Everything We Saw At PlayStation’s Japan-Centric State Of Play

Sony’s latest Japan-focused State of Play packed 40 minutes of announcements from regional studios, highlighting both classic revivals and experimental new titles. Major reveals included Dragon Quest VII Remastered, Team Ninja’s Fatal Frame II remake, and fresh looks at Elden Ring: Nightreign and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.

Dragon Quest VII Remastered

Sony opened its Japan-focused State of Play with Dragon Quest VII Remastered, a from-the-ground-up reimagining of the 2000 classic. The trailer carried a stronger narrative drive than expected, blending cinematic storytelling with its turn-based foundation. The game launches February 5, giving new players and long-time fans a modern lens on one of Square Enix’s most character-driven chapters.

inKONBINI: One Store, Many Stories

The showcase then turned small and personal. inKONBINI: One Store, Many Stories puts players behind the counter of a modest neighborhood shop, balancing business management with human connection. Stocking shelves, chatting with locals, and collecting vending machine items replace combat or exploration as the player’s focus. It’s scheduled for April 2026, a gentle outlier among the flashier reveals.

Coffee Talk Tokyo

Next came Coffee Talk Tokyo, the latest chapter in the quiet social simulator series. This time, conversations unfold in a neon-drenched Tokyo, where patrons seek warmth amid the hum of cyberpunk streets. Scheduled for March 5, it retains the intimacy of earlier entries while shifting the mood toward reflection and isolation.

BrokenLore: Unfollow and Ascend

Two new titles expand the BrokenLore horror franchise. Unfollow—due January 16—centers on the dangers of social media and the decay of digital identity. Its follow-up, BrokenLore: Ascend, planned for summer 2026, introduces vertical traversal across haunted industrial landscapes. Both suggest a return to psychological horror over spectacle.

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly

Team Ninja’s remake of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly stood out as one of the event’s most striking moments. The trailer preserved the original’s suffocating tension while modernizing the visuals and movement. Flickering candles, ritual masks, and the iconic Camera Obscura reminded viewers how enduring the game’s quiet terror remains. The remake arrives March 12.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins – Visions of Four Heroes

Koei Tecmo introduced new DLC for Dynasty Warriors: Origins. Visions of Four Heroes expands the roster and missions, continuing the studio’s steady stream of post-launch support. The update lands January 22.

Gran Turismo 7 Power Pack

Polyphony Digital represented PlayStation Studios with Gran Turismo 7’s Power Pack. The update adds new racing modes later this year, keeping the title’s long-tail engagement alive in a showcase otherwise led by third-party and regional partners.

No Sleep For Kaname Date

The middle stretch delivered quick glimpses of smaller releases: the sci-fi puzzle platformer MotionRec, the ancient China-set HD-2D RPG Wandering Sword, the PS4/PS5 release of No Sleep for Kadame Date – AI: The Somnium Files, and a revival of Tokyo Xtreme Racer. Each brief trailer reinforced the breadth of genres Japan’s mid-sized developers continue to explore.

Bandai Namco DLC Lineup

Bandai Namco took the stage with a flurry of expansions. Once Upon a Katamari gains two DLC packs with fresh levels and new tracks. Pac-Man World 2: Re-Pac adds Sonic the Hedgehog stages, available immediately. Digimon Story: Time Stranger will receive a winter update introducing a new chapter and five additional Digimon. Meanwhile, Super Robot Wars Y joins forces with Kamen Rider for its first crossover content.

Monster Hunter Wilds Free Title Update 4

Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds unveiled Free Title Update 4, due December 16. It brings new monsters and expanded endgame activities, reinforcing the studio’s measured rhythm of updates.

Sonic Racing: Crossworlds

SEGA’s Sonic Racing: Crossworlds continues to expand through crossover DLC. Characters from Nights and Super Monkey Ball join the grid alongside Tangle and Whisper, with the SpongeBob pack scheduled for November 19. The additions maintain the title’s eclectic approach to fan service.

Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse

The tone shifted again with Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse, a hand-drawn action platformer steeped in atmosphere. It evokes the tension and solitude of Hollow Knight while adding its own melancholic rhythm. Launching March 5, it aims squarely at players drawn to precision and persistence.

Blazblue: Entropy Effect X

Arc System Works returned with Blazblue: Entropy Effect X, a February 12 release that extends the subseries’ kinetic combat. The trailer displayed the studio’s trademark 2D artistry and demanding gameplay, a showcase of craft more than novelty.

Indie Highlights

A second montage included Damon and Baby, a twin-stick shooter with acrobatic mechanics; Kyouran Makaism, an action RPG from the Disgaea team featuring the familiar Prinny chaos; and Fate Trigger, a compact hero shooter built around ten distinctive characters.

Octopath Traveler 0

Square Enix reappeared with Octopath Traveler 0. The HD-2D visuals and layered storytelling remain, and the demo—available now—lets players carry progress into the full release on December 4. The presentation underscored how the series continues to refine nostalgia rather than reinvent it.

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls

Arc System Works closed its fighting showcase with Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, blending the studio’s anime combat sensibilities with Marvel’s iconography. The beta, running December 5–7, introduces Spider-Man and Ghost Rider as new playable fighters, alongside additional stages. It’s an inventive collaboration that bridges two distinct fan cultures through shared intensity.

Elden Ring: Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows

The finale belonged to Elden Ring. Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows expands the Lands Between with new zones and challenges, launching December 4. The trailer’s sparse narration and grim imagery suggested another descent into desolation rather than revelation—a continuation of FromSoftware’s deliberate silence.