Games

gamesrelease 3 sources · Aug 18

Kernel Hearts Sets September 17 Release, Demo Adds Japanese Voice

The demo update directly addresses player feedback on difficulty and progression, signaling the developer's responsiveness ahead of the full release, which could influence the game's reception at launch.

Automaton, Game Spark
gamesrelease 4 sources · Aug 18

Mortal Shell II Launches to Strong Steam Numbers and Critical Praise

The strong early access numbers and high review scores suggest Mortal Shell II has overcome the mixed reception of its predecessor, positioning it as a notable success for the soulslike genre in 2026.

4Gamer.net, Automaton, Denfaminicogamer, and 1 more
gamesannouncement 4 sources · Aug 18

Card Make Arena Announced, Lets Players Design Cards and Battle

Card Make Arena turns deck-building itself into the core strategy, rewarding players who deliberately design weaker cards, a twist on the genre that could appeal to fans of Lizardry's unconventional game design.

4Gamer.net, Automaton, Denfaminicogamer
gamesrelease 3 sources · Aug 18

Hearts of Iron IV Japan's First Official Guide Gets Print Edition

The print edition responds to a practical pain point for PC strategy players: the need to consult dense reference data without breaking focus from the game screen, a need that digital guides on the same device cannot fully address.

4Gamer.net, GAME Watch, Game Spark
games 1 sources · Aug 18

Pictonico! Free Mini-Games Rise to 10 Until September 15

The expansion of free content in Pictonico! gives players more ways to engage with the photo-based mini-game format without purchasing add-on packs, potentially broadening the app's appeal during the limited period.

4Gamer.net
gamesevent 3 sources · Aug 18

Unreal Fest Tokyo 2026 Set for November 3-4 in Ariake

ASCII.jp reports that last year's event drew approximately 1,800 participants, the largest to date, and this year plans more than 30 sessions, the most in the event's history, signaling continued growth in the Japanese Unreal Engine developer community.

GAME Watch (Impress), 4Gamer.net, ASCII.jp
games 2 sources · Aug 18

Sleeping Dogs Movie Moves Forward as Simu Liu Reports Contract Talks

The project has now moved from a script draft and a director announcement to active contract talks with Square Enix, which is the first concrete sign of studio-level progress since the Donnie Yen version collapsed in January 2025.

Game Spark, GameBusiness.jp