Kodansha Announces Buzz or Die Death Game Visual Novel for PC
Kodansha Game Creators' Lab announced on August 31 that the visual novel Buzz or Die, created by indie game developer Bon, will launch on PC via Steam in 2026. The announcement came with a renewed Steam store page, a new key visual, and a first trailer. The game is set in a variety show where death row inmates compete by making short videos that expose their opponents' secrets, with viewers' likes deciding the winner. The winner gains acquittal and one wish, while the loser faces public execution on live broadcast and becomes a model for slave androids, described as permanent destruction of dignity. Gameplay splits into an Investigation Part, where players read conversations and recollections to dig into an opponent's past, and a Thumbnail Creation Part, where they combine images and words to make a thumbnail that shapes the partner's short video. Players partner with Sagishima Sho, a former leader of a new religious cult, and face opponents including a former entertainer turned bomber, a genius hacker girl, a revolutionary, and a cannibal chef. Character portraits and event stills come from manga artist Atsushi Okada. The game supports Japanese, English, and Simplified Chinese. Kodansha also announced that Bon joined the lab as a member. The game contains violent and grotesque expressions and psychologically disturbing depictions.