Sunday, 12 July 2026
Anime, manga, and games, with a take · A Yukimedia publication

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Key

Key is a brand of Visual Arts, with 17 visual novels currently discounted up to 65% off in a Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion running until July 10.

Synthesized from 18 Yomimono stories · updated Jun 28

Key, the visual novel brand under Visual Arts, is currently running a broad promotional campaign. A Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion, announced on June 27, 2026, offers discounts of up to 65% off on 17 Key titles, including 'Kanon', 'AIR', 'CLANNAD', 'Little Busters!', and 'Summer Pockets'. The sale runs until July 10, 2026, and bundles the brand's most recognized works at steep discounts during a major seasonal Steam event.

The sale represents the most recent public activity from the Key brand. No new game announcements, development updates, or staff changes have been reported in the stories provided. The brand's current status is defined entirely by this ongoing Steam promotion, which makes a broad catalog accessible to a wide audience.

No other stories in the provided cluster address Key's production pipeline, future releases, or internal operations. The brand's presence in the current news cycle is limited to this retail event, with no indication of new projects or shifts in strategy.

Key facts

Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion
Visual Arts is holding a Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion on 17 titles from its Key brand, including 'Kanon', 'AIR', 'CLANNAD', 'Little Busters!', and 'Summer Pockets', with discounts up to 65% off. ↗
Sale end date
The sale runs until July 10. ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Noted
Visual Arts is holding a Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion on 17 titles from its Key brand · 2026-06-27

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/key. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

3d ago

Deck-Building Roguelike 'DEAD SPIN' Announced With Electric Shock Punishment

Strong Monkey Games announced DEAD SPIN on July 9, a deck-building roguelike set in a ruined casino. Players duel opponents using slot machines, with the loser receiving an electric shock. Between rounds, players purchase chips and symbols to customize their slot contents. The developer describes it as a combination of Inscryption and Balatro with amplified eeriness. A playtest is open on Steam until July 19. The game is scheduled for release on PC.

Jun 30

Shueisha Games Cancels Release of Indie Title Ukiyo

Shueisha Games announced on June 30 that it will cancel the release of the PC adventure game Ukiyo, which was in development by Free Key Design. The game, set in a cyberspace world with a Japanese-style aesthetic, follows a samurai cat named Kai trapped in a virtual space called UKIYO. It had been shown at events like BitSummit and Tokyo Game Show in 2022, but updates on its official X account had stopped. Shueisha Games apologized to those waiting for the release and said future information will come from the developer. According to Game Spark and GameBusiness.jp, the publisher and developer on the Steam store page have been changed to FREAKY DESIGN, which was previously handling the design aspect. The game was originally part of Shueisha's Game Creators CAMP support project. Seaknot Studios, which handled game system production, has not commented on the change.

Jun 27

Toei Animation Details 2D-3D Hybrid Film Monkey Quest for 2027

Toei Animation presented its next film project, the 2D-3D hybrid animated film Monkey Quest, at the Annecy Festival. Studio SANZIGEN is handling the 3D animation. The film follows a girl and her brother who free a forgotten protector of Earth. The cast includes Adam Devine, Elsie Fisher, and J.K. Simmons. The film is in post-production and aiming for a 2027 release.

Jun 27

Key Visual Novels Up to 65% Off in Steam Summer Sale 2026

Visual Arts is holding a Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion on 17 titles from its Key brand, including 'Kanon', 'AIR', 'CLANNAD', 'Little Busters!', and 'Summer Pockets', with discounts up to 65% off. The sale runs until July 10.

Jun 22

Human Pupation Project Launches Acrylic Keychain Series for VTuber Cast

PANDORA Inc.'s VTuber training project, the Human Pupation Project, will release a series of acrylic keychains called KEY-UNIT, modeled after participating cast members, starting June 22, 2026. Each cast member gets three designs representing different stages of their activity story: ERROR, SYNC, and OVERRIDE. The project frames the items as a way to generate revenue beyond live streaming.

Jun 19

Monkey Punch's 1978 'Lupin vs. Clone' Poster Becomes a T-Shirt

GEEKS RULE is releasing a T-shirt featuring Monkey Punch's original theatrical poster art for the 1978 film 'Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo' (also known as 'Lupin vs. Clone'). The 15-color silkscreen print uses advanced color separation to reproduce the complex artwork. Priced at 12,100 yen, it goes on early sale June 20 at DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA, with a later lottery sale online.

Jun 19

PUKEY GODDESS SHOT TRICK Gets Fall/Winter 2026 Release Window

Alliance Arts announced on June 19, 2026, that its new PC title PUKEY GODDESS SHOT TRICK will launch in fall/winter 2026. The game is a Russian roulette drinking survival title where players face the yandere demon Fam Sœur, voiced by Nanahira, at the hellish bar Pandemonium. Players choose shot glasses with varying alcohol levels and toast repeatedly, aiming to get the demon drunk enough to make her spill her soul. As the player character becomes more intoxicated, they can break the rules and use drunkard tricks to survive. The game features seven or more destructive endings and includes exploration of a 3D hellish bar. The producer and scenario writer is WHO YOU (Fūshō Hayashi), art director is odyk, and all music is composed by Aiobahn +81. The theme song DEMON'S SHOT is written and performed by DEMONDICE. The Steam wishlist count exceeded 400,000 within about a month and a half of the initial announcement at INDIE Live Expo 2026.4.25. Alliance Arts also opened an official BOOTH store selling a double-sided acrylic stand of Fam Sœur and a die-cut sticker set.

Jun 19

The Yellow Monkey VR Live Exhibition to Tour Three Cities From August 17

A touring VR live exhibition for The Yellow Monkey, featuring immersive footage from their June 2025 show at GLION ARENA KOBE, will run at venues in Tokyo, Aichi, and Hyogo starting August 17, 2026. The exhibition also includes costume displays, photographs, and a special reunion anniversary area at the Tokyo stop.

Jun 17

Lupin The 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo Gets 15-Color Silkscreen T-Shirt From GEEKS RULE

GEEKS RULE announced a collaboration T-shirt for the 55th anniversary of the Lupin III anime. The shirt reproduces Monkey Punch's original theatrical poster for the 1978 film Lupin vs. Clone using 15-color silkscreen printing. It will be available for early sale at DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA on June 20, with a lottery sale later online.

Jun 10

ModRetro M64 Nintendo 64 Compatible Console Launches Overseas in July 2026

ModRetro, led by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, will release the ModRetro M64, a Nintendo 64 compatible console using an AMD FPGA, overseas on July 28, 2026. The console plays original cartridges without dumping, and the company states no copyright or patent issues exist. A live demo was shown at AMD's COMPUTEX 2026 booth.

Jun 9

DK Challenge Event Comes to Nintendo Switch Online for Limited Time

Nintendo announced during its June 9 Nintendo Direct that a new event called DK Challenge will be available exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 users through the Nintendo Switch Online app. The event runs from June 10 to September 1, 2026, and lets players complete challenges set in various Donkey Kong works to earn challenge cards. Separately, the paid DLC DK Island & Emerald Rush for Donkey Kong Bananza will host a collaboration with Super Mario Bros. The collaboration features Donkey Kong and Pauline wearing Mario-themed costumes, with mushrooms and coins appearing in stages. The first of four planned collaboration rounds begins immediately after the Direct ends.

Jun 9

Vampire Survivors Developer poncle to Open Japan Studio, El Shaddai Creator as President

poncle, the UK-based developer of Vampire Survivors, announced plans to establish a Japan studio by the end of 2026. Sawaki Takeyasu, the creator of El Shaddai and representative director of crim, will serve as the studio's representative director and president. Takeyasu announced the appointment on his X account on June 9, 2026, saying he would support poncle founder Luca Galante and the team while preparing the studio. The Japan studio aims to streamline communication with Japanese partners and create new collaboration opportunities. Takeyasu previously collaborated with poncle on a crossover between his game Mythological Construction Star Note and Vampire Survivors, and also created the package design for the spin-off Vampire Crawlers. Galante has said he grew up experiencing Takeyasu's work and felt honored that Takeyasu enjoyed Vampire Survivors enough to make a homage. The announcement coincides with the reveal of a new brand called SURVIVATON for future poncle survivor-like games, and a new expansion pack Legacy of the Bloodmoon for Vampire Survivors.

Jun 4

Nintendo Adds Donkey Kong 64 to Switch Online Classics

Nintendo has added Donkey Kong 64 to the NINTENDO 64 Nintendo Classics service for Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. The 1999 3D platformer now includes rewind and save-anywhere features, and the official N64 controller remains available for purchase separately.

Jun 2

Holo Hokey Brings Hololive Air Hockey to VR

Holo Indie released Holo Hokey, a VR air hockey game where players become a Hololive VTuber. Priced at 500 yen, the game offers three modes, character-specific special abilities, and 80 challenge stages. The review notes the game provides a rare opportunity to interact with Hololive members in virtual space.

Jun 1

Irocks And Shirakami Fubuki Release Keyboard And Ergonomic Chair

COVER Corporation and iRocks have launched a collaboration featuring hololive talent Shirakami Fubuki. The lineup includes a K85R PRO triple-mode mechanical keyboard and a T29 flagship ergonomic chair, both with exclusive Fubuki-themed illustrations and design elements. The products are available now through iRocks.

May 28

Donkey Kong 64 Joins Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics on June 4

Nintendo will add Donkey Kong 64 to the Nintendo 64 Nintendo Classics library on June 4, 2026, the company announced on May 28. The title is available to subscribers of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, Donkey Kong 64 is a 3D action game developed by Rare. It features five playable Kongs: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Tiny Kong, Lanky Kong, and Chunky Kong. Players explore eight hub worlds, collect Golden Bananas, and battle the Kremling army led by King K. Rool. The game includes side activities such as collecting coins and blueprints and photographing fairies. It also contains a multiplayer mode for up to four players and bonus content that unlocks the original 1981 arcade Donkey Kong and the 1983 game Jetpac. Donkey Kong 64 previously appeared on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015, but that service ended in 2026. The re-release is the first time the game has been available on a Nintendo platform since then. The Nintendo 64 Classics service is also playable on the Nintendo Switch 2.

May 24

Grand Blue Dreaming Season 3 Reveals Key Visual and Opening Song Artist

The official website for the Grand Blue Dreaming anime revealed a key visual and the opening theme song artist for the third season on May 24, a date recognized as "Scuba Diving Day" in Japan due to a wordplay on "Go to Sea." The band FUNKY MONKEY BΛBY'S will perform the opening theme song titled "Natsuko." The season is set to premiere in July on Tokyo MX, BS11, MBS, and AT-X channels. This season will take the cast to Palau, marking the first time the setting has been outside Japan. New cast members include Sayaka Ohara as Sayaka Kotegawa, Asami Seto as Chief, and Aya Suzaki as Maki. The second season ended in September 2025, and the third season was announced shortly after its finale. The anime is produced by studios Zero-G and Saber Works, with Shinji Takamatsu returning as director, scriptwriter, and sound director. The manga by Kenji Inoue and Kimitake Yoshioka began serialization in Kodansha's Good! Afternoon magazine in April 2014 and has 26 volumes as of April 2026.

May 22

Toei Animation GM Says Anime Is No Longer Exclusively Japanese

Toei Animation general manager Asama Yosuke told Variety at Cannes that the era of anime being made only by Japanese people is over, saying the studio aims to create works rooted in local cultures with creators worldwide. The remark from a foundational studio executive signals a potential shift in the industry's self-definition.