Nexon announced collaboration event with the Demon Slayer anime will appear in the 2D side-scrolling MMORPG MapleStory on September 19, 2024. New information about the collaboration will appear ahead of the event on a livestream that will be held on September 16, 2024.

The new collaboration will be reportedly the biggest event for MapleStory. The livestream will offer new details, including a glimpse at the new limited collaboration class “Tanjiro,” named after the Demon Slayer protagonist. Additionally, Japanese online streamer Clutch_Fi will be featured as a guest during the livestream.

Furthermore, audience participation sections and exclusive giveaways will also appear during the broadcast. The livestream will be available from the MapleStory official YouTube channel. However, it will only be available in Japanese. Therea re 9 Demon Slayer characters featured in the upcoming MapleStory event, and they include Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, Kanao Tsuyuri, Giyu Tomioka, Shinobu Kocho, Kyojuro Rengoku, and Tengen Uzui.

As a reminder, MapleStory celebrated its 20th anniversary on December 2023. Nexon offered details about the anniversary celebration events, which included new merchandise, social media campaigns, and a collaboration with the KonoSuba anime series.

MapleStory is readily available for PCs, and the Demon Slayer anime collaboration will appear on September 19, 2024.

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Takarajimasha announced the release of a new figure of Atlus and SMT demon mascot Jack Frost that doubles as a lamp. The figure-lamp hybrid is set to release in Japan on September 30, 2024, and it will cost 4,719 yen (or approximately $33.16). [Thanks, Game Watch!]

The Jack Frost lamp is now available to pre-order from Amazon Japan, which also offers worldwide shipping. The figure depicts Jack Frost sitting down on top of a white base, waving his hand in a playful manner. The lamp button is placed on the back of the base, hiding behind Jack Frost's left hand. As for the intensity of the light, the lamp offers three different light settings with each one being increasingly brighter.

You can take a better look at the new figure lamp of Atlus and SMT mascot Jack Frost here:

Jack Frost alongside other iconic Shin Megami Tensei demons is also featured in a new line of rings based on the vast selection of creatures from the RPG series. The SMT demon rings are coming out in Japan in late September 2024. It is unknown if they will also be available worldwide.

The Shin Megami Tensei figure and lamp of Atlus mascot Jack Frost will launch in Japan on September 30, 2024 in Japan. The character's most recent appearance was in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, which is available worldwide on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

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In a recent interview with Famitsu, Atelier Series Producer Junzo Hosoi shared new details about the cast of main characters in the upcoming new entry Atelier Yumia, as well as confirmed Victor and Isla will be the first two who will join Yumia's party. His commentary included details about the type of character designs and the process of creating them. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

When asked about Yumia’s design, the interviewer pointed out that black hair is rare for an Atelier protagonist. Hosoi said that it was decided early in development that Yumia's color scheme would focus heavily on black and white. However, the details of her design weren’t detailed until later. In contrast, Isla von Duerer's design was decided early on.

Hosoi added that when they put Isla and Yumia, whose design was still not finalized, side by side, Isla looked more like the typical Atelier protagonist. The developers then had about 30 to 40 rounds of fine tuning to make Yumia feel more like the main character and to try and make her appeal as global as possible. They settled on emphasizing her coolness as a strong and independent woman, as well as her use of acrobatic footwork.

Hosoi also talked about some of the supporting cast of Atelier Yumia. In regards to Viktor, the producer said that he is the type of man of justice that hadn't seen in the Atelier series until now. Hosoi compared him to Marvel’s Captain America. Meanwhile, Isla is Viktor's younger sister. She has a friendly personality and gets along well with her brother. As mentioned before, her design is closer to previous Atelier protagonists.

Nina is a mysterious woman, and the developers deliberately designed her to be straightforward and fit the assassin archetype. Rutger is another character whose design is new to the Atelier series. Rutger has a noteworthy past, but he was designed as to not give it away immediately. The world of Atelier Yumia has various demihuman races, and Lenja belongs to the Welleks.

The Atelier Yumia official website offers character profiles for the main party members, and you can take a look at their designs here:

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land will come out worldwide on March 21, 2025 for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam.

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Taito announced the release of a new set of NieR: Automata mini figures featuring antagonists Adam and Eve melting like ice cream. The figures are now available as crane game prizes in Japan, with people able to win them from the Taito Online crane game website.

The mini figure set belongs to the Tiny Melties line, which depicts characters as though they are made of ice cream and melting. In the case of the Adam and Eve figures, the melting details can be perceived in the hair pieces, Adam's shirt and sleeves, and the bases of both figures.

You can check out the new Tiny Melties mini figures of Adam and Eve from the NieR: Automata Ver1.1a anime series here:

The Adam and Eve figure set was first shown back in April 2024 alongside two Chubby Collection figures of protagonist 2B and a new figure of A2. Sega Prize also revealed two Chubby Collection figures of 9S in May 2024. In addition, Tiny Melties figures of NieR: Automata protagonist duo 2B and 9S released back in July 2024. A second volume of the collection appeared in August 30, 2024, and it featured protagonist A2 and a machine lifeform.

The new NieR: Automata Ver1.1a Tiny Melties figures of Adam and Eve are now available as game prizes from the Taito Online crane game website.

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The release date for the new Part 3 of the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime series has been decided. The new arc, titled The Conflict, will begin airing in Japan at 11pm JST (7am ET/10am PT) on October 5, 2024. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]

According to leaker ryokutya2089, the new season of the anime series will premiere a month from now. Coincidentally, the release date for the new season falls on the same day that the original Bleach anime adaptation released in back in 2004 in Japan. Similarly, the first season of the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime premiered in Japan on October 11, 2022.

As a reminder, a teaser trailer for the new anime arc of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War appeared on July 8, 2024. It briefly showcased the opening and ending theme songs for the new season. Additionally, a key visual image featuring the main characters appeared alongside the teaser trailer.

The release date for the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3: The Conflict falls on October 5, 2024 at 11pm JST. Parts 1 and 2 of the anime series are now available on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ worldwide. Viz Media handled the localization of the manga.

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Anycolor shared a new statement regarding the recent case of identity leaking and misconduct from external audio engineer YAB towards a Nijisanji Vtuber. As of September 5, 2024 the company has stated that it is in contact with and interviewing the subject.

In the latest announcement, Anycolor thanked people for their cooperation in sharing relevant information about the YAB case via the official contact form. The company also said it expected people online to help prevent any collateral damage to the victims and any associated parties by avoiding making any baseless statements or sharing disinformation online. The message continued with the Vtuber company insisting that, if any new information that could potentially hurt the victims or give away any information about them comes to light through any public social media platforms, Anycolor will determine that there is intent to cause harm and will take steps to respond accordingly.

Anycolor will show the same zero tolerance stance in regards to non-public social media sites, such as LINE or Discord, when it comes to the YAB Nijisanji Vtuber situation and other inappropriate behavior. The company confirmed that there have already been cases in which misinformation was spread through such channels. The response to these situations is to not allow any damaging acts to be committed towards the victims. The statement ended with a request to share any information on the matter via the corresponding website instead of through public channels, such as social media.

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Bushiroad Games announced that the new Danmachi: Fullland of Water and Light video game will release in English on both Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. A new key visual depicting the main characters of the game was also revealed. [Thanks, PR Times!]

The full title is Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Fullland of Water and Light, and it will be a side-scrolling action RPG. At the time of writing, there is no confirmed release date for the new Danmachi game. The new key visual for it depicts protagonist Bell Cranel, Hestia, Ais Wallenstein, and new character and spirit of water Dine.

You can check out the new key visual for Danmachi: Fullland of Water and Light here:

Additionally, Bushiroad opened the official website for the new Danmachi game, which is available in both Japanese and English. The website offers new details about returning characters from the main series, as well as the new original characters created exclusively for the game. A short 2-minute-long Japanese trailer for the game was also released and it offers a brief glimpse at the gameplay, as well as details about the story.

As a reminder, the latest video game in the Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Seriesreleased so far worldwide is Danmachi Battle Chronicle. The game released on August 24, 2023 and it is available for iOS and Android mobile devices, PS4, PS5, and Windows PCs.

Danmachi: Fullland of Water and Light is currently in development and will appear for the Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. There is currently no announced release date.

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Square Enix recently opened the Tokyo Game Show 2024 official website featuring information about the developer’s presence and its games appearing during the event. The site includes the schedule for stage events and the merchandise lineup as well.

First, here is the full collection of new and upcoming games that Square Enix will feature at Tokyo Game Show 2024:

• Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake
• Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
• Fantasian Neo Dimension
• Final Fantasy XIV Online
• Final Fantasy XVI
• Life is Strange: Double Exposure
• PowerWash Simulator
• Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven
• Visions of Mana

Despite the games’ original 2023 releases, FFXVI and Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince will appear due to their recently announced PC ports. FFXVI will debut on Steam and the Epic Games Store on September 17, 2024, and the latest Dragon Quest Monsters will appear on Steam on September 11, 2024. Likewise, Square Enix’s staple MMORPG FFXIV will appear after the recent release of the Dawntrail expansion on July 2, 2024.

Some of the stage events for Square Enix include a Fantasian Neo Dimension special talk show featuring Hironobu Sakaguchi and Nobuo Uematsu, which will appear on September 28, 2024 at 1pm JST/4am UTC. Likewise, a special stage event for the Romancing Saga 2 remake will appear the same day at 3pm JST/6am UTC.

A live event commemorating the PC release of FFXVI featuring the voice actors will be held on September 29, 2024 at 11:30am JST/2:30am UTC. At 1:30pm JST/4:30am UTC, a Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake special stage event will be held, and Square Enix stage presence at TGS 2024 will conclude with the Final Fantasy XIV Letter from the Producer LIVE Part LXXXIII at 2:50pm JST/5:50am UTC. Other pre-recorded shows will appear, and you can check out the schedule at the official site.

The post Square Enix Tokyo Game Show 2024 Games Site Opens appeared first on Siliconera.

Metaverse monetization company V Corporation is raising funds alongside Square Enix Holdings and other Japanese companies. Other participants in this new metaverse funding campaign include Sony Startup Acceleration Program, Nippon Venture Capital (NVCC,) FGG Venture Business Partners, and Itochu Corporation. [Thanks, PR Times!]

General Manager of Investment and Business Development Department at Square Enix Holdings Hideaki Uehara complimented V Corporation, and expressed his thoughts on metaverses. In his message, Uehara says that virtual spaces have grown mainly through online video games, and he believes they will continue to grow and people will spend even more time in virtual worlds or metaverses as time goes by.

The total amount of funds raised reached approximately 240 million yen, or roughly $1.657 million. According to the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ global metaverse market scale transition and estimates, the metaverse market expanded 4.2 trillion yen (~$28.987 billion) in 2021 and predictions indicate that it will continue to expand to 78.8 trillion yen (~$543.601 billion) by 2030.

Square Enix has been making a push in the metaverse and NFT businesses since early 2022. The company has continued to invest in the market throughout 2023 and 2024 with its with its Symbiogenesis NFT project that started in late 2023 and that received a second season in June 2024. Additionally, FFXIV Producer Naoki Yoshida discussed the concept of the metaverse in May 2022 and gave his opinion on why he thinks they are not entertainment.

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Atlus released a new FAQ explaining details about the upcoming Episode Aigis DLC in Persona 3 Reload. The list answers whether or not players will be able to access the DLC if they haven’t finished the P3R main story, or if players will be able to transfer the Persona Compendium into the DLC, among other questions.

Here is the English translation of the full Persona 3 Reload DLC Episode Aigis FAQ:

Persona 3 Reload is readily available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and Episode Aigis: The Answer DLC will debut on September 10, 2024.

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Sanrio announced a new merchandise collaboration that pairs beloved characters like Hello Kitty with Saber from Fate/Grand Order. Pre-orders for the new items open on September 11, 2024 and will be available at the Sanrio animestore online shop, while the sale of the merchandise in stores in Japan will start from October 28, 2024.

The pre-ordered items will start shipping from October 23, 2024. Additionally, with each purchase of merchandise above 2,200 yen (or $15.13), a random exclusive postcard will be included as a bonus gift. There are 15 postcard designs available.

The number of character pairings is also 15, and they are divided in two different collections for some of the items. You can check out the Sanrio mascot and Fate/Grand Order character pairings and which collection volume they belong to here:

• Saber Artoria and Hello Kitty (Vol. 1)
• Arthur Pendragon (Prototype) and Dear Daniel (Vol. 2)
• Jeanne d’Arc and Marroncream (Vol. 1)
• Karna and My Melody (Vol. 1)
• Arjuna and Kuromi (Vol. 1)
• Gilgamesh and LittleTwinStars (Vol. 1)
• Enkidu and LittleTwinStars (Vol. 1)
• Ozymandias and Corocorokuririn (Vol. 1)
• Merlin and Cinnamoroll (Vol. 2)
• BB and Lloromannic (Vol. 2)
• Ishtar and Sugarbunnies (Vol. 2)
• Ereshkigal and Sugarbunnies (Vol. 2)
• Sherlock Holmes and Tuxedosam (Vol. 2)
• James Moriarty and Bad badtz-maru (Vol. 2)
• Mash Kyrielight and Pochacco (Vol. 1)

And here’s the full lineup of Fate/Grand Order and Sanrio characters merch alongside their prices:

• Pin Badge Vol. 1 (8 available) – 550 yen (~$3.79) each / 4,400 yen (~$30.25) per box
• Pin Badge Vol. 2 (7 available) – 550 yen (~$3.79) each / 3,850 yen (~$26.47) per box
• Acrylic card Vol. 1 (8 available) – 660 yen (~$4.54) each / 5,285 yen (~$36.29) per box
• Acrylic card Vol. 2 (7 available) – 660 yen (~$4.54) each / 4,620 yen (~$31.76) per box
• Acrylic Keychain with Star-shaped Hook Vol. 1 (8 available) – 900 yen (~$6.19) each / 7,200 yen (~$49.50) per box
• Acrylic Keychain with Star-shaped Hook Vol. 2 (7 available) – 900 yen (~$6.19) each / 6,300 yen (~$43.31) per box
• Character Acrylic Stand Plate (15 available) – 1,815 yen (~$12.48) each
• Character Big Smartphone Sticker (15 available) – 495 yen (~$3.40) each
• Canned Konpeito Candy (5 available) – 1,100 yen (~$7.56) each
• Character Print Glass – 1,980 yen (~$13.61)
• Clear File Folder – 550 yen (~$3.79)
• Premium Postcard Holder – 1,870 yen (~$12.86)
• Square Poach – 2,640 yen (~$18.15)

You can also check out the items in more detail on the post below.

The new Sanrio and Fate/Grand Order character merchandise line will be available for pre-order from September 11, 2024 while the items will appear on physical stores from October 28, 2024. Fate/Grand Order is readily available on mobile devices, and the latest banner appeared in the Japanese version in late August 2024.

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Ahead of the September 19, 2024 release of Kamaitachi no Yoru x3, Spike Chunsoft released a new free visual novel parody game in collaboration with Spy x Family titled Kamaitachi no Yor. The release of the game is also a part of a special collaboration to celebrate the release of volume 14 of the manga series in Japan.

The main cast of characters in the new Spy x Family parody Kamaitachi no Yoru game include Loid, Yor, Anya, and Bond. Additionally, the supporting cast of characters featured in the game include Rodger Hostman, Spoussa Hostman, Porter Partheimer, Max Slacker, Adrahma Queen, Shorton Kreditz, Needa Jobsoon, Hack Scriver, and Guy Luvstaski.

The characters are all depicted as silhouettes in the classic style of the Kamaitachi no Yoru visual novel series. To access the game, players need to use a smartphone device to scan the QR code available in the official game website. Once there you can read the character profiles and access the parody visual novel by touching the TV. However, the game is only available in Japanese with no English options.

The Kamaitachi no Yor parody visual novel is inspired by the events of the Spy x Family manga that started in chapter 94, released earlier in January 22, 2024. Both the original Kamaitachi no Yoru game and the new manga arc feature similar elements regarding a murder taking place at a ski lodge.

Kamaitachi no Yoru x3 will come out in Japan on September 19, 2024 for the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC via Steam. Viz Media handles the release of the Spy x Family manga outside of Japan, and a Season 3 of the anime is currently in production.

The post Spy x Family Kamaitachi No Yoru Visual Novel Game Debuts appeared first on Siliconera.

Nintendo revealed new information and details about Mario & Luigi: Brothership, the first console title in the RPG series, including some insight into the new islands that the duo will visit in their new adventure and new Bros Attacks they will use. The new details appeared on the Japanese Nintendo website only, and some of the new details shared haven’t been given localized English names yet.

The story of Mario & Luigi: Brothership will take place in the new world of Concordia, which spans a vast ocean. Mario and Luigi come to Concordia from the Mushroom Kindgom and will explore using Shipshape Island as a boat, where the mysterious "Connectal Tree" grows.

Mario is the well-known "superstar" of the Mushroom Kingdom and Luigi is his goofy and resourceful brother. While the duo hangs out at the gardens of Princess Peach's Castle, they are absorbed into a mysterious vortex that appears in the sky above them. After meeting Connie and Snoutlet, they learn that they have been taking to the vast ocean of Concordia.

Connie is a kind hearted girl who teaches the protagonist duo about Concordia. An incident led her to live aboard Shipshape Island and she tends to the island's tree. Meanwhile, Snoutlet is a unique character who looks like a piggy bank and an electric outlet, hence the name. Snoutlet serves as a guide to both Mario and Luigi in their adventure.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership features a number of drifting islands to explore in the ocean of Concordia, including Gran Gran Island, the nature-filled Tuis Island, Sabiretta Island, the urban island of Zenialevar, or the ice and fire island of Kandan. You can check out some of the new environments that the brother duo will visit here:

Nintendo also shared a new video featuring the new Combination Attacks that the duo can perform by collaborating while using their signature Hammer and Jump attacks. You can check out the clip below.

Mario and Luigi are also shown using a new Bros Attack in which the pair summons a giant storm cloud that drops thunder and lightning over the enemy group, and you can check it out here:

The game was revealed during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct presentation as both the first title in the series to release in a home console, as well as the fully 3D Mario & Luigi title.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership will release for the Nintendo Switch on November 7, 2024.

The post Nintendo Shares New Mario & Luigi: Brothership Details appeared first on Siliconera.

Anycolor shared a post on the company’s official X (formerly Twitter) account detailing the recent allegations regarding an external audio engineer involved in a case of identity leaking and abuse towards Nijisanji Vtubers. The accused in question is a freelance audio engineer named Toshiki “YAB” Yabunaka of YAB Entertainment (also known as YEM.)

The lengthy post is written in Japanese and it details that, as part of a YouTube livestream, an external audio engineer collaborating with Anycolor took photos and videos of a Vtuber belonging to Nijisanji without the individual’s consent. The pictures and videos were sent to a third party alongside defamatory statements towards the liver. Additionally, Anycolor suspects that the accused employed “illegal tangible force” against the victim. The company hasn’t given any further details on what this entails.

As a response, Anycolor began an investigation on August 30, 2024 and discovered some undisclosed information regarding the date, location, and people involved in the aforementioned incident. Anycolor condemned the unlawful and forceful acts taken against the Vtuber, and stated its intention of taking legal action and pursuing a criminal case against the accused.

Due to the ongoing internal investigation, various "Utattemita" (or "I tried singing" in Japanese) songs involving the accused have been made temporarily private and social media posts mentioning them have been deleted. The company also addressed the rumors that employees from within Anycolor, including managers or performers, were involved in this case. However, Anycolor stated that no evidence regarding the allegations was found.

Yabunaka himself shared a post via his personal X (formerly Twitter) account in which he expresses his apologies for the remarks and leaked LINE videos and pictures. YAB Entertainment also shared another post explaining that the company is conducting its own investigation.

As a reminder, Anycolor has been involved in a variety of issues involving their Vtubers and talents since December 2023, including a plethora of Vtuber graduations and the termination of Selen Tatsuki.

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Hololive Vtuber Usada Pekora recently visited the Kojima Productions studio offices, and Hideo Kojima shared a post on his Japanese social media account. The tweet included a picture of himself and the model of the virtual YouTuber, both posing alongside the studio’s insignia Ludens statue.

In return to the post from Hideo Kojima, Usada Pekora thanked the developers at Kojima Productions for the opportunity to visit the studio and for the precious experience. In recent years, many celebrities and popular media figures have visited Kojima Productions. Among the many visitors, some of them have ended up as cameo appearances in the studio’s first title, Death Stranding.

With Usada Pekora’s recent visit to the studio, there’s a non-zero possibility that the Hololive Vtuber might appear as one such cameo in the upcoming sequel. In fact, this would not be the first time that Pekora appears as a cameo character in a game, as she voiced and appeared as a unique Killing Machine monster in Dragon Quest Treasures.

As a reminder, Kojima Productions is currently working on various titles including Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, a sequel to the 2019 game, the new horror game OD developed in collaboration with filmmaker Jordan Peele for Xbox consoles, and Physint, a new action espionage title published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

In addition, Kojima Productions recently announced that the studio will have a presence at Tokyo Game Show 2024 on September 29 with a special panel discussion about the upcoming game Death Stranding 2.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is currently in development for the PlayStation 5 and will appear in 2025.

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