Yuji Horii released Komiya in the Interrogation Room, a short browser game he says he built in about 30 minutes by directing AI, on October 11, 2026. Earlier in 2026 he advised the Switch board game Karma x Cross, and he marked the Dragon Quest series' 40th anniversary in May.
Yuji Horii's 2026 activity spans three different kinds of work. In May, the Dragon Quest series turned 40. Horii, credited as the series' creator, posted a congratulation along with former series director Jin Fujisawa, voice actors, and the official Final Fantasy account. The franchise began in 1986 with a command-based RPG that helped popularize the genre in Japan.
In August, Horii was named advisor on Tensei Game Karma x Cross, a download-only Nintendo Switch board game from Any Inc. and ArtePiazza. It is a sugoroku party game about four people who died in accidents competing for limited reincarnation slots, and it released on August 6 at 3,980 yen. The same game carries an original concept by Muneyuki Kaneshiro, character design by Shintaro Majima, game design by Ayaka Sato, and direction by Sachiko Sugimura.
In October, Horii released a game of his own. Komiya in the Interrogation Room is a short browser adventure in which the player interrogates an old man named Komiya about a safe burglary. Horii said production took about 30 minutes and that giving instructions to AI can produce a reasonably good game. The game clears in about 5 to 10 minutes.
Between those, G-Mode announced The Portopia Serial Murder Case Continued: Burial of Oblivion at the September 9, 2026 Nintendo Direct. Horii is not credited in that announcement; the project is G-Mode's, structured like the Hokkaido Serial Murder: Murder on the Okhotsk remake with a full remake of the original plus a new story, and the Okhotsk team is handling it.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
2d ago
The Portopia Serial Murder Case Continues: Burial of Oblivion, with Yuji Horii as original creator and general director, arrives Thursday, March 4, 2027, on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. The full remake of the 1983 mystery adventure adds five new investigation files set in 1980s Kobe. Packaged Switch editions include the 1985 Famicom version on the cartridge; download and Steam versions do not. Prices run from 4,800 to 9,878 yen.
Oct 12
Yuji Horii released the short adventure game Komiya in the Interrogation Room on October 11, 2026. Players act as a detective interrogating an old man named Komiya, a suspect in a safe burglary, and must prove he is the culprit within the visiting time by exposing contradictions between his testimony and the evidence. Horii said production took about 30 minutes and that giving instructions to AI can produce a reasonably good game. It clears in about 5 to 10 minutes and runs in various browsers.
Sep 13
The Portopia Serial Murder Case Continued: Burial of Oblivion was announced at the September 9, 2026 Nintendo Direct, and G-Mode's Koichi Takeshita discussed the project in an email interview. The title follows the same structure as the Hokkaido Serial Murder: Murder on the Okhotsk remake: a full remake of the original game plus a new story. Takeshita said the Okhotsk team is handling it.
Aug 4
Any Inc. and ArtePiazza will release the Nintendo Switch board game 'Tensei Game Karma x Cross' on August 6 at 0:00 JST. The download-only title costs 3,980 yen and is also playable on Nintendo Switch 2. The game is a sugoroku party game where four players who died in unexpected accidents compete for reincarnation into an ideal next life, but only three of the four can be reborn. Matches last 22 turns, split into 11 turns in the first half and 11 in the second half, with an 8-sided die determining outcomes. All player actions, including good deeds, bad deeds, trust, and betrayal, convert into the in-game currency Karma. Players spend Karma to purchase and equip Reincarnation Vessels, which grant vessel value and skills for an advantage. Real negotiations unfold as players cooperate or betray each other over limited reincarnation slots. The game supports 1 to 4 players locally and 2 to 4 players via online play, with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription required for online matches. The creative team includes advisor Yuji Horii, original concept by Muneyuki Kaneshiro, character design by Shintaro Majima, game design by Ayaka Sato, and direction by Sachiko Sugimura.
May 28
May 27 marked the 40th anniversary of the Dragon Quest series. Creator Yuji Horii, former series director Jin Fujisawa, voice actors, and the official Final Fantasy account posted congratulations. The franchise began in 1986 with a command-based RPG that helped popularize the genre in Japan.