explores the cosmetic surgery industry. The full cast of 25 was revealed, including Mayu Matsuoka, Riisa Naka, Shotaro Mamiya, Minami Tanaka, Hiromi Nagasaku, and Atsuro Watabe. The series will stream all eight episodes at once.
Bilibili showcased a simulation RPG based on the long-running Hong Kong manhua The Ravages of Time at Bilibili World 2026. The game, titled Three Kingdoms: The Ravages of Time, focuses on Sima Yi and Liao Yuan Huo (later Zhao Yun) and features a strategist card system. A closed beta for PC and Android begins July 23 in mainland China.
U-NEXT released its viewership ranking for the first half of 2026, covering January 1 to June 8. The top 10 is heavy on sequels, with Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game Arc (Part 1) taking first place, followed by Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2 and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4. Spring premieres Yomi no Tsugai and Nihon Sangoku also made the list.