Wataritama Studio announced the PC management sim "Kako de Buzutte VTuber -2018 kara nara Buzurerun ja!?" for Steam, launching within the year. Players time travel to 2018 and try to go viral as a VTuber in one year, raising five stats and reading weekly trends. Failing resets subscribers and money but keeps skills. Clearing the game unlocks Reality Mode.
A graphics comparison video from ElAnalistaDeBits shows how Mario Kart 8 Deluxe performs on Nintendo Switch versus Switch 2 after the recent compatibility update. The Switch 2 version reaches 4K in docked mode, cuts course load times from 9.33 seconds to 3.50 seconds, and adds eight-player versus play. Frame rates stay at 60fps for two-player matches on both consoles.
Dengeki Hobby Web summarizes new model train announcements from the 25th International Railway Model Convention held August 21-23, 2026, at Tokyo Big Sight. KATO showcased its upcoming THE ROYAL EXPRESS cruise train and Keio 5000/5100 series, while TOMIX displayed EF58 locomotives and the Salon Express Tokyo. HO and Z gauge items from other makers were also covered.
Bandai Namco will sell new merchandise for Ace Combat, Tales of, Katamari Damacy, and other series at TGS2026. The early sales run September 17 to 21 at the ASOBI STORE branch in Makuhari Messe Hall 11. Items include a Katamari Damacy King Rainbow tissue box cover, a Little Nightmares Twin Chefs T-shirt, and an Ace Combat 8 tumbler. Pre-orders open on ASOBI STORE on September 28, with shipping planned from the end of January 2027.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro series at a special event on September 9 (September 10 in Japan), and price projections from Taiwan's TrendForce suggest a significant increase over the current models. According to TrendForce's smartphone market research released September 3, the iPhone 18 series could cost 10 to 20 percent more than the previous generation. U.S. outlet MacRumors applied TrendForce's earlier June forecast of a 14 to 18 percent rise to these projections, estimating the iPhone 18 Pro will start at 1,249 to 1,299 dollars, or roughly 220,000 to 230,000 yen in Japan, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max could start at 1,349 to 1,399 dollars, about 230,000 to 250,000 yen. That would mark an increase of roughly 25,000 to 35,000 yen over the current iPhone 17 Pro, which starts at 1,099 dollars (194,800 yen in Japan), and the iPhone 17 Pro Max at 1,199 dollars (214,800 yen in Japan). TrendForce attributes the higher prices mainly to surging memory costs, which it says could rise nearly 400 percent year over year for the 256GB Pro model in the third quarter of 2026. Total component costs for that model are seen climbing about 38 percent year over year.
Aoshima Bunka Kyozai-sha is adding two kits to its 1/12 scale The Bike plastic model series, both due in January 2027. The Kawasaki Z1A 900 SUPER4 '74 reproduces the 1974 export model in tiger color, with rubber tires, vinyl pipes, and metal screws. The Honda Z50J Gorilla '78 recreates the 1978 catalog specification of the long-running Monkey derivative. Prices are 3,520 yen and 1,540 yen, excluding tax.
Rokuhan is releasing two Z gauge sets that reproduce the 500 Series Shinkansen's retirement commemorative logo, ahead of the train's full retirement in July 2027. The 8-car set (T013-8) forms the full V8 formation and includes stickers for the logo on cars 1 and 7. A 5-car add-on set (T013-9) holds only middle cars and combines with separately sold sets. Both ship October 31, 2026, and are available for preorder on Amazon.
ATS MODELS is taking pre-orders on Amazon.co.jp for a 1/64 scale SUBARU IMPREZA WRX (GC8) 1997 model in black and white. Each finished product sells for 6,930 yen including tax and is scheduled to ship on January 31, 2027. The model reproduces the flared body, hood air intake, sport wheels, and large rear wing of the 1990s rally car, with a hood that opens to reveal the EJ20 engine. A display base and clear case are included.
Bandai Spirits is re-releasing two Master Grade kits from the MSV line through Premium Bandai. The MG 1/100 Mass Production Hyaku Shiki Kai and the MG 1/100 FA-78-2 Heavy Gundam open for pre-order on September 4, 2026 at 11:00. The Hyaku Shiki Kai is priced at 6,490 yen and ships in February 2027, while the Heavy Gundam is 5,390 yen and ships in March 2027.
The King of Fighters series has a new entry: KOF98 IF (King of Fighters'98 Infinite Fighting), a 6vs6 turn-based card deck RPG based on KOF '98. Service began on August 31 via Mobage and Yahoo! Mobage. The game is free-to-play with item purchases and requires no installation, which the developers chose to let players jump into the world of KOF quickly from their smartphones. A release press conference was held on September 1, where CenturyUU president Shun Katsube, development representative Jeff, and DeNA's Toshihiro Arakuda discussed the concept. Katsube expressed confidence in the browser format, crediting cooperation with a Chinese developer that has worked on KOF-related titles for over 10 years. At the event, Enako and Minami Ami were announced as official cosplayers for Athena Asamiya and Mai Shiranui, respectively, appearing in costume. The game includes PVP, team-wide training systems, story scenarios, and light play elements such as a fishing game. A giveaway campaign for a signed three-piece set runs until September 30.
Google released Gemini 3.8 Flash and Gemini 3.8 Flash Cyber on September 2, 2026. The Flash model improves multi-step reasoning for software development and AI agents, while the Cyber model handles vulnerability discovery and fixing. API prices stay flat until January 1, 2027, when they double.
Inuv8 Studios announced on its official X account that it has joined the official PlayStation Partner program. The studio said the agreement is for console publishing and is not Sony-exclusive, so its games will still release on Steam and other platforms. Founded in mid-2022, the studio is developing Project OVERRIDE, a high-speed third-person action adventure, and Midnight Dreams, an adventure puzzle platformer. Project OVERRIDE is the studio's first commercial project.
NIJISANJI will sell new merchandise for its eighth anniversary starting September 7, 2026 at 18:00 on the official store. The 8th Anniversary line includes random metal cards and a memorial book. The 8th with cake! line includes stickers, keychains, and collect books. Forty livers take part, and the official store's 6th anniversary campaign opens at the same time.
KADOKAWA released "Learn with Amagami Konomi and Suki! Middle School English Words & Phrases 1800" on September 1. It is the first study reference book by Amagami Konomi, a self-produced VTuber with over 840,000 YouTube subscribers, supervised by Kawai Juku English teacher Yuma Moriya. The 224-page volume covers middle school vocabulary, phrases, and conversation expressions, with fill-in-the-blank dialogues and a red sheet to hide answers.
Psych suspense adventure Rain98, set in 1998 Tokyo and centered on a girl who wants to destroy the world, has passed 80,000 Steam wishlists. Developer C#4R4CT3R is in the final stage of demo development, polishing text, effects, UI, and sound. The game will appear at PAX West in Seattle on September 4 and TOKYO GAME SHOW from September 17 to 21. The demo is planned for release within 2026.
On September 1, 2026, CenturyUU held a release commemoration presentation for King of Fighters'98 Infinite Fighting at Panda Studio in Akasaka, Tokyo. The browser game, produced under official license from SNK's The King of Fighters'98, began service on Mobage and Yahoo! Mobage on August 31. It is a 6vs6 turn-based card deck RPG in which players build a dream team of six fighters and battle players nationwide or fight alongside allies. CenturyUU president Shun Katsube, JEF of the development team, and DeNA's Toshihiro Arakuda, whose company operates Mobage and Yahoo! Mobage, took the stage. Enako and Minami Ami appeared as official cosplayers, dressed as Athena Asamiya and Mai Shiranui respectively. Enako said the KOF series is one of the works that sparked her interest in fighting games, and as an official cosplayer she wants fans to enjoy it. Minami Ami said she was honored to be chosen for Mai Shiranui's prominent position and will do her best to convey the game's appeal. The game's official X account is running a giveaway for signed goods, including T-shirts signed by both cosplayers at the venue.
Kotobukiya has opened orders for Heavy Weapon Unit 80 Evil Axe Gray Ver., a new M.S.G Modeling Support Goods kit built around an oversized battle axe with a clear blue blade and gray frame. The kit recombines into dagger, spear, and hand axe forms, and its frame parts are shared with the Evil Scythe for cross-combination. It is priced at 1,980 yen and ships in January 2027.
Kaiju No. 8 THE GAME, the joint project by Akatsuki Games, Toho, and Production I.G, has released main story Part 2 Chapter 1 'New Threat' as part of its 1st anniversary. The chapter sends Kafka, Iharu, and Suteddo through an artificial dimensional gate into parallel worlds to face Dimension-identifying Kaiju D. A new ★5 unit, [Shunretsu no Sai] Furuhashi Iharu, wearing an upgraded CLOZER suit, joins the gacha alongside the SG-Asukai shotgun.
Nintendo distributed a free update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on September 2, 2026, adding features that use the Nintendo Switch 2's performance. Update version 4.0.0 is the first since May 2025, a gap of about one year and four months. When played on Switch 2, the game now supports up to 8-player split screen on a single console, provided each player has a controller. Camera play is also supported, using a separately sold USB camera such as the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera. Players' faces appear above their characters during races, showing who is nearby and who overtook them, and the feature works with game chat. The update also supports the Switch 2's display and high-resolution televisions, and shortens load times for races and battles. Balance changes make race speed faster by the equivalent of one coin, and using the Boo item to become transparent no longer slows the player on dirt. Owners of the Booster Course Pass can now select 96 races in VS Race rule settings.
Nintendo released update Ver.4.0.0 for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on September 2. On Switch 2, the racer supports clearer display on the internal screen and high-resolution TVs, up to 8 players on one console with enough controllers, and camera play via USB camera. Load times before races and battles are shorter. Race speed is up by one coin's worth, and Boo no longer slows on dirt while transparent. Booster Course Pass owners can select 96 races in VS mode.
Disk Union will reissue GANASIA's "ELECTRICAL COMMUNICATION," the opening theme of Rockman 8, on November 25, 2026. The track arrives as a limited 8cm CD reprint and a first 7-inch record pressing to mark its 30th anniversary. The CD costs 2420 yen, the record 3300 yen, and a set with a bonus sticker 5720 yen.
The HGUC 1/144 Ball K Type (08th MS Team version) and Ball (Shark Mouth specification) set is getting a re-release. Pre-orders open September 1, 2026 at 11:00 on Premium Bandai for the January 2027 shipping batch. The set costs 1,980 yen (tax included) and is manufactured by BANDAI SPIRITS. The Ball K Type from Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team reproduces its distinctive arms, boosters, winch, and headlight with new parts, and its complex color scheme with molded colors. The Ball from Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO carries the Shark Mouth mark from episode 3 and the Trump mark from episode 5, with its arms, window, and boosters reproduced using additional parts. Each Ball comes with a dedicated stand. The kit is a 1/144 scale snap-fit model in PS and ABS plastic.
Bandai Namco Entertainment released the online mode trailer for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve on September 1. The mode is positioned as the game's end content and the largest online mode in series history. Players take the role of mercenary pilots gathering at an air base lobby where up to 100 players can connect at once. The main missions are CooP Assault, a PvE mode in which two teams of four cooperate on missions and compete for high scores, and CooP Warfare, a PvPvE mode in which two teams of four fight each other alongside NPC units. CooP Warfare includes a threat level system: surviving without being shot down raises your threat, which increases score gained from kills but also the score given to opponents when you are shot down. Reaching three stars marks a player as an ace aircraft. Special missions include Emergency Sortie, where eight players face the series' signature giant weapons, and Scramble, a four-player fight against NPC rival units. The game launches October 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.
On August 31, Kodansha announced that Ikkado Ito's manga "The Long Summer of August 31st" will receive both a TV anime and a TV drama adaptation. Shaft, the studio behind "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" and the "Monogatari" series, handles animation production. The time-loop comedy, serialized in Morning, has all 13 volumes in print.
BANDAI SPIRITS Collectors Division opened the product page for the METAL STRUCTURE Kaitai Shouki RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (AEUG Specification), a completed robot figure priced at 137,500 yen. It stands about 310mm tall with over 2,500 parts, includes a High Mobility Combat Form, and is scheduled for general retail release in January 2027. Sofmap will hold a lottery sale from August 28 to August 31.
Indonesian publisher Game Changer Studios is releasing two new games developed primarily in Indonesia, now with newly added Japanese language support. The narrative adventure game '1998: The Toll Keeper Story' for PC/PS5 was released for PS5 on August 8 and deals with the 1998 Asian financial crisis. The tarot-themed healing visual novel for PC, 'The Spirit Weaver', received Japanese support on May 25. Both works differ from the studio's previous dark fantasy style.
The Clinic For Medical and Health Information Channel posted a video on August 27 in which Dr. Hirokazu Muraoka discusses THE KING OF FIGHTERS '98 for about 55 minutes. The channel usually covers medical topics with videos around 10 minutes long, making this the longest video on the channel. Muraoka, who describes himself as not a gamer, calls KOF98 his favorite game and proposes an ideal remake.
Astract Japan LLC began selling the EZ Clipper 802, a new ultra-compact model in the 3-Second Nail Clipper series, on August 28, 2026, via Makuake crowdfunding. The series has received over 20 million yen in cumulative backing. The new model trims nails by filing with a roller blade and adds a medium trimming mode.
CFD Sales will release the TCX-280DF/RTX 3060-12GB external GPU box on August 28, priced around 180,800 yen. The unit, a Sparkle Computer product, uses Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120Gbps class bandwidth and targets video editing, 3D design, and AI work. It supports 85W Power Delivery, Thunderbolt Share, and up to five displays.
BANDAI SPIRITS opened pre-orders on August 27 for the METAL STRUCTURE Kaitai Shouki RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (AEUG Specification) from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. The 310mm figure is priced at 137,500 yen and releases in January 2027. It is built from roughly 2,500 parts and features three armor forms, LED gimmicks, and a maintenance hanger base.
Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5.8 added MCP support as an experimental feature in June, letting AI operate the engine. Shin Seishi tested it with GPT-5.6 Sol in the Codex environment and found it practical for event scene creation. The test produced a demo video for Math Magic's Hi3D v3.0 AI 3D modeling service, showing tasks that take humans time and effort can be shortened significantly.
The stage adaptation of the mobile game 18TRIP, titled Omotenashi Stage '18TRIP' -R1ze & Ev3ns-, opened August 25, 2026, at KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre. The production splits into two acts: Act 1 follows morning team R1ze, Act 2 follows prisoner idol group Ev3ns. The dress rehearsal report details character movements, songs like Dawn, and the Monkey Cage prison setting.
Bandai Spirits' Collectors Division opened preorders on August 27, 2026 for the METAL STRUCTURE Kaitai Shouki RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (AEUG Specification), a top-tier finished robot figure priced at 137,500 yen including tax. The model stands approximately 310mm tall and is composed of over 2,500 parts. It reproduces the Gundam Mk-II's standard silhouette while adding original Kaitai Shouki setting gimmicks, most notably the High Mobility Combat Form, where the backpack thruster layout changes and armor panels deploy for heat dissipation imagery. The figure includes opening armor sections and a chest jack-up mechanism that exposes a spherical cockpit. A dedicated base with parts reminiscent of a catapult allows display in the launch scene pose from the series, and the set includes work arms, worker figures, and various beam effect parts. Standard equipment such as a beam rifle, hyper bazooka, vulcan pod system, and shield are included, with original arrangement options like attaching a launcher to the beam rifle or converting it to a short-barrel specification. The product uses ABS, PVC, and die-cast materials, and features light-up gimmicks in the body and base. Release is scheduled for January 2027 as a general retail product.
Sega announced the V8 Power Pack DLC for Project Motor Racing, releasing September 15, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The pack adds nine V8-powered vehicles, including modern Australian touring cars, current American TA2 machines, and 1960s-1970s American road racers, plus the laser-scanned Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta circuit.
Crystal of Atlan begins a collaboration with SNK's KOF '98 on August 27, running until September 17 at 14:59. Mai Shiranui appears as a battle NPC. A versus event, login event, collaboration-exclusive costume, and a limited gacha for a chibi Mai Shiranui companion are part of the crossover.
Tokyo Game Show 2026 announced on August 24 that it will distribute free official LINE stamps in collaboration with popular game characters. The stamps became available on August 25 and will be distributed until November 16. Users can obtain them by adding the official TGS2026 LINE account as a friend. The lineup includes Cloud from Final Fantasy VII, Sonic from the Sonic series, Diana from Pragmata, and Astro from Astro Bot. Also included is Tasha Severskaya from Ace Combat 8, a title that has not yet been released. Each stamp features lines that symbolize the characters, such as "Not interested" and "TOO EASY!" Ahead of the distribution, silhouettes of eight stamps were revealed, hinting at the characters and their catchphrases. The event itself is scheduled to run from September 17 to September 21, spanning five days, the longest in its history. Tokyo Game Show marks its 30th anniversary this year, having first been held in 1996.
BANDAI SPIRITS is releasing three new Gunpla in its ENTRY GRADE series with ukiyo-e themed packaging and Japanese-pattern stickers. The RX-78-2 Gundam, Wing Gundam, and Strike Gundam all arrive on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Each kit features the series' signature touch gate design, allowing parts to be snapped off the runner by hand without nippers, and a snap-fit design that requires no adhesive. This makes the kits suitable for first-time builders. The color-coded parts produce a color scheme close to the box art when assembled. Newly included Japanese-pattern stickers let builders recreate the ukiyo-e style paint depicted on the packaging. The RX-78-2 Gundam and Strike Gundam are priced at 1,430 yen each including tax, while the Wing Gundam is 1,760 yen including tax. All three kits are 1/144 scale and include their respective weapons and a shield. BANDAI SPIRITS markets the ukiyo-e packaging as a possible souvenir for overseas customers, adding a traditional Japanese design element to the model kits. The Wing Gundam's packaging features an innovative Japanese design with wings spread when displayed on a separately sold action base.
Apple announced on August 27, 2026, that it will hold an online event on September 10, 2026, at 2:00 a.m. Japan time. The event, with the catchphrase "Surprise and shine," is expected to introduce new iPhone models. Reports point to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, along with Apple's first foldable iPhone, which sources call the iPhone Ultra. The event date follows Apple's usual early-September schedule, a year after the iPhone 17 series announcement. The foldable iPhone is the main focus, with estimated retail prices of $2,000 to $2,500, roughly 320,000 to 400,000 yen. Market research firm IDC predicts first-year shipments will exceed 10 million units. The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to keep similar designs, with upgrades including a variable aperture main camera, a smaller Dynamic Island, and the C2 modem chip. The standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air are not expected at this event, possibly arriving in spring 2027. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 may also appear. The event streams on Apple's website, YouTube, and Apple TV.
Bandai Spirits opened reservations on August 27, 2026 for several new items in its Tamashii Nations figure lines, including two METAL ROBOT Soul figures from the Gundam x hololive production collaboration. The METAL ROBOT Soul <SIDE MS> Nu Gundam [Sakura Miko Ver.] is priced at 24,200 yen, and the Sazabi [Hoshimachi Suisei Ver.] at 28,600 yen, both shipping in January 2027. Reservations for the Nu Gundam began at 16:00 and for the Sazabi at 17:00 on August 27. The figures feature special coloring based on the VTubers' image colors, dedicated bases, and collaboration markings. The company also opened reservations for the METAL STRUCTURE Kaitai Shouki RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (AEUG Specification), a 310mm figure priced at 137,500 yen, also shipping in January 2027. The Kaitai Shouki figure includes LED gimmicks and three armor deployment forms. These items were displayed at the Bandai / BANDAI SPIRITS booth at TOKYO TOY SHOW 2026, alongside other collaboration figures including RG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.2.0 [HOLOLIVE PRODUCTION Ver.] and RG Crossbone Gundam X1 [Houshou Marine Ver.].
Sycom's standard gaming PC line, the G-Master Spear, is being refreshed as the G-Master Spear 2. The new series drops the Cooler Master MasterBox CM694 case for a Fractal Design Epoch S custom model made for Sycom. Three models are listed: the Z890i for Intel Core Ultra 200S, the B760i D4 for 14th gen Core with DDR4, and the X870A for AMD Ryzen 9000. The review covers the Z890i, priced at 453,130 yen, or 404,150 yen during the summer campaign.
New goods from the 18TRIP x Sweets Paradise collaboration cafe go on sale September 2, 2026 at five Sweets Paradise locations. Four characters, Renga Nishizono, Kiroku Kinugawa, Kinari Azekawa, and Nagi Hachinoya, appear in newly drawn patissier outfits. The lineup includes acrylic figure stands, trading badges, clear files, tote bags, and hologram ticket cards, with trading items sold individually or as full sets.
First Gear will release three 1/50 scale painted die-cast finished models of Komatsu construction machinery, imported and sold by Platz in September 2026. The lineup includes the compact hydraulic excavator PC78US-11, the large bulldozer D475A-8, and the motor grader GD955-7, each with moving parts and detailed interiors.
A well-known leaker claims the iPhone 18 Pro Max will be the first iPhone with a variable aperture camera, a feature that will not appear on the smaller iPhone 18 Pro. The leak, posted on Weibo by Ice Universe on August 18, says the Pro Max exclusively features the variable aperture and suggests Apple cannot escape the weight of a brick for the highest camera experience.
As summer sales wind down, GAME Watch rounds up deals across the Nintendo eShop, PS Store, and Steam. Featured titles include "Little Nightmares 3," "Capcom Belt Action Collection," "KINGDOM HEARTS III" at 60% off, "Like a Dragon 8" at 75% off, and more, with most discounts ending by late August.
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.
Kaiju No. 8 THE GAME is running its 1st anniversary event, adding a new ★5 character, Kikoru Shinomiya, wearing Identified Kaiju Weapon (Numbers) 4. The special event Valkyrie of Admiration is live, offering over 1,500 Dimensional Crystals and an in-game home background. The character gacha begins August 20, 2026.
D4 Enterprise began distribution of EGG Console The Legend of Heroes III: The White Witch Renewal PC-9801 on the Nintendo eShop on August 20, 2026. It is the 112th title in the EGG Console series, priced at 980 yen including tax. The game is an RPG originally released by Nihon Falcom in 1994, based on the original The Legend of Heroes III with system and game balance improvements, carrying the Renewal name in its title. Players control Julio, a timid boy, and the heroine Chris as they set out on a pilgrimage as part of a village coming-of-age ceremony, eventually becoming interested in the White Witch and approaching the mystery surrounding her. The game uses a top-down random encounter system with auto-battle, and early on there are few allies and some difficult battles, but adjusting battle settings from the command menu allows fighting according to the situation. It is a long story consisting of 9 chapters, and the prologue and chapter 1 alone reportedly have more volume than the previous work. The EGG Console version includes a Scene Select mode allowing use of data from immediately after the start of each chapter, and a Gallery mode for viewing the manual and package design from the time.
Alibaba released the open model Qwen3.8 27B on August 15. Third-party analysis from Artificial Analysis on August 17 gives it an Intelligence Index of 52, tying GPT-5.6 Luna, and an Agentic Index of 51, surpassing GPT-5.6 Terra and Claude Opus 4.8. The model runs locally.
Railway model writer Wakabayashi Kenya selected 10 N gauge and HO scale products that stood out from releases and announcements between January and June 2026. The list covers KATO, TOMIX, and Popondetta items, including the KATO Kiha 181 series in JNR color and the TOMIX JNR KumoHa 40. The picks appear ahead of the International Railway Model Convention in August.
Crunchyroll added the 86 television anime back to its service last Friday. The series had been removed earlier this year, between April 7 and May 23, according to the Internet Archive. The anime, based on Asato Asato's light novel, premiered in April 2021 and aired for two cours, with the second cour starting in October 2021.