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GungHo
GungHo Online Entertainment is managing the shutdown of its mobile game Disney Pixel RPG, which will end service on September 30, 2026, while also preparing to release Ninjala 2: The Uncharted Planet for Nintendo Switch 2 in spring 2027. The company is also dealing with the fallout from the July 2026 arrest of former executive Takanori Kikuchi on embezzlement charges.
Synthesized from 4
Yomimono stories · updated
1d ago
GungHo Online Entertainment has had a turbulent mid-2026. In June, the company announced Ninjala 2: The Uncharted Planet during a Nintendo Direct, its first major game for the Nintendo Switch 2. The sequel shifts from the original's arena battles to an open world with new traversal and co-op play, and is set for a spring 2027 release.
July brought two significant developments. On July 1, GungHo announced that Disney Pixel RPG, a smartphone command battle RPG featuring Disney characters in pixel art, would end service on September 30, 2026, roughly two years after its October 2024 launch. The company did not disclose a reason. Paid item sales stopped immediately, and gacha draws will end on August 19. Unused paid currency will be refunded after the service ends, and the official website and customer support are scheduled to close on January 13, 2027.
On July 12, Tokyo police arrested Takanori Kikuchi, a former executive in GungHo's systems division, on suspicion of breach of trust for allegedly embezzling about 246 million yen through fictitious business orders. Kikuchi has admitted to the charges. GungHo had filed criminal charges in October 2025 but kept the matter confidential during the investigation. The arrest caps a case the company had kept quiet for months, following a change in top leadership earlier in the year.
Key facts
- Former executive arrested for embezzlement
- Takanori Kikuchi was arrested on suspicion of breach of trust for allegedly embezzling about 246 million yen through fictitious business orders; he has admitted to the charges. ↗
- GungHo filed charges in October 2025
- GungHo filed criminal charges against Kikuchi in October 2025 but kept the matter confidential during the investigation. ↗
- Disney Pixel RPG end-of-service date
- Disney Pixel RPG will end service on September 30, 2026, at 11:00 JST. ↗
- Disney Pixel RPG launch date
- The game launched on October 7, 2024. ↗
- Ninjala 2 announced for Switch 2
- GungHo announced Ninjala 2: The Uncharted Planet for Nintendo Switch 2, with a spring 2027 release window. ↗
- Ninjala 2 introduces open world
- The sequel introduces the series' first open world, along with new traversal abilities and co-op play. ↗
- Disney Pixel RPG refund process
- Unused Red Crystals will be refunded through a dedicated form after service ends; players are advised to keep their in-game ID and inquiry code. ↗
Timeline
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
All coverage
1d ago
Season 4 of LET IT DIE: INFERNO opened September 8, 2026, with GungHo Online Entertainment and Super Trick Games abolishing the PvEvP system that triggered battles with other players during exploration. The game is now PvE-focused. The reborn Hell Gate lets players choose routes by body rank, with different enemy threat levels and equipment quality. New weapons Chemical Popper and Summon Chella were added, and a Steam sale discounts all editions 60% from September 9 to 23.
Sep 1
GungHo Online Entertainment announced a capital and business alliance with Sony Music Entertainment Japan. SME will acquire 12,006,500 GungHo shares from SON Financial LLC for about 28.6 billion yen (roughly US$179 million) in an off-market transaction. Pending regulatory approval, SME becomes GungHo's largest shareholder and an affiliated company. The two will explore joint development and operation of smartphone, console, and PC games, plus new projects using SME Group IP. GungHo keeps its Tokyo Stock Exchange listing.
Aug 29
Sony Music Entertainment and GungHo Online Entertainment announced a capital and business alliance on August 28. SME will acquire all 12,006,500 common shares held by SON Financial LLC, GungHo's current largest shareholder, at 2,385 yen per share for about 28.6 billion yen. The transfer, scheduled for December 30, 2026, gives SME a 23.29% voting rights stake, making it GungHo's largest shareholder. The companies plan to combine GungHo's game development with Sony Music Group's entertainment expertise.
Aug 13
GungHo Online Entertainment announced on August 13, 2026 that Ragnarok: Adventures, an auto-battle RPG in the Ragnarok Online series, will launch in Japan. The game is scheduled to begin service in 2026 on iOS and Android through the App Store and Google Play, with a free-to-play model and optional paid items. Pre-registration opened the same day via the App Store, Google Play, or by following the official X account. The title has already been released overseas under names such as Ragnarok Idle Adventure Plus. Unlike previous Ragnarok series MMORPGs, which used horizontal screens and real-time communication, Ragnarok: Adventures uses a vertical screen designed for one-handed play and an idle system where characters grow and collect items even when the game is not running. The game retains series elements including pop characters, a wide variety of jobs, skills, and stat-based character customization. It also includes strategic battles with NPC companions, guild content, town-building in a My Town area, and fishing. A campaign on the official X account runs from August 13 to August 25, 2026, offering 30 winners a 5,000 yen Amazon Gift Card for following and reposting.
Jul 12
Takanori Kikuchi, a former executive at GungHo Online Entertainment, was arrested by Tokyo police on suspicion of breach of trust for allegedly embezzling about 246 million yen through fictitious business orders. He has admitted to the charges. GungHo had filed criminal charges in October 2025 but kept the matter quiet during the investigation.
Jul 6
GungHo Online Entertainment announced that the smartphone RPG Disney Pixel RPG will end service on September 30, 2026, roughly two years after its October 2024 launch. The reason was not disclosed. Paid item sales ended July 1, and gacha draws will end August 19. Unused paid currency will be refunded.
Jul 1
GungHo Online Entertainment announced on July 1 that its smartphone RPG Disney Pixel RPG will end service on September 30, 2026, at 11:00 JST. The game launched on October 7, 2024, and will run for about two years. The announcement came via the game's official X account and a notice on the official website. Until the service ends, the developer plans to add more main story content and run various in-game events. Sales of paid items stopped on July 1. Sales of Red Crystal payment items, gacha using Red Crystals, and stamina recovery will end on August 19 at 11:00 JST. Blue Crystals will remain usable until the service termination. Unused Red Crystals will be refunded through a dedicated form after the service ends; players are advised to keep their in-game ID and inquiry code. The official website and customer support are scheduled to close on January 13, 2027. The game is a command battle RPG featuring Disney characters in pixel art, including Mickey Mouse, Pooh, Baymax, Stitch, and Maleficent in themed costumes.
Jun 10
GungHo revealed Ninjala 2: The Uncharted Planet, a sequel to its 2020 free-to-play Switch game, during a Nintendo Direct livestream on Tuesday. The game is set for a spring 2027 release on Nintendo Switch 2 and introduces the series' first open world, along with new traversal abilities and co-op play.