SEGA and RGG Studio just dropped the theme song for STRANGER THAN HEAVEN, and the lineup is wild: Snoop Dogg, Ado, Official Hige Dandism's Satoshi Fujihara, and Tori Kelly on a single track. We break down Ado's record-breaking Hibana world tour (500,000 fans across 33 cities), Higedan's anime-fueled global rise via Spy x Family and Tokyo Revengers, Snoop Dogg's long history of collaborating with Japanese artists, and how international gaming and music communities are reacting to this Pacific-spanning collision.
MAGES. has set August 20, 2026 as the release date for STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT, launching simultaneously on PS4/PS5/Xbox Series X|S/Switch/Switch 2/PC. The remake adds new worldlines, new endings, fully redrawn CG, and re-recorded voices, and Western VN fans are already debating how it stacks up against ELITE.
Nintendo's surprise May 7 Star Fox Direct validated months of insider leaks. The next big rumored title, a Zelda: Ocarina of Time major remake, had three competing scenarios in international gaming communities: a 2026 launch, a sync with the May 2027 live-action movie, or no remake at all. Nintendo confirmed the remake for Switch 2 at its June 9 Direct with a 2026 window and no date attached. Here is the full record of the debate and how it resolved.
SEGA and RGG Studio have set STRANGER THAN HEAVEN for January 15, 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass day one. The 50-year saga follows half-Japanese, half-American Makoto Daito across five cities and five eras from 1915 to 1965, with Snoop Dogg, Ado, Yu Shirota, and Dean Fujioka in the cast. Here's the full breakdown of the new dual-side combat system, the Tojo Clan tease, and how the international Like a Dragon community is reacting.
A Crank-in! interview with Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri reveals the inside story of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: how Miyamoto lobbied Nintendo's internal teams to break the company's long-standing rule against mixing IPs so Fox McCloud could appear, Glen Powell's cold call asking to voice Fox, similar approaches from Brie Larson and Donald Glover, and why the Japanese script was rewritten from scratch rather than localized.
Kenichi Sugino, who designed the Game Boy Color, Advance, DS and 3DS over 37 years at Nintendo, and Goro Abe, who directed all 12 WarioWare titles, have joined Osaka Electro-Communication University as professors. We explore Japan's distinctive game education model, how it compares to DigiPen and USC, and the wave of generational change at Nintendo.
TYPE-MOON, French-Bread and Aniplex revealed MELTY BLOOD: TWI-LUMINA at EVO Japan 2026, launching early 2027 with Black Len playable at last. Refined battle systems, an eight-language launch, and what the global FGC is arguing about: rollback netcode, crossplay, and a shot at EVO Las Vegas 2027.
On May 1, 2026, Epic Games Store and Fortnite finally returned to iPhone in Japan, ending nearly six years of exile. The launch follows Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act, but Epic accuses Apple of leaving 'barriers everywhere'—a 9-step install flow, a 5% Core Technology Commission, and transaction-monitoring rules that scared off third-party developers. Here's what it means for one of the world's largest mobile gaming markets, the global Epic vs Apple battle, and the future of iOS sideloading.
On April 27, 2026, SEGA signed an MOU with Thailand's largest conglomerate, the C.P. Group, to jointly develop entertainment business across ASEAN. With Sonic and Angry Birds at the core, the deal targets a $14B+ Southeast Asian gaming market. We unpack who the CP Group is, what SEGA stands to gain, and the real risks behind Japanese gaming's biggest ASEAN bet yet.
Sony Pictures has set Resident Evil for September 18, 2026, with WEAPONS director Zach Cregger helming a 90-minute original story starring Austin Abrams as a medical courier. Test screening reactions hail it as a 'horror version of Fury Road', a lean, brutal reboot streaming-skipping fans have waited a decade for.
Mizuno, Japan's 119-year-old sports giant best known for baseball gloves and golf clubs, enters esports with a Street Fighter 6 collaboration. The Juri-themed leverless controller (~$623) and ergonomic gaming chair go on Makuake May 1, 2026. We compare it to Hit Box, Razer Kitsune and the global FGC's reaction.
