Game Freak's action RPG Beast of Reincarnation is in post-launch support, and on October 16 Game Freak said the high-frequency update cycle will end with a release around October 20. The studio is also promoting the mobile game Ame Nochi Hare Onna, which it pre-registered on September 14 for an iOS and Android release in Japan this winter.
Game Freak's year on paper split between two projects. Beast of Reincarnation, the action RPG about Emma and her dog Kuu in a ruined Japan in the year 4026, launched August 4, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, with day-one Game Pass support. The pre-release campaign ran through a PC Gaming Show cast reveal, a battle-system trailer in July, hands-on events in Tokyo, and a wishlist count past 1.2 million. The launch did not land clean. Steam user reviews settled at Mixed at roughly 54 percent positive from about 2,850 reviews as of August 10, and patches followed within days.
The post-launch cadence was steady and specific. Camera and subtitle fixes, larger text, and a default cutscene setting change came in v1.0.7. v1.0.11 added skippable events and a skill tree reset. v1.1.00 added VERY HARD and Merciless modes, auto item collection, and boss rebalancing. v1.1.01 added a way to skip three mid-game regions. On October 16 Game Freak said the high-frequency update cycle ends with a release around October 20, with recent Steam reviews now at Mostly Positive and feedback still accepted afterward.
The other project is Ame Nochi Hare Onna, announced September 14 for iOS and Android in Japan this winter, directed and produced by Shigeru Omori and co-developed with Chronogate. It uses Weathernews data so real weather changes play conditions. Game Freak ran its first solo Tokyo Game Show booth around it in September, recreating the Tensei Girls' Academy club room and handing out a revived in-house zine in 8,007 hand-stamped copies.
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Game Freak said on October 16 that the high-frequency update cycle for its action RPG Beast of Reincarnation will end with a release planned for around October 20. Steam user reviews opened at Mixed and recent reviews have risen to Mostly Positive. Patch v1.1.01, released October 10, added a choice to skip three mid-game regions by hurrying to the capital, plus a PC field of view option and an event skip toggle.
The Pokemon Company finished maintenance on Pokemon HOME on October 7 and turned on connectivity with the Nintendo Switch version of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. Players can now move Pokemon caught in FireRed and LeafGreen into the cloud service and carry them into other Pokemon titles. The transfer runs one way, so Pokemon sent to Pokemon HOME cannot go back to FireRed and LeafGreen. Completing the Kanto Pokedex (GBA) in the smartphone version of Pokemon HOME earns a Celebi housed in a Cherish Ball with the original trainer name Mitsurin. The same update raised the Pokemon HOME Premium Plan deposit ceiling from 6,000 to 9,000 Pokemon, with the plan's fee unchanged. Pokemon HOME is free to use on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. FireRed and LeafGreen arrived on Nintendo Switch on February 27, 2026 as a port of the 2004 Game Boy Advance remake of the original Red and Green.
Fictions released patch v1.1.00 for Game Freak's ARPG Beast of Reincarnation on October 2. It adds VERY HARD and Merciless, where Emma dies from a single hit, and extends HARD, VERY HARD, and Merciless to NEW GAME+. Auto item collection for enemy drops and field items also arrives, alongside revamped Aberrant Lord attack patterns, boss and enemy difficulty adjustments, ranged weapon and sword technique balance changes, and revised pacing in event scenes.
The Pokemon Information Bureau account posted a Respect for the Aged Day video on September 21 showing the old man Hagi chasing his Wingull, Peeko-chan, in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. The footage is noticeably clearer than an October 2021 Fishing Day post using the same game, and fans have read the difference as a sign that a Ruby and Sapphire port may be coming. No official announcement exists.
Game Freak ran a booth for the mobile game Ame Nochi Hare Onna at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held September 17 to 20 at Makuhari Messe. The booth recreated the Tensei Girls' Academy club room, showed exterior scenery updated with live weather from the venue, and sold official goods. Game Freak's Shigeru Omori and Chronogate's Katsunori Suginaka spoke about the project in a mini-interview.
Happinet is exhibiting at Tokyo Game Show 2026 across three venues at Makuhari Messe: the main booth in Hall 6, the Indie Game Corner in Hall 9, and the Family Game Park at TKP Tokyo Bay Makuhari Hall. More than 13 titles are playable at the main booth, alongside photo spots and campaign projects. Two released titles anchor the lineup. Game Freak's action RPG Beast of Reincarnation follows protagonist Emma and her dog companion Cu across a ruined Japan more than a thousand years after the world collapsed in the year 4026. Emma builds a gauge through sword attacks and parries, then spends it to issue commands to Cu. The game is on sale for PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, supports Game Pass, and has a packaged PS5 version. A life-size Cu photo spot is set up at the booth. Brigandine Abyss, a turn-based strategy game where 25 factions contest a continent against the New Abyss Lore Empire, gets an event-limited build. TGS2026 runs from September 17 to September 21, 2026, with September 17 and 18 as business days.
Game Freak is exhibiting solo at Tokyo Game Show 2026 for the first time, with a booth built around Ame Nochi Harejo, its new iOS and Android title announced days before the show opened on September 17. The game is scheduled for release this winter with pre-registration already open, and it links real weather data from Weathernews to play. Players build teams of magical girls called Harejo, whose weather traits match conditions in each region, and wash their Haregi uniforms, which function as health; sun dries laundry faster and rain lets players collect clothes other players are drying. Director Shigeru Ohmori said the weekly forecast icons inspired the system because they looked like energy cards. The booth at Makuhari Messe recreates the Tenharu Girls' Academy Harejo Club clubroom, displays a full-scale Machine Centakky vehicle that combines a kei truck and a washing machine, and hands out a revived mini-comic magazine titled Game Freak REBOOT in a run of 8,007 hand-stamped copies.
Overlap Inc. revealed the cover designs on September 15 for Pocket Monsters Visual Art Book, an art collection marking the Pokemon series' 30th anniversary. The three volumes release December 18. The set spans Pocket Monsters Red and Green (1996) to Pokemon LEGENDS Z-A M Dimension Rush (2025), gathering pixel art, 3DCG, illustrations, promotional art, and design documents, including unpublished material. Each volume runs roughly 500 pages, about 1,500 total, at 5,500 yen per volume.
Game Freak opened pre-registrations on September 14, 2026 for Ame Nochi Harejo, a smartphone game that uses Weathernews meteorological data so real-world weather changes play conditions. Players follow Harejo girls and their Kumorin partners. The reveal names six characters and voice actors, including Himawari Hiwatari (Hiyori Kawano), Yuri Amanohara (Minika Kawa), and Izu Shinozuki (Chinatsu Hirose), plus a laundry system that restores soiled Haregi battle outfits. A Tokyo Game Show 2026 booth runs September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe.
GAME FREAK announced on Monday a new mobile game, Ame nochi Hare Onna, set to launch for iOS and Android in Japan this winter. The game centers on Hare-onna magical girls who turn weather into power. Hiyori Kono voices lead Himawari Harewatari, with Mirika Kawa, Ayaka Fujimoto, Chinatsu Hirose, and Momoka Tsuji also named. Shigeru Oomori directs and produces, and CHRONOGATE is co-developing.
Game Freak's ARPG Beast of Reincarnation received patch v1.0.11 on September 9. It adds more skipable events, faster event pacing, skin reflection in movies, a skill tree reset, and ranged weapon input buffering. Future updates will add auto pickup of enemy drops and a difficulty mode above HARD. Steam reviews remain mixed, though recent reviews are trending slightly upward.
Game Freak's new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation launched on August 4, 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The developer known for Pokemon has assembled a cast including Yui Ishikawa, Akio Otsuka, and Akira Ishida, with direction by Kota Furushima and publishing by Fictions.
Game Freak's official YouTube channel released the second part of a development story video for Poko A Pokemon on August 7. Concept and senior director Shigeru Ohmori discusses the game's world and special Pokemon, including an early prototype trailer that helped establish the visual direction.
Game Freak announced the next patch for Beast of Reincarnation will implement DLSS 4 and FSR4, along with major adjustments to camera, subtitles, and event direction. The action RPG, released August 4, 2026, recently received update v1.005.000 with camera and subtitle fixes. Further patches will address player feedback.
Publisher Fictions released patch v1.0.7 / v1.005.000 for Game Freak's action RPG Beast of Reincarnation on August 10, 2026. The update addresses feedback gathered during the game's first week on sale, which saw Steam user reviews settle at a 'Mixed' rating with roughly 54% positive out of about 2,850 reviews as of August 10. Key changes include camera adjustments during and outside combat, larger text size, and a change to the default cutscene setting from cinematic to performance mode, which removes the 24fps playback by default. Combat tweaks adjust Emma's parry timing when taking damage, reducing consecutive hits, and rebalance bosses across all difficulty levels along with normal mode enemies. Bug fixes include making the sixth golem in the No. 1 Underground Residential Area easier to find, fixing an issue where Emma could not interact if a bloom skill was canceled, and resolving problems with upscaling settings resetting on restart and vertical sync affecting resolution. The patch notes also mention future plans for DLSS 4/4.5 (L/M) and FSR4 implementation, plus further story pacing adjustments. The game is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, with Game Pass support.
Game Spark's roundup of the final week of July 2026 highlights six titles, led by Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, which adds new costumes for Pyra and Mythra. The list also includes Game Freak's action RPG Beast of Reincarnation, the first-person Silent Hill: Townfall, and the indie horror Penguin Lifter.
Game Freak showcased Beast of Reincarnation at a media event ahead of its August release. The preview covered protagonist Emma and her canine partner Kuu, the combat system that blends real-time action with command RPG elements, and a talk session with director Kota Furushima.
Game Freak director Kohta Furushima said in an interview that Beast of Reincarnation, an action RPG about a girl and her dog companion in a ruined future world, has surpassed 1.2 million wishlists across all platforms. The game releases August 4. Furushima explained the development process, including why the dog does not speak.
Game Freak's new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation launched on August 4 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Happinet publishes the PS5 package version at 8,980 yen, while Fictions handles the Xbox and PC versions at 7,980 yen. The game is available on Game Pass from day one. Set in Japan in the year 4026 after the world's collapse, the story follows Emma, a protagonist shunned as a Corrupted One who has lost her emotions and memories, and her canine companion Kuu, as they travel west to defeat the Beast of Reincarnation. Director Kota Furushima, who previously worked on battle planning and sound management in the Pokemon series, said the concept is traveling with a partner, experiencing reliability and warmth alongside loneliness. The game fuses Emma's real-time action with Kuu's command-based strategy, and includes three difficulty modes. Furushima estimated the main story takes about 30 hours, with New Game Plus available for replay.
Game Freak's new action RPG 'Beast of Reincarnation' launches August 4 on PC (Steam/Microsoft Store), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Published by Happinet, the game follows protagonist Emma and her partner Kuu, a corrosive being, through a ruined Japan in 4026 AD. A hands-on preview from Automaton covers up to Chapter 1, describing exploration that lets players create plant footholds almost anywhere, giving a free-roaming feel compared to the 'Nier' series. Combat is described as a lighter 'Sekiro'-like system with parries, dodges, and simple controls; the parry window is generous on lower difficulties. Three difficulty levels (STORY, NORMAL, HARD) are available, and HARD tightens parry timing. Kuu assists automatically and via command-based 'Bloom Techniques' that consume a gauge refilled by parrying. The BGM features vocal tracks that convey a peaceful loneliness. Director Kōta Furushima said in a talk session that the concept was 'a harsh journey of one person and one beast,' with photorealistic graphics chosen to express that harshness. Development prototypes began around 2019, with full production starting around 2022, using Unreal Engine and multiple external studios. The dog partner was chosen because dogs follow commands, unlike cats.
Game Freak, the developer behind the Pokémon series, is releasing a new action RPG titled Beast of Reincarnation on August 4, 2026. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic Japan in the year 4026, where a phenomenon called corrosion has overrun the land, turning animals and plants into corrosive beings. Players control Emma, a girl who cannot understand emotions and is shunned as a sealed child, alongside her corrupted dog Kuu. Together, they journey to defeat the Beast of Reincarnation, the source of the corrosion. Combat combines Emma's real-time sword attacks and parries with Kuu's command-based Bloom Skills, which can be selected from a menu that slows time. Parrying builds resources for both characters, enabling powerful techniques. The game is not open-world but features large sandbox areas for each chapter, with camps for rest and upgrades. On July 23, 2026, Happinet held a media preview event at esports Style UENO in Tokyo, featuring a talk session with director Kōta Furushima. That same day, streamer 2BRO. hosted a trial play stream, billed as the fastest in Japan. Beast of Reincarnation will launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one.
Microsoft announced the Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass lineup for late July through early August 2026 on July 21. The slate includes seven titles total, five of which are day-one releases. Game Freak's new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation arrives on August 4, blending real-time and turn-based combat in a post-apocalyptic Japan. Halo: Campaign Evolved, a ground-up Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, launches on July 28 with new prequel missions, online co-op for up to four players, and additional weapons and vehicles. Other day-one titles include the cooperative horror game Shift at Midnight (July 22), the PvPvE extraction action game Mistfall Hunter (July 30), and the pirate city-building game Corsair Cove (July 31, PC only). The lineup also includes the action-adventure Hell is Us (July 23) and the enhanced FPS compilation Heretic + Hexen (August 4). The announcement also noted that Zenless Zone Zero version 3.1 on July 29 will reset login rewards for Game Pass members.
Publisher Fictions released a battle system introduction video for Beast of Reincarnation, the one-person, one-dog action RPG from Game Freak. The video showcases the parry mechanic, Bloom Techniques, boss weaknesses, and a skill tree, alongside three difficulty modes. The game launches August 4 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Publisher Fictions released a new trailer for Game Freak's action RPG 'Beast of Reincarnation' on July 15, 2026, focusing on the game's combat and growth systems. The game follows protagonist Emma and her partner dog Kuu in a post-apocalyptic Japan. Enemies display two gauges: health and a Down gauge. Parrying enemy attacks fills the Down gauge, enabling takedowns, and also builds FP required to activate Kuu's Bloom Arts. Bloom Arts are command-based skills selected in slow motion, allowing players to observe enemy movements. They can damage enemies, hinder actions, or provide buffs and healing. The skill tree system lets players spend SP earned during adventures to learn new abilities. Emma and Kuu each have three skill lines. Defeating bosses lets Emma absorb their power for new Bloom Arts. 'Beast of Reincarnation' launches on August 4, 2026 for PC (Steam, Microsoft Store), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with day-one Game Pass support.
Game Freak and Happinet announced the voice cast and pre-order bonuses for the action RPG Beast of Reincarnation during the PC Gaming Show on June 7. The cast includes Yui Ishikawa, Akio Otsuka, Miyuki Sato, Sumire Morohoshi, and Yu Kobayashi. Physical and digital deluxe editions include skins for the wolf-like partner Ku, including a Shiba Inu style. The game launches August 4 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Game Freak revealed the voice cast and release date for its new action RPG 'Beast of Reincarnation' during the PC Gaming Show 2026 on June 8, 2026. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic Japan in the year 4026, where a substance called 'taint' corrupts living things into corrosive entities. Players control Emma, a girl shunned as a 'tainted one' who lacks memories and emotions, and her white corrosive companion Kuu. The pair journey to defeat the Beast of Reincarnation, the source of the taint. The Japanese voice cast includes Yui Ishikawa as Emma, Miyuki Satō as Violet, Akio Ōtsuka as Brad, Sumire Morohoshi as Kagura, Yū Kobayashi as Kunai, and others including Akira Ishida, Satoshi Mikami, Rina Satō, and Tetsuo Kanao. Director Kōta Furushima described the game as a story of 'one person and one creature' born from a single sensation. 'Beast of Reincarnation' launches August 4, 2026 on PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. Physical editions for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S will also release on the same date, with store-specific purchase bonuses.