Tuesday, 8 September 2026
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Wiz

Wizardry Variants Daphne remains active with ongoing collaborations and events, including the Final Fantasy XI event running until September 10, 2026, and the 4 million download campaign. The Wizardry series overall is marking its 45th anniversary in 2026 with anniversary visuals and an upcoming anime adaptation.

Synthesized from 30 Yomimono stories · updated 1h ago

Drecom's Wizardry Variants Daphne has driven much of the series' recent momentum. The mobile dungeon RPG crossed 4 million downloads by August 2026, triggering a login campaign with rewards. Its first collaboration with another company's IP, Final Fantasy XI, launched July 30, 2026, and runs until September 10. The event adds a collaboration dungeon and story, three Final Fantasy XI characters as playable adventurers (Prishe, Iroha, Zeid), Relic Weapons, and a Trade Broker. Drecom invested in a major Tokyo transit ad campaign for the event, and the two directors said the content was built as one-off, with the initial plan cut to about half its size.

The Wizardry series itself is in its 45th anniversary year. Drecom released a main visual by Jun Suemi on June 11, 2026, featuring characters from Daphne and the Blade & Bastard novel. Blade & Bastard, a light novel set in the Wizardry world, is getting an anime adaptation scheduled for 2027, with a teaser PV revealing director Tomoki Kobayashi and animation by Shimpu. The anniversary also saw a special conversation between Wizardry co-creator Robert Woodhead and former Square Enix developer Hiromichi Tanaka, who discussed the series' influence on early Final Fantasy games.

The series also saw continued support for its older titles. Wizardry Gaiden: Five Trials received a scenario editor update adding continuous events and monster images, and its Switch version runs better on Switch 2. However, Steam keys for the game sold through an external store were revoked after an unauthorized low-price sale, which the publisher called a painful decision. Separately, Drecom repeated a Wizardry and Shigoto Neko collaboration pop-up in Tokyo in September 2026, following a well-received February run.

Key facts

Wizardry Variants Daphne downloads
Surpassed 4 million total downloads worldwide. ↗
Final Fantasy XI collaboration period
Ran from July 30 to September 10, 2026, in Wizardry Variants Daphne. ↗
First cross-company IP collaboration
The Final Fantasy XI event is Daphne's first collaboration with another company's IP. ↗
45th anniversary main visual
Drecom released a main visual by Jun Suemi for Wizardry's 45th anniversary on June 11, 2026. ↗
Blade & Bastard anime staff
Director is Tomoki Kobayashi; animation production by Shimpu; scheduled for 2027. ↗
Wizardry Gaiden scenario editor update
Added continuous events, more monster images, and new scenario settings. ↗
Wizardry and Shigoto Neko pop-up repeat
Second collaboration pop-up ran in Tokyo from September 17 to October 31, 2026. ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Release
game · September 3, 2026 · 2026-09-02
Noted
Owners of the existing Switch or PS4 version can upgrade for 330 yen. · 2026-09-02

Connections

Produces of
seibu kaihatsu

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/wiz. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

20h ago

Wizardry and Shigoto Neko Pop-Up Returns With Overtime Edition in Tokyo

Drecom will run a second Wizardry and Shigoto Neko collaboration pop-up shop in Tokyo from September 17 to October 31, 2026. The overtime edition, named Zangyou-hen, follows a February run that was well received. It will appear at Shosen Book Tower in Akihabara, Shosen Grande in Jimbocho, and Horindo Shoten Takadanobaba. Advance sales of new collaboration goods begin September 7 on DRECOM SHOP, with a Big Resurrection Sticker bonus for purchases of 10,000 yen or more.

5d ago

Arcade Archives 2 Brings Seibu Kaihatsu's Wizard to Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

Hamster announced Arcade Archives 2 Wizard for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, launching September 3, 2026, priced at 1,100 yen. The release includes a new interface, button remapping, rapid-fire settings, multiple save slots, rewind functionality, and online rankings. Owners of the existing Switch or PS4 version can upgrade for 330 yen.

Aug 29

Quiz RPG Black Cat of Wiz Collabs With Mitacle Block Figures

G-ant Inc. announced a collaboration between its Mitacle Block assembly figures and COLOPL's smartphone quiz RPG 'Quiz RPG: The Wizard and the Black Cat of Wiz.' The lineup includes a stage set reproducing Vires & Rashuri from the 'Soul Bunker' event and a set with Sonata & Etcetera and Wiz from 'Ah, Humanization.' Limited-time orders run from August 28 to September 30, 2026, on the official Mitacle Block EC site.

Aug 27

Sci-Fi Action RPG 'EXODUS' Set for April 7, 2027 Release

At gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, Wizards of the Coast announced that Archetype Entertainment's sci-fi action RPG 'EXODUS' will launch on April 7, 2027. The game is the debut work of Archetype Entertainment, a studio founded by veterans from BioWare, known for the Mass Effect and Baldur's Gate series. Set 40,000 years in the future, the single-player action RPG follows the protagonist Jun Aslan, a scavenger fighting to save humanity as it attempts to migrate to Alpha Centauri. The new release date trailer shows Jun adventuring alongside Salt, an intelligent octopus-like alien called an Octopod Awakened, who rides a mech and fights with the player. The game will be available on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. In Japan, the release date falls on April 8 due to the time difference. The game was previously slated for an early 2027 release, and this announcement solidifies the date.

Aug 27

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons Gameplay Revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live

At gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, held on August 26 Japan time, Wizards of the Coast and Invoke Studios revealed the first gameplay footage for Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons. The open-world RPG, based on the tabletop Dungeons & Dragons, is set for release in 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The protagonist is a seasoned warrior named Kaatri, who forms a dangerous contract with Tasha to find a loved one, wielding forbidden magic, spells, rituals, and weapons from other worlds. The trailer showcased battle scenes in dungeons and field-based gimmicks, giving a clear look at the game's combat, which combines various weapons and spells. The announcement follows the game's initial reveal in December of last year, with this being the first time gameplay has been shown. Wishlist registration has begun at various stores, with Steam and Epic Games Store listed for the PC version.

Aug 27

Colopl Announces Free-to-Play Quiz Action RPG 'Wiz Generation' for Winter

Colopl announced on August 26 that it will release 'Wiz Generation,' a new quiz action RPG for iOS and Android, this winter. The game is developed by STAR STUDIOS and will be free-to-play with item-based monetization. Pre-registration opened the same day across the App Store, Google Play, official X, and official LINE, alongside a teaser trailer and a giveaway campaign on the official X account.

Aug 20

Wizardry Variants Daphne Passes 4 Million Downloads, Launches Commemorative Campaign

Drecom announced that Wizardry Variants Daphne has surpassed 4 million total downloads worldwide. To mark the milestone, a campaign running from August 20 to September 9, 2026, gives all logging-in players 2,000 Orgu Gemstones plus Rare Remains. The update also adds the alternate style adventurer Heroine of the Evening Calm Elize, voiced by Yu Kobayashi, and the new quest Fordraig Labyrinth Exploration.

Aug 19

USJ Reveals Back to Hogwarts Goods and Menus for Harry Potter 25th Anniversary

Universal Studios Japan announced new goods and menus for the Back to Hogwarts event in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, starting September 1. The event celebrates the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Butterbeer with a commemorative mug, collectible pouches, robes, wands, and digital badges are among the offerings. Hogwarts Castle Walk returns for a limited run.

Aug 18

FFXI Collaboration in Wizardry Variants Daphne Recreates Relics, NMs, and Life Sentences

The Final Fantasy XI collaboration event 'Castle of Deep Dark Illusions' is now live in the dungeon RPG Wizardry Variants Daphne. The event brings Castle Zvahl into the Daphne world, with the Dark King's hatred eroding a lord's family. Zeid, Prishe, and Iroha join as playable characters, and the event reproduces FFXI elements including Relics, Notorious Monsters, and even the game's notorious 'life sentences'.

Aug 9

Broke Wizards Co-Op Game Announced by Scribblenauts Developer 5TH Cell

5TH Cell, the developer behind Scribblenauts, announced Broke Wizards, a co-op game for up to six players. Players take odd jobs to pay rent to a giant imp landlord, with activities ranging from monster extermination to magical crow races. The game launches on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store in August 2026.

Aug 7

Wizards of the Coast President John Hight Steps Down

John Hight will leave his post as president of Wizards of the Coast on September 1, per a July 27 SEC filing. He will then advise Hasbro for about a year, helping with the transition to his successor. Wizards is searching for the next president internally and externally.

Aug 6

My Happy Marriage Author Akumi Agitogi and Fiancée of the Wizard Artist Launch New Manga

Akumi Agitogi, author of My Happy Marriage, and Masaki Kazuka, artist of Fiancée of the Wizard, have launched a new manga titled Miko to Yashayome. Kadokawa's B's-LOG COMIC published Chapter 0 on July 24, and serialization began Wednesday. The story follows sorceress Miyabi Mori, who marries into the Koiwai family and tries to save her cursed husband Kuon.

Aug 5

Lies of P Complete Edition Hits Switch 2 on August 6

NEOWIZ released the download version of Lies of P: Complete Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 6, 2026, priced at 7,980 yen including tax. The Complete Edition bundles the base game Lies of P with the expansion content Lies of P: Overture, a prequel to the main story. Developed by ROUND8 Studio, the souls-like action RPG reimagines the fairy tale The Adventures of Pinocchio in the Belle Époque-inspired city of Krat, following the protagonist Zeppet's Puppet as it pursues its fate and the truth hidden in the world. The Switch 2 version has performance optimized for the console, and a post-launch update enables smoother graphics in handheld mode. It also includes difficulty adjustment options and challenge modes added with the DLC release. A packaged version, produced in partnership with iam8bit, is scheduled for October 2, 2026, priced at 7,900 yen. The base game and Overture together have surpassed 4 million cumulative sales worldwide, excluding subscriptions. Game director Choi Ji-won called the Switch release a historic moment for the team.

Aug 4

Wizardry Variants Daphne x FFXI Collab Ads Hit Tokyo Transit

Drecom has begun running transportation advertisements for the collaboration between Wizardry Variants Daphne and Final Fantasy XI, with displays appearing on the JR Yamanote Line, at 38 stations in the Greater Tokyo area, and inside taxis. The ads, which feature the collaboration's key visual, started appearing on August 1 and August 3, 2026. Static images are shown at stations and on trains, while video ads run on rear-seat monitors inside Tokyo taxis. Display periods vary by medium: station platform bench ads run through August 15, Yamanote Line hanging ads through August 16, and Akihabara Station's large digital signage and taxi in-car ads through August 9. The collaboration itself is a limited-time event, with the interview between the two directors revealing that quests, characters, voices, weapons, battle systems, and dedicated jobs were all built as one-off content. Square Enix's FFXI producer and director, Yoji Fujito, said the volume of content surprised even the supervising team, and Drecom's Daphne director, Keisuke Kanayama, noted the initial plan was cut to about half its original size.

Jul 31

Wizardry Variants Daphne Launches Final Fantasy XI Collaboration Event

Drecom opened the collaboration event between its 3D dungeon RPG Wizardry Variants Daphne and Square Enix's MMORPG Final Fantasy XI on July 30, 2026. The event, titled "Castle of the Deep Dark Fantasy," runs until September 10 at 12:59. It adds a collaboration-exclusive dungeon and story where a suspicious castle appears in Northern Hollow, the lord's sons go missing, and players must track the ghost castle to bring them back. Three Final Fantasy XI characters join as new adventurers: Prishe, the Cursed Child of Tavnazia, voiced by Aya Hirano; Iroha, the Singer of the Star's Song, voiced by Inori Minase; and Zeid, the Black Iron Whirlwind, voiced by Shin-ichiro Kamio. Players can obtain one of six recruitment items during the event, choosing among these three collaboration adventurers or three legendary adventurers: Red Beard, the Rebel Against God; Arboris, King of the Sea of Trees; and Avenius, the Flash. The collaboration also introduces Relic Weapons, special equipment obtainable with Gil and upgradeable through reforging, plus a Trade Broker in Northern Hollow Village for trading reforge materials. Special supplies and limited-time missions offer additional scrolls and Gil. A dedicated website includes a Collaboration Rank Test quiz and a promotional video.

Jul 28

Brown Dust 2 Reverts Title Screen to White Reaper After Store Policy Review

Neowiz announced on July 23, 2026, that the Brown Dust 2 title screen is being reverted to the previous White Reaper design, following Google's review standards and operational policies. The change has been distributed on Google Play and will come to iOS during the next maintenance. The earlier 3rd anniversary screen featuring Holy Justia had already been adjusted for iOS on July 2 due to App Store policies.

Jul 26

Wizardry Variants Daphne and Final Fantasy XI Collaboration Starts July 30

Drecom announced on July 24, 2026, that the 3D dungeon RPG "Wizardry Variants Daphne" (iOS, Android, PC) will begin a collaboration event with Square Enix's MMORPG "Final Fantasy XI" on July 30. The collaboration includes an item distribution within Final Fantasy XI: the equipment item "Mask of the Abyss," based on the player character "Masked Adventurer" from Wizardry Variants Daphne, will be given away during a distribution period scheduled for August. Further details of the event are to be announced in subsequent reports. To mark the collaboration, 4Gamer.net published a special conversation between Wizardry creator Robert Woodhead and former Square Enix developer Hiromichi Tanaka, who worked on the first three Final Fantasy titles. In the discussion, Tanaka noted that the ninja job in the original Final Fantasy was directly influenced by Wizardry, and that the medieval fantasy world brought to computers by Wizardry became a driving force for his work. Woodhead and Tanaka also reflected on the early days of computer game development, including packaging innovations and the experimental nature of titles like Wizardry IV.

Jul 23

Yellow Tanabe's Kai-hen Wizards Manga Resumes on July 29

Yellow Tanabe announced that her Kai-hen Wizards manga will resume in Weekly Shonen Sunday's 35th issue on July 29. The series went on hiatus on February 9. It previously paused in January 2025 and June 2025, returning each time within months. The manga launched in September 2024.

Jul 9

Wizardry Gaiden: Five Trials Scenario Editor Update Adds Continuous Events, Monster Images

The 20th anniversary sale for Wizardry Gaiden: Five Trials on Steam and Switch is ending soon, but the game is also getting a major scenario editor update. The update introduces continuous event functions, more monster images from DLC, and new scenario settings. Free portrait DLCs, including collaborations with Denki no Kissaten and Kitsune no Kaerimichi, are available. The Switch version has received two performance updates and is confirmed to run better on Switch 2.

Jul 9

NEOWIZ Appoints Former Wargaming CPO Chris Chung in Restructuring

NEOWIZ has appointed Chris Chung, former CPO of Wargaming, as head of its new Global Business Group. The company also restructured into three business units: New Game Development Group, Global Business Group, and Live Game Business Group. The move aims to strengthen global publishing and IP portfolio after the success of Lies of P.

Jul 3

Wizardry Variants Daphne and Final Fantasy XI Collaboration Set for Summer 2026

Drecom announced on July 3, 2026, that a collaboration event between the 3D dungeon RPG Wizardry Variants Daphne and Square Enix's MMORPG Final Fantasy XI will take place in the summer of 2026. Specific content and timing details are to be announced later. Final Fantasy XI began service in Japan in May 2002 and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2027. The game has released five expansion packs, including Chains of Promathia and Seekers of Adoulin, and its latest scenario, The Embryo of the Eclipsed World, has been distributed since 2020. Wizardry Variants Daphne is the latest entry in the Wizardry series, which marks its 45th anniversary in 2026. The collaboration will bring together the world of Vana'diel from Final Fantasy XI with the harsh dungeon exploration of Wizardry Variants Daphne. The announcement comes as Final Fantasy XI approaches its 24th anniversary in 2026.

Jun 30

Blade & Bastard Anime Teaser PV Reveals Staff, 2027 Release

Warner Bros. Japan released the first teaser PV for the anime Blade & Bastard, set in the Wizardry world. The dark fantasy series adapts Kumo Kagyu's light novel with character drafts by so-bin. The teaser shows first footage and reveals main staff including director Tomoki Kobayashi and animation production by Shimpu. The anime is scheduled for 2027.

Jun 27

Wizardry Gaiden: Five Trials Steam Keys Revoked After Unauthorized 90 Yen Sale

Game*Spark Publishing is revoking Steam keys for Wizardry Gaiden: Five Trials purchased on the external store DIRECT GAMES after the game was sold at an unintended price, reportedly 90 yen for a bundle normally priced at 7,146 yen. The publisher called the revocation a painful decision and directed customer inquiries to DIRECT GAMES.

Jun 12

Wizards of the Coast President Calls Japan the Source of TCG Culture

John Hight, president of Wizards of the Coast, visited Japan and gave an official interview. He discussed Magic: The Gathering's record sales in 2025, the importance of the Japanese market, and plans for Duel Masters' 25th anniversary in 2027. Hight described Japan as the source of TCG culture and said any TCG that succeeds there can succeed globally.

Jun 11

Wizardry 45th Anniversary Main Visual by Jun Suemi Released

Drecom released a main visual by illustrator Jun Suemi for the 45th anniversary of the RPG Wizardry on June 11, 2026. The artwork features characters from Wizardry Variants Daphne and the novel Blade & Bastard. A special survey collecting fan memories and messages runs until August 31.

Jun 8

NEOWIZ Names Developer Park Seong-jun as New Representative Director

NEOWIZ announced on June 8, 2026, that it has internally decided to appoint Park Seong-jun, head of the new development group, as the company's new representative director. He will serve alongside current representative director Bae Tae-geun after formal approval in August 2026. Park is the first representative director in NEOWIZ history to come from a developer background. He previously led development on "Lies of P" and its DLC "Lies of P: Overture." Current representative director Kim Seung-cheol will remain as an inside director.

Jun 2

Wizards of the Coast President John Hight Visits Japan, Meets TCG Community

Wizards of the Coast president John Hight visited Japan for the first time since taking the role in 2024, meeting the Tokyo office team and visiting TCG shops in Shibuya and Akihabara. In an interview with 4Gamer, he discussed the Japanese TCG community's considerate playstyle and the company's growth strategies for Magic: The Gathering, Duel Masters, and Dungeons & Dragons.

Jun 1

Wizardry 45th Anniversary Site Opens With Countdown to June 4

The official Wizardry series X account, operated by Drecom, announced the opening of a 45th anniversary special site on June 1, 2026. The site shows a countdown ending around 18:00 JST on June 4, when an announcement is expected. The series debuted in 1981 and reaches its 45th anniversary in September 2026. It is unclear whether the announcement involves the first five games, whose rights were acquired by Atari in May 2026, or the later titles held by Drecom.

May 29

Quiz RPG Black Cat No Wiz Teams Up With Mega Man Battle Network

Colopl announced a collaboration event between Quiz RPG: The Wizard and the Black Cat and Capcom's Mega Man Battle Network series, running from May 29 to June 30, 2026. The event includes a story, gacha characters, special Quiz Rush stages, and login bonuses offering the Rockman spirit and free pulls.