Yumi Unita will launch a new manga titled Heights Nanten ~2-mei-sama Gentei Desu~ in the next issue of Shodensha's Feel Young magazine on September 8. The announcement appeared in the magazine's September issue, which is currently on sale, and was also shared on Unita's X/Twitter account.
The virtual music live project V.LIVE UNITE will launch a new paid live series, V.LIVE UNITE: RISING, with its first installment featuring KMNZ and Ryugasaki Rin on August 29. The online event, themed SUMMER ESCAPE, will stream on Z-aN and include unique performances from both acts.
A new Skyrim Special Edition mod called Effects 11 lets users apply ENBSeries presets through the open-source Community Shaders tool. The mod is available on Nexus Mods. It includes ENB extension plugin functions, though some presets may need extra requirements or may not be compatible.
Bandai Spirits announced a ROBOT魂 action figure of the Ingram Plus (AV-98Plus) Unit 2 from the new anime Patlabor EZY. Preorders open August 3, 2026, with a January 2027 release. The figure includes weapons, hands, an alternate head, and a newly sculpted Type 17 command vehicle.
Unity Technologies announced a new licensing system, Internal Deployment Add-On (IDAO), for its Unity Industry plan. Starting August 2027, organizations distributing Unity-made applications internally will pay annual fees based on monthly active users beyond 100. The move targets non-game uses and follows the retracted Runtime Fee.
Godot became the most-used engine at GMTK Game Jam 2026, taking 47 percent of the 10,511 tallied games to Unity's 34 percent. It is the first time Godot has led the event, which drew 10,777 submissions. The gap has narrowed since 2022, when Unity led 61 percent to 16 percent, and the two were nearly even in 2025. GameMaker took 5 percent and Unreal Engine 3 percent.
Good Smile Company has opened reservations for the MODEROID Evangelion Provisional Unit-05, a plastic model kit of the four-legged Evangelion piloted by Mari Makinami Illustrious in Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition. The kit is based on the unit's appearance at the start of Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance, where its non-humanoid form, running on four wheeled legs with pantographs on its shoulders, left a strong impression on viewers. The model stands approximately 160mm tall and measures about 270mm in total length, making it one of the largest in the MODEROID series. It uses molded colors, pre-painted parts, stickers, and decals to achieve color separation close to the film's look with assembly alone. The kit includes decals for markings, and several parts are swappable: the head can be posed open-mouthed, the right arm can carry the simplified Longinus spear (pseudo-restored type) or go without it, the shoulder pantographs are removable, and the large and small drills under the waist are reproduced with replacement parts. The leg tip connectors come in movable and fixed variants. The prototype is by Kenji Miyashita. The price is 11,000 yen including tax, with shipping scheduled for April 2027. Reservations at the Good Smile Company official shop run from July 31 to September 9, and partner shops will also handle orders.
KLab announced on August 3, 2026 that the free-to-play rogue-lite action game My Hero Academia UNITED SURVIVAL will begin service on August 6. The game is based on the My Hero Academia anime and manga series, and will be available on iOS, Android, and PC (Windows). Players form teams of three, strengthen each character's Quirk, and battle hordes of enemies. The game includes combination special moves that merge Quirks, as well as original scenarios and special moves not found in the main story. The playable roster spans students such as Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, and Shoto Todoroki, pro heroes including Shota Aizawa, Endeavor, and All Might, and villains like Himiko Toga and Stain. Pre-registrations worldwide have surpassed 700,000, unlocking rewards including Heavy Dumbbell (Shota Aizawa) x5 and Hero Stones x100. An additional reward for reaching 800,000 pre-registrations, the LR Collection The Story Until Becoming the Greatest Hero x1, has also been announced. Pre-registration remains open on the App Store, Google Play, and the official site.
Unity officially announced Unity 7 at Unite Seoul on July 21, 2026. The next-generation game engine is scheduled for early beta testing in December 2026 and a full release in the first quarter of 2027. Unity 7 directly inherits the architecture of Unity 6, meaning no rebuilding, new language learning, or breaking changes are required for migration. The engine is built around five pillars: a faster production environment using CoreCLR with near-instant Play Mode startup and shader builds up to 90% faster; an open and collaborative ecosystem with a new CLI and public API, plus a free MCP for coding agents; dramatic graphics evolution including real-time global illumination via Surface Cache GI and AI-driven optimization; smarter growth and monetization through Unity Vector AI matching players to games and native D2C IAP; and upgrade without breaking changes. Unity President and CEO Matt Bromberg said the future belongs to teams that leverage new technology, and Unity 7 is the platform for that moment. The announcement comes as Unreal Engine overtook Unity in adoption rates in a GDC 2026 survey, with Unreal at 42% and Unity at 30%.
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).
The new mobile game My Hero Academia UNITED SURVIVAL, a roguelite action title from KLab and gumi, is now accepting pre-registrations on the App Store, Google Play, and the official website. If 500,000 players register, everyone will receive a gacha ticket that lets them choose one of three SR characters: Deku, Bakugo, or Todoroki. The game is scheduled to release within 2026.
The Japan eSports Association has officially confirmed 25 athletes as Japanese representatives for the e-sports events at the 20th Asian Games in September. The team includes fighting game players Higuchi (Street Fighter 6), NOBI (Tekken 8), and SCORE (The King of Fighters XV), along with representatives from eFootball, Gran Turismo 7, Puyo Puyo eSports, Identity V, Pokémon UNITE, and PUBG MOBILE. Four coaches will also accompany the team.
Good Smile Company announced six new Brickroid figures from the Rebuild of Evangelion films, including Evangelion Unit-01 Awakened Ver., Unit-00, Unit-02 Beast Mode Second Stage, Mark.06, the Fourth Angel, and the Tenth Angel. A Building A + Base Set also joins the lineup. The Evangelion figures release in December 2026, and the building set in November 2026.
Blitzway has begun accepting pre-orders for the Carbotix Evangelion Unit-01 action figure, designed with a focus on realistic functionality and die-cast metal construction. The standard version costs 36,300 yen, while a DX version with a hangar is priced at 58,300 yen. Pre-orders opened June 30.
Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, United Artists, and Amazon MGM Studios have acquired the film rights to The Mandela Catalogue, a YouTube analog horror series. Original creator Alex Kister will direct and co-write the script with Tyler Clifton. The series, launched in 2021, follows alien beings called Alternates that impersonate humans in a fictional Wisconsin county.
Premium Bandai opens pre-orders July 3 for a metallic repaint of the Deforeal Evangelion Unit-02 Beast "G" Mode figure, a Godzilla vs. Evangelion crossover piece depicting Unit-02 eroded by G-cells. The 17cm PVC figure costs 16,500 yen and ships in September 2026.
SEGA FAVE Co., Ltd. launched the Gekichumai Original Song Portal on July 1, 2026, aggregating over 1,300 original songs from arcade rhythm games maimai, CHUNITHM, and ONGEKI. The site allows browsing by song, previewing tracks, viewing in-game level data and related videos, and creating and sharing playlists. A playlist creation campaign tied to the upcoming maimai Deluxe MUSiC LiVE2026 event runs through July 10.
Medicom Toy is re-releasing the MAFEX Evangelion Unit-01 action figure from Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time at a new price of 14,850 yen. The 19 cm figure includes a Cassius spear, Progressive Knife, Pallet Rifle, Gatling Gun, and an optional umbilical cable. Pre-orders are open for a September 2026 release.
SEGA FAVE launched CHUNITHM Mate, the latest version of its arcade music game, on July 2, 2026. The update adds new songs, collaboration events with Monster Hunter Wilds and Takopi's Original Sin, revival events for Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and Groove Coaster, new maps, unlock challenges, and a song linkage event between maimai DX and ONGEKI.
Threezero has announced a new Robo-Dou action figure of the Griffon from Patlabor, this time equipped with a newly sculpted Aqua Unit. The 1/35 scale figure features a zinc alloy die-cast frame with 60 points of articulation, cloth covers with weathering, and metallic paint on round details. Pre-orders open July 2, 2026, with shipment scheduled for Q1 2027 at 25,490 yen.
Unity Technologies revised its terms of service on June 30, requiring prior approval for using Unity offerings or derived data in AI model training. Access via AI agents, LLMs, and MCP clients is now limited to frameworks Unity operates or designates. The change appears to steer AI tool usage toward Unity's official AI Gateway and Unity MCP Server, while some users rely on third-party alternatives.
The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association appointed Kis-My-Ft2 member Toshihiro Miyata as the official supporter for Tokyo Game Show 2026. Miyata, known as a gaming enthusiast and co-founder of the YouTube channel Houkago GAMING LIFE, will help promote the event's 30th anniversary. TGS2026 runs September 17-21 at Makuhari Messe.
Blitzway Japan announced pre-orders for the CARBOTIX Evangelion Unit-01 die-cast action figure, opening June 30, 2026. The figure comes in a standard edition and a DX Ver. with a hangar diorama. The standard edition costs 36,300 yen, the DX Ver. 58,300 yen, with shipments scheduled for December 2026.
Bandai opened pre-orders on Premium Bandai for the HG 1/144 Hydra Gundam from New Mobile Report Gundam W Dual Story G-UNIT, alongside seven reissue kits including the RG Mass Production Z'Gok, HG Gundam Griepe, and HG Gundam Geminass. The Hydra Gundam transforms into mobile armor form and costs 5,500 yen.
The staff of Pokémon Unite announced an original live-action short project to mark the game's upcoming fifth anniversary. Further details on the project's story and other information are teased for later. The game is also adding Legendary Pokémon Yveltal, Palkia, Reshiram, and Solgaleo over the next two months as part of anniversary events.
Good Smile Company and Max Factory are adding Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Shikinami from the "Rebuild of Evangelion" films to their PLAMATEA line of movable plastic model kits. Both figures stand approximately 170mm tall and are scheduled for release in December 2026 at 7,700 yen each. The Rei Ayanami kit includes three expression parts-serious, smiling, and glaring-with decals for eye direction, plus a glasses case accessory. The Asuka Langley Shikinami kit includes smiling, embarrassed, and "Are you stupid?" faces, along with a puppet accessory. Both models feature movable joints, pre-painted parts, and color-separated molding. They come with a base that has a movable support arm and can hold weapons from the separately sold MODEROID Evangelion Unit-01 kit. Prototype production is by SELECT D.
Arc System Works announced a new RPG, Shinbō no Kurifa, during its ARC SYSTEM WORKS Showcase on June 25, 2026. The game is a tactical counter timeline RPG developed jointly with Unit+, a company formed in November 2025 from the merger of Aquria and Aplus. It is set in a 2030 Tokyo where a disaster called the World Collapse caused ground subsidence in Shibuya, releasing monsters. Players control two protagonists: Soma Hoshikami, a boy with mysterious powers, and Elena Hizuki, a public security officer specializing in monster countermeasures. The story progresses by selecting areas on a map, with investigation scenes presented in an adventure format. Battles use a timeline system where players chain skills; enemy attack timing is visible on the UI, and landing a counter when two yellow circles overlap deals massive damage. The game is nearly fully voiced. Shinbō no Kurifa launches on September 24, 2026 for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Pre-orders begin today and include three additional skins for each protagonist and a high-difficulty battle mode called Voidfall, consisting of 16 battles. A teaser trailer and official website have also been released.
Medicom Toy will release a 100% size 2-piece BE@RBRICK set featuring Evangelion Unit-01 and Unit-13 from Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, updated with a new painted chrome finish. The set is scheduled for September 2026 at 4,950 yen. Each figure stands about 7 cm tall.
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.
Sega Fave will launch the new arcade music game version CHUNITHM Mate on July 2, 2026. A pre-release livestream on July 1 will feature gameplay, GeKi! ChuMai information, and a 10th anniversary retrospective with special guest players.
Naichi, the operator of the free game sharing site unityroom, announced on June 17 that the site now supports Godot Engine's GDExtension feature. This allows users to upload games that use native C++ code via GDExtension, significantly expanding the range of Godot games that can be posted. Thread Support remains unsupported. The site began accepting Godot games in April but previously lacked GDExtension compatibility.
4Gamer's "Weekly Pro Gamer File" series profiled Serata, a 22-year-old Pokémon UNITE pro for DetonatioN FocusMe. The piece covers his career, practice habits, and goal of representing Japan at the World Championship Series. Serata cited FENNEL's Mame as a respected player and Shohei Ohtani's "Stop admiring" philosophy as a personal motto.
A fictional VTuber named Jaded_Ember became the focus of an April 2 episode of NBC's 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,' titled 'Vivid.' The episode, directed by Norberto Barba and written by Roxanne Paredes and Nicholas Evangelista, features the character confessing during a livestream that she was sexually assaulted. Two fans vandalize her ex-boyfriend's car in response, leading the SVU team, led by Capt. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), to investigate. The person behind the VTuber, April, is portrayed by Canadian actress Sarah Desjardins. The episode was first noticed by VTuber Ice mage Sol, who posted about it on X/Twitter. VTuber NewsDrop reported that the series commissioned actual VTuber artists for the model: Somie handled the character design, and Shatra created the Live2D model, with a three-day deadline. Some VTubers, including Sol and Kendra Bratton, expressed disappointment that the VTuber aspect was only used as an introductory plot device, with the rest of the episode focusing on trauma and memory. NBC did not comment on the episode's production.
Bandai Spirits will release the HG 1/144 Messer M01 Type (GauMan Unit) on May 30, 2026. The kit is based on the mass-produced mobile suit from Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash - Kirke's Witch. It includes new mold parts, a gray left shoulder for GauMan's unit, and a stress-free skirt structure. Armaments include beam sabers, a long beam rifle, spike shoulder armor, and a small shield. Price is 3,740 yen.