The 2024 Wholesome Direct aired on June 8, 2024, featuring over 70 cozy, uplifting games from indie and renown developers worldwide. As it is now a regular staple of the Summer Games Fest , the showcase spotlighted exclusive announcements, release date reveals, demo reveals, and platform announcements for a variety of games. This year also featured four shadowdrops, which included Kamaeru a frog refuge, POOOOL, The Palace on the Hill, and Tracks of Thought.

Below is a full list of games shown at the Wholesome Direct 2024. Some games did not receive platforms or release windows, which has been noted in the recap list.

• Afterlove EP - Q3 2024 | PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
• Albatroz - 2024 | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Consoles
• The August Before - TBD | PC & Itch.io
• Boreas - TBD | PC
• Broken Lens - July 22, 2024 | PC
• Building Relationships - TBD | PC, Itch.io, Consoles, TBD
• Caravan SandWitch - 2024 | PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5
• Catto’s Post Office - TBD | PC
• Crab God - June 20, 2024 | PC
• Critter Cafe - TBD | PC & Nintendo Switch
• Curiosmos - TBD  | PC, TBD
• Dawnfolk - TBD | PC, Nintendo Switch, TBD
• Discounty - 2025 | PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X
• Dragon Shelter - TBD | PC, Consoles, TBD
• Dungeons of Hinterberg - July 18, 2024 | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
• EbiTapes - TBD | PC
• Été - July 23, 2024 | PC
• FantasticHaven - Q3 2024 | PC
• Freeride - TBD | PC & Nintendo Switch
• Fruitbus - 2024 | PC & Consoles
• Garden of the Sea - TBD | PC & Nintendo Switch
• Goodlands - TBD | PC & Itch.io
• Great God Grove - 2024 | PC
• Hello Again - 2025 | PC
• Hermit and Pig - TBD | PC & Consoles
• Hirocato - The Delivery Hero - TBD | PC & Consoles
• ILA: A Frosty Glide - | PC, Itch.io, Consoles
• Into The Emberlands - 2024| PC, TBD
• Kamaeru, a frog refuge - Out Now | PC, Itch.io, Nintendo Switch
• Katsl - TBD | PC
• Kitsune Tails - August 1, 2024 | PC & Itch.io
• Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo - TBD | PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
• Letter Bunny - TBD | PC
• Littlelands - TBD | PC
• Lost and Found Co. - TBD | PC, Apple Arcade, iOS, Android, Consoles, TBD
• Map Map - A Game About Maps - TBD | PC
• Magical Bakery - 2024 | PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Consoles
• Minami Lane - TBD | PC & Nintendo Switch
• Monterona - TBD | PC
• Moonstone Island - June 19, 2024 | Nintendo Switch
• Music Power Up - Q4 2024 | PC, Apple Arcade, iOS, Android
• Mythmatch - TBD | PC & Consoles
• Nom Nom: Cozy Forest Café - TBD | PC, Apple Arcade, iOS, Android, Consoles
• Omachapon - TBD | Nintendo Switch
• On Your Tail - 2024 | PC & Nintendo Switch
• OPUS: Prism Peak - TBD | PC
• The Palace on the Hill - Out Now | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Apple Arcade, iOS, Android
• Petit Island - 2024 | PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, Consoles
• Pine: A Story of Loss - TBD | PC, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
• Playdate - Out Now | Playdate
• POOOOL - Out Now | PC
• Pretty coo’ - TBD | Itch.io
• Pup Champs - TBD | PC, TBD
• Ringo’s Roundup - TBD | PC, Nintendo Switch, Apple Arcade, iOS, Android
• Rolling Hills - Out Now | PC
• Rooster - Q1 2025 | PC, Consoles
• Sally - TBD | PC & Nintendo Switch
• Screenbound - TBD | PC, Consoles
• Sopa - The Tale of the Stolen Potato - August 2, 2024 | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
• Space Sprouts - TBD | PC
• Spilled! - TBD | PC
• The Star Named EOS - TBD | PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X
• Squeakross: Home Squeak Home - TBD | PC
• Tidy Cauldron - 2024 | PC & Itch.io
• Times & Galaxy - June 21, 2024 | PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
• Tiny Bookshop - TBD | Steam, TBD
• Tiny Lands 2 - TBD | PC & Nintendo Switch
• Tiny Tires - TBD | PC & Itch.io
• Tracks of Thought - Out Now | PC
• Travellers Rest - TBD, Early Access Now | PC
• Tukoni: Forest Keepers - TBD | PC, Consoles
• Umami Grove - 2024 | PC
• Undusted: Ketters from the past - TBD | PC, TBD
• Usagi Shima - Out Now | iOS & Android
• Wax Heads - TBD | PC, TBD
• While Waiting - TBD | PC, Apple Arcade, iOS, Android

Here is the full presentation below:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocV4LvEYJcg[/embed]

Fans can also check out the 2023 Wholesome Direct game roundup, which featured over 60 indie games.

The post Here Is the Wholesome Direct 2024 Games Roundup appeared first on Siliconera.

Sony revealed during the May 2024 State of Play that Infinity Nikki will begin its upcoming PS5 beta test in Q3 2024.

Infinity Nikki is described as an open-world dress-up adventure game. Players are able to explore the "vast" Miraland as Nikki by using her magical powers gained by wearing different outfits and discover the "mysteries of styling".

The game is being developed by Chinese studio Infold Games and is a part of the company's larger Nikki series, which features a number of dress-up games. Infinity Nikki maintains the dress-up component of the Nikki series, but incorporates action combat and immersive exploration.

Gameplay for the game can be seen below:

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0oiJJRZF4I[/embed]

In the past, one of the first Nikki games was Love Nikki: Dress Up Queen. It involved collecting pieces of clothing and dressing up a character to complete challenges. Shining Nikki followed on mobile devices after it. Like the original, it also involved dressing up your avatar to succeed in challenges.

Infinity Nikki's beta test begins Q3 2024 on the PS5.

The post Infinity Nikki Beta Test to Begin Q3 2024 appeared first on Siliconera.

Being a working adult is difficult. We have very little time to enjoy things that bring us joy or take significant time for leisurely pursuits. This isn’t some surprising concept to any of you out there reading this review. Despite all of the stress that comes from work, the hope is that all of this will be worth it when we can all (in theory) retire from our decades-long careers and settle into more relaxing tasks. Some people may want to travel, others will probably spend time discovering new hobbies like knitting or gardening. Retirement is still many years out for me, though, but I have found some calm and comfort in experiencing Rusty’s Retirement in the midst of completing my grueling work tasks.

Mister Morris Games, the indie developer behind Haiku, the Robot, has created a unique idle farming simulator game that allows players to play this game at the bottom or side of their screen while working on other things. In fact, I had Rusty’s Retirement running while I wrote this review because it’s just so cozy and rewarding to watch it operate. The game’s titular character,  Rusty, is an adorable robot with a walking stick who seems to only want to do one thing that I can observe: grow vegetables, convert it to Biofuel, and earn Spare Parts so he can build homes so his friends can join him on his little farm.

[gallery columns="1" size="large" ids="1031267" link="file"]

The mechanics are straightforward enough from here. Players can plant seeds on crop plots, starting with wheat, radishes, and cabbage. Each crop takes a specific amount of time to grow after being watered, and once fully grown, can be picked to obtain Spare Parts. The vegetables can then be converted into Biofuel on a converter, and that Biofuel can be converted into Spare Parts. As more vegetables are grown and harvested, more vegetables will begin to unlock in order to generate more Biofuel and Spare Parts. Crops cost money to plant, though, so converting Biofuel into Spare Parts is important early on in order to plant more crops. Sometimes giant versions of crops will spawn, and they can be repeatedly clicked on by the player to gain multiples of that vegetable. It’s a simple cycle that will see players amass plenty of Biofuel and Spare Parts in order to unlock Rusty’s friend’s homes, purchase decorations for the farm, and beyond.

Once Rusty’s friends are unlocked and their homes are built, they can contribute to various aspect of the farm. For example, Haiku from Mister Morris Games’ previous game has joined Rusty in his retirement and can assist with building new homes, plots, and other machines. A gentlemanly robot named Pinion can show players their farm’s statistics which includes how much Biofuel is being generated from the currently planted crops. Other friends will unlock beekeeping to generate additional Biofuel, farm animals for fertilizer, and a repair robot who will upgrade helper robots that can plant, water, and pick vegetables for better efficiency on the farm.

[gallery columns="1" size="large" ids="1031268" link="file"]

Eventually players will also be able to unlock different types of farms like a swampy terrain, a sandy desert, a forest with cherry blossoms, and a desert oasis. Each new farm has its own kind of enhancements and restrictions that can make designing a farm more difficult or make it harder to grow vegetables. 

While there is little else to do in the game but watch these little robots spend hours growing and harvesting vegetables to seemingly no end, there is something addicting about watching the farm grow and seeing the number of Biofuel and Spare Parts go up. There were some stretches of time where I would just sit and watch all of the robots work when I should have been doing my own work. Of course, as an idle game, there is also very little input I needed to make while playing except when new crops needed to be planted, bee hives needed checking, vegetables and berries needed unlocking, or when I needed to upgrade the helper robots. As the length of time gets longer for vegetables to grow and all of the helper robots become more efficient, the game becomes even more self-sustaining for the player.

[gallery columns="1" size="large" ids="1031270" link="file"]

What really adds to the charm of this game is the pixelated graphics and really chill, ambient music. Everything on the farm is colorful, distinct, and full of character. Sometimes the robots will float about and idle themselves, taking a break from their endless task of harvesting crops. Rusty and his friends also idle, and even take breaks on benches that can be placed around the farm. The homes have smoke coming up from the chimneys, and the sear on Rusty’s home and main crop storehouse can spin and generate Spare Parts if spun five times in a row. Little bees and butterflies flitter about the map, and leaves fall from the sky periodically to give the sense that somewhere there is a giant tree just swaying in the wind. All of these little details help add to the calming nature of Rusty’s Retirement.

For such a simplistic game, there were a few issues here and there I noticed. Having played Rusty’s Retirement on my MacBook Air, my first time booting the game left me with a black screen with just the game visible. I was confused initially as the game was very clearly advertised as an idle game that allows players to do other things on their computer while having the game open. Once I read the Help section of the game, I found out it was a known problem with the Mac version of the game and all I needed to do was reboot the game again. I haven’t experienced the issue since, thankfully. Another minor issue is that sometimes robots would pick crops and almost instantaneously one of the helper robots would be placing that crop onto the Biofuel converter despite that crop had yet to actually be placed into the storage room of the farm. It’s clear this happens because the game has already counted that crop as being harvested, therefore even though visually it has not been stored, it is counted by the game as being usable for the Biofuel converter. Also, as a down side to this game, there is no way to view all of the available farming space without zooming out, but the game is near unplayable once zoomed out. 

[gallery columns="1" size="large" ids="1031271" link="file"]

While idle simulator games are not a new concept, I believe the presentation of Rusty’s Retirement is rather novel and beyond adorable. It doesn’t try to make players babysit the farm, and allows them to interact with it at their own pace. Also, having a game sequestered to the side or bottom of one’s desktop screen allows players to really go about their day in Zoom meetings or working on important documents while Rusty and his friends go about their own day, enjoying their retirement and do what they seem to love at their own leisure. As somebody who has been too busy recently to really dedicate myself to any one game, Rusty’s Retirement has been the perfect game to just chill with and give myself a bit of a mental reset when certain work tasks became too overwhelming to focus on. Maybe many of us aren’t at retirement age yet, but there is something cathartic about helping Rusty with fulfilling his retirement dream. Anybody looking for a calming, simplistic experience that doesn’t require too much of their attention should definitely check this game out. 

Rusty's Retirement is available now on Steam for PCs and Macs.

The post Review: Rusty’s Retirement Offers a Calming and Simplistic Respite appeared first on Siliconera.

It’s easy to know that a game has completely won me over heart and soul when I can’t help but play a title over doing anything like washing my dishes or folding my laundry because I'm knee deep into building my life inside of it. I’ve had my hands on Terra Memoria for a few weeks now, and it has become of my favorite cozy game this year thus far. With a turn-based combat system that is unique, yet should feel familiar to many RPG fans, a cast of quirky characters who all shine, a unique 3D art direction that is visually engaging, and the comforting vibes of a farm simulator, Terra Memoria comes together in a way that will have players coming back to it for years to come.

Terra Memoria focuses on a cast of six characters: Moshang, Syl, Alto, Edson, Opal, and Meta. Each one has their own unique combat abilities and powers. They also each have their own story that plays out. However, it isn't just about learning about them. You are trying to uncover the mystery of why strange mechanical monsters called carcasses appeared and the people’s supply of crystals—the very objects that allow folks to light their fires, fill their fountains with waters, and power their cities—is beginning to dwindle.

The game opens by introducing players to Moshang, a mage who constantly gets forced into manual labor due to his large stature. He is tasked with defending the city of Constance from the monsters that have broken through the barriers outside of the city gates. The rest of the cast is quickly introduced within the first two hours of the game, which allows players plenty of time to grow with the party and watch as they learn how to respect the past, the constancy of the present, and also about how change is an inevitable part of the world growing and evolving. As I played through the story, I found myself endeared by the cast of misfits who felt like the only few people trying to move forward in a world that seems unable to cope with its past or future. However, I definitely found myself captivaed by Moshang and Syl the most, due to their soft personalities and eagerness to seek out answers in the world around them.

In order to uncover the mystery of the crystals and mechanical monsters, the party must venture out into the world of Terra. Naturally, this leads us into many different battles against various enemies. Party members are automatically paired at the beginning of combat once they are all obtained, and they can each do special attacks depending on the combination formed. Each enemy and party member take turns to attack, and each attack has a power indicator which determines how strong and how fast that attack is. The less powerful the attack, the more often the party member can strike in battle. This can move the player’s turn ahead of or behind the enemy, so it is important to determine if it is more strategic to attack sooner or later. 

Each enemy also has an elemental weakness to water, wind, fire, electricity, ice, and earth, and those weaknesses can be exploited by casting spells and or using abilities. Although using one doesn’t guarantee the enemy will be weakened, the attacks can do more damage than standard attacks. When enemy weaknesses strike true, the carcasses will then become weak to all elements and they lose their place in the turn cycle, giving players a chance to unleash multiple attacks on them before they get to attack again. The combat itself feels familiar to many turn-based combat systems found in Japanese RPGs like Persona or Final Fantasy, but the enemy weakness system and team combinations allows the combat to feel unique enough to stand out.

Outside of combat, players are able to solve puzzles to advance the plot, build up a town by collecting supplies, and designing that village the way they want like they would in a life simulator game. Also, in between combat, players are able to cook meals that boost HP, make camp, forge items, and complete side quests that net you money and items for cooking and crafting. Side quests helped to expand on the world-building of Terra Memoria. It gave me a better idea of the more frivolous nature of the various residents of this world. This is due to their belief in constantly looking forward without considering the past or how things can be changed in the future. 

One thing I found myself getting bit lost in was the crafting aspect of Terra Memoria because I kept wanting to design my town. Often times, I would get a bit frustrated by indecision over small things like if I wanted grass in one area or a rocky path instead. It was for that reason I had to force myself to stop trying to make my town perfect and continue the campaign. 

The art direction in Terra Memoria might be my favorite aspect of the game. La Moutarde, the indie studio behind it, utilized 3D graphics to create a stunning 2D pixel effect. This allows the characters and attacks to truly pop off the screen. It creates the same sort of high quality look found in games like Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler, and it makes me wish more game studios utilized 3D in this way. The approach truly pays homage to old school 8-bit and 16-bit RPGs that utilized pixel designs to create immersive, visually appealing worlds. 

Despite how fun Terra Memoria is many players might find the runtime of the game a bit short. I imagine many could easily finish the story in under ten hours. But to truly understand the world of Terra Memoria and get the full crafting experience, players will likely need to play through it for twenty hours or more. The story and gameplay might also end up being a bit simplistic for some people, although I found that part of the charm. It was nice to play something that was cozy and uncomplicated.

Terra Memoria was a wonderful way to pass the time after a long day at work. I'd curl up with it before bed, discovering new recipes to make or creating a cute pond in my town just because I wanted to. The story was also satisfying due to how wonderful the cast of characters are, and they all felt believable in spire of their individual quirks and familiar character tropes. 

Terra Memoria is available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series, PS5, and PC via Steam. 

The post Review: Terra Memoria Remixes the RPG Genre With Cozy Vibes appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai and Tamashii Nations have revealed a brand new Bleach Ichigo Kurosaki SH Figuarts figure which is set to release in Japan in October 2024 for ¥ 9,900 (~$64 USD). The figure has also been announced for release worldwide, but no release date or pre-order information has been provided at the current time.

The new Ichigo Kurosaki SH Figuarts figure is being referred to as his "Dual Zangetsu" version, which is based on his Bleach Thousand-Year Blood War appearance once Ichigo reforges his zanpakuto. When Ichigo reforges his zanpakuto, it reveals that his sword has become two halves of one whole. In this outfit, Ichigo wears a large red and white pauldron on his left shoulder and a smaller white pauldron on his right shoulder, creating an "X" across his chest, and around his waist is a torn white and black robe.

The upcoming figure comes with 4 swords: Getsuga Tensho and Getsuga Jujisho unsheathed, and the both swords sheathed. Ichigo also comes with four different faces, six different hands for gripping the swords or different poses, and various attack effects. Ichigo can be posed into many different ways to replicate his attacks from the anime by utilizing the provided stand that comes with the figure.

Images of the new SH Figuarts figure based on Ichigo Kurosaki can be viewed below:

[gallery size="medium" link="file" columns="5" ids="1023946,1023947,1023948,1023949,1023950,1023951,1023952,1023953,1023954"]

The original Bleach anime series began airing in 2004 through to 2012 and received four feature-length animated films during its initial run. The anime returned after ten years with Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War in 2022, and the new season is scheduled to air sometime in 2024.

The new Bleach Ichigo Kurosaki's Dual Zangetsu SH Figuarts figure goes on sale in Japan on April 19, 2024, and releases October 2024 in Japan. Tamashii Nations stated that more information about the worldwide release will be revealed soon.

The post New Bleach Ichigo Kurosaki SH Figuarts Figure on the Way appeared first on Siliconera.

Japanese electronics goods company ONKYO will be releasing NieR Automata wireless earphones that come with 2B and 9S's voice lines built into the device. The wireless earphones are scheduled to ship July 2024. [Thanks, Dengeki!]

ONKYO's ANIMA AOW 01 wireless earphones are based on NieR Automata Ver1.1a, the anime series which adapts Square Enix's popular video game NieR Automata. Fans of the video game and anime series will be able to operate their earphones while enjoying the familiar voices 2B and 9S. The headphones come with recorded voice lines by Yui Ishikawa and Natsuki Hanae, the voice actors of 2B and 9S respectively. There are 11 words recorded on each model, including voice lines for powering the device on and off, pairing the device, and other recordings when using the earphones.

The NieR Automata earphones have built-in Bluetooth 5.1, IPX7 waterproof standard, AAC and aptX codec compatibility, MEMS type microphone, and they also support wireless qi charging. The charing case features the YoRHa emblem printed on top along with 2B or 9S's model name. The earbuds themselves feature the left "L" and right "R" in Angelic text. The sound quality of the earphones have also been closely observed by ONKYO.

The earphones also come with a brand new piece of artwork made specially for the release of the ANIMA AOW 01 wireless earphones. The brand new artwork featuring 2B and 9S with the earphones can be viewed below:

[gallery columns="1" size="medium" ids="1018945" link="file"]

The earphones will be available for pre-order at the ONKYO Akihabara store and online on ONKYO Direct starting March 19, 2024 until May 7, 2024, or until the available pre-order units sell out.

Images of the ANIMA AOW 01 earphones can be viewed below:

[gallery columns="1" size="medium" link="file" ids="1018937"]

NieR Automata Ver1.1a is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. NieR Automata is playable on the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC.

The post NieR Automata Wireless Earphones Come With 2B & 9S Lines appeared first on Siliconera.

The official Dragon Ball website is celebrating Saiyan Day on March 18, 2024, and as part of the celebrations the official blog has posted a look at how the Dragon Ball Z Vegeta Saiyan Battle Armor costume is made.

The blog revealed that it took over 160 hours to design and craft the real-life Vegeta's Saiyan Battle Armor costume. They first began with creating the pattern for the battle armor. The team behind the costume stated on the blog that they referenced illustrations and designs from the original Dragon Ball Z series. They used hard sponge, vinyl leather, and "other materials" that went unlisted for the armor. After applying the vinyl leather, they colored and aged the armor.

After creating the battle armor, the team creating the Dragon Ball Z Vegeta costume worked on the gloves. The blog states that they worked on a pattern for the gloves and used leather as the main material. The gloves were more difficult to make due to having "complicated parts," so the cutting and sewing was done carefully to make sure it was accurate.

Following the gloves was the creation of the inner suit. The team had to create a custom pattern and chose a thick jersey fabric so it was flexible and comfortable. They wanted whoever would wear the costume to be able to "pull off agile moves like the Saiyan prince himself." The chest was kept loose to make it look "broad" and the wait was tapered to create a contrast between the upper and lower parts.

Photos of the entire process for creating the DBZ Vegeta Saiyan Battle Armor costume can be viewed below:

[gallery columns="6" ids="1018861,1018862,1018863,1018864,1018865,1018866,1018867,1018869,1018868,1018870,1018871,1018872,1018873,1018875,1018874,1018876,1018877,1018878" link="file"]

The DBZ Vegeta Saiyan Battle Armor costume is also being given away in Japan as part of their Saiyan Day Present Campaign which ends on March 22, 2024.

The post See How the Dragon Ball Z Vegeta Saiyan Battle Armor Costume Is Made appeared first on Siliconera.

Nissin announced that the Cup Noodle line will be releasing All-You-Can-Eat Mystery Meat variety starting on March 25, 2024 in Japan.

Despite its name, it is not "all-you-can-eat," but instead is about the sheer amount of mystery meat contained in one package. This new product will be a 200g of Cup Noodle's Mystery Meat found in their Mystery Meat-flavored cup ramen products. This is the equivalent of 47 servings of Mystery Meat in a regular bowl of the company's instant noodle bowls. The product does not contain any noodles or flavor packets, and they must be purchased separately to create a complete bowl. The meat can also be eaten as a snack on its own.

In the official press release by Nissin, the company stated that alongside the release of this new product, there will be original recipes released including Mystery Meat Explosion Cup Noodle Fried Rice and Mystery Meat Burger that can be found on the official Mystery Meat website. Other recipes using the product include Mystery Meat Kimchi Rice Bowl, Mystery Meat Stuffed Peppers, and Mystery Meat Bolognese. An individual box of Mystery Meat will cost ¥650 and will be available nationwide in Japan.

Images of the upcoming All-You-Can-Eat Mystery Meat product can be viewed below:

https://twitter.com/cupnoodle_jp/status/1769604662414491913

Nissin has released plenty of limited and special items over the years, including a measuring cup that could measure out the perfect amount of water for a bowl of instant noodles, Cup Noodle-flavored soda, noodles with caffeine for gamers, a Genshin Impact collaboration, Final Fantasy collaborations, and beyond. The Cup Noodle line launched in 1971 and has been Nissin's best selling product worldwide. Nissin also has lines outside of their Cup Noodle line which includes products focused on the company's curry and udon.

All-You-Can-Eat Mystery Meat will release on March 25, 2024 across Japan.

The post Cup Noodle to Release All-You-Can-Eat Mystery Meat Variey appeared first on Siliconera.

SuperGroupies is releasing a brand-new line of merchandise based on the Transformers property to celebrate its 40th anniversary, and it will feature watches with interchangeable bands, wallets with detachable money clips, and jackets that transform into bags when folded. Pre-orders for the upcoming line of merchandise based on Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron will remain open until April 1, 2024.

The SuperGroupies line of Transformers merchandise is made to order, limiting them to those who order during the pre-order period. The jackets and backpacks will ship in July 2024, while the watches will ship out in September 2024.

The Optimus Prime watch comes with two interchangeable bands: a silver metal band and a blue rubber band. The face of the watch features the Autobots symbol and a design that is reminiscent of Optimus Prime's head. The Optimus Prime wallet us a deep red color with a metal Autobots symbol on the front. It comes with a removable money clip that can be used to hold a few cards or some money. The Optimus Prime parka-style jacket comes in red and blue with a large kangaroo pocket on the front. The pocket is where the jacket can be folded and transformed into a bag with straps. Images and prices for the SuperGroupies Transformers merchandise based on Optimus Prime can be seen below:

[gallery columns="5" size="medium" link="file" ids="1018416,1018415,1018417,1018418,1018419,1018425,1018426,1018427,1018428,1018429,1018420,1018421,1018422,1018423,1018424"]

• Optimus Prime Model Watch - ¥38,500 (~$260 USD)
• Optimus Prime Model Wallet - ¥17,600 (~$119 USD)
• Optimus Prime Model Jacket - ¥26,400 (~$173 USD)

The Bumblebee watch comes with a yellow rubber band and a black gunmetal band that can be interchanged to create two styles of watches. The Autobots emblem is also emblazoned on the face of the watch like the Optimus Prime watch. The Bumblebee wallet comes in black with a yellow accent the outside. The interior of the wallet is a bright yellow color and also comes with a removable money clip. The Bumblebee jacket comes in yellow and black, and folds up into a bag similar to the Optimus Prime jacket. Images and prices for the SuperGroupies Transformers merchandise based on Bumblebee can be viewed below:

[gallery columns="5" size="medium" ids="1018430,1018431,1018432,1018433,1018434,1018440,1018441,1018442,1018443,1018444,1018435,1018436,1018437,1018438,1018439" link="file"]

• Bumblebee Model Watch - ¥38,500 (~$260 USD)
• Bumblebee Model Wallet - ¥17,600 (~$119 USD)
• Bumblebee Model Jacket - ¥26,400 (~$173 USD)

The Megatron version of merchandise is the only set representing the Decepticons, and features black and grey coloring. The watch comes with a black gunmetal band as well as a black rubber band. The front face of the watch features the Decepticons emblem, and features purple and red accent colors. The wallet is grey with a black accent along the front. The interior of the wallet has red accent colors, and comes with a removable money clip with the Decepticons emblem printed on it. The jacket comes in black and grey with red accents around the jacket. Like the other two jackets in the Transformer line, it can also turn into a bag. Images and prices for the SuperGroupies Transformers merchandise based on Megatron can be seen below:

[gallery columns="5" size="medium" ids="1018445,1018446,1018447,1018448,1018449,1018455,1018456,1018457,1018458,1018459,1018450,1018451,1018452,1018453,1018454" link="file"]

• Megatron Model Watch - ¥38,500 (~$260 USD)
• Megatron Model Wallet - ¥17,600 (~$119 USD)
• Megatron Model Jacket - ¥26,400 (~$173 USD)

Other recent SuperGroupies merchandise lines based on popular anime and video game series include a collection based on Yu-Gi-Oh's Yugi and Kaiba and Ghost of Tsushima protagonist Jin Sakai.

The SuperGroupies Transformers merchandise line will be available for pre-order until April 1, 2024.

The post SuperGroupies Transformers Jacket Transforms Into Bag appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix restocked its Final Fantasy VII Buster Sword necklaces on the official Square Enix e-Store in Japan. There are two different versions of the necklaces that can be pre-ordered right now, and they are set to release on September 7, 2024.

The standard edition of the FFVII Buster Sword necklace features a silver Buster Sword pendant with two green crystals fitted right into the materia slots. In comparison, the limited edition version of the necklace features a silver Buster Sword pendant with one blue crystal and one red crystal embedded into the materia slots. The chain has a thin, boxy design and is 510mm long.

The limited edition version of the Buster Sword necklace will only be available at Square Enix's ARTNIA cafe and on the e-Store during the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth event period. The two Buster Sword necklaces can be viewed below:

[gallery columns="1" size="medium" link="file" ids="1018395"]

• Final Fantasy VII Remake Buster Sword Silver Necklace - ¥19,580 (~$132 USD)
• Final Fantasy VII Remake Buster Sword Silver Necklace Limited Edition - ¥19,580 (~$132 USD)

The Buster Sword is currently a popular item for Square Enix as they currently have the sword on display at the Square Enix Cafe in Akihabara and the ARTNIA cafe and store in Shinjuku as part of the company's FFVII Rebirth cafe event. While the sword cannot be touched, people can take pictures of it and pose next to it. Square Enix also highly encourages fans to bring their figures and plush toys to pose them next to the iconic sword for photos.

Square Enix has also been restocking old items in celebration of FFVII Rebirth's release back on February 29, 2024. The company recently brought back the Aerith, Tifa, Cloud, and Sephiroth plush toys.

FFVII Rebirth is available on the PS5, and the exclusivity arrangement ends on May 29, 2024. FFVII Remake is also available to play on the PS4, PS5, and PC.

The post Final Fantasy VII Buster Sword Necklaces Restocked appeared first on Siliconera.

The Bleach anime series will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with a special event in Yokohama. The event is scheduled to start on April 26, 2024 at the Yokohama Landmark Tower. [Thanks, Ryokutya2089!]

The special event titled "Bleach The Locus of Brave" is set to begin this spring and feature an exhibition that will show off artwork from Bleach series. There will also be special merchandise on sale at the event. The event is currently scheduled to run from April 26. 2024 through to May 26, 2024. More details will be revealed at a later time.

Alongside the announcement of the upcoming special event, the official Bleach 20th Anniversary website has launched and revealed brand new artwork featuring Ichigo and all of his various enemies and rivals throughout the series. The characters shown in the artwork include Renji, Ikkaku, Kenpachi, and Byakuya from the Soul Society Arc; Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, Nnoitra, Gin, and Aizen from the Arrancar Arc; Ginjo and Tsukishima from the Fullbringer Arc; and Yhwach and Ishida from the Thousand-Year Blood War Arc. The new artwork for the Bleach 20th Anniversary can be seen below:

[gallery columns="1" size="medium" link="file" ids="1018388"]

The website also details various upcoming collaborations. Bleach will be collaborating with EPOS Card to launch special card designs. Card applications for these specific designs will open on March 29, 2024. Bleach will also be releasing a special MV with SennaRin's song "Reaper" at the AnimeJapan 2024 Aniplex booth on March 23, 2024.

The original Bleach anime series began airing in 2004 through to 2012 and received four feature-length animated films during its initial run. The anime returned after nearly ten years with Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War in 2022, and the new season is scheduled to air in 2024.

"Bleach The Locus of Brave" special event is set to begin on April 26, 2024 in Yokohama.

The post Bleach Anime Celebrating 20th Anniversary With Special Event appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus announced that Unicorn Overlord physical copies sold out at retail stores in Japan, and the company issued an apology for the sudden shortage. The game released worldwide on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X on March 8, 2024.

In the message released by the Unicorn Overlord publisher, Atlus stated that it apologized for the inconvenience of the game selling out at many retail stores across Japan. Atlus also expressed its "deep gratitude" to fans who have made the game successful enough to sell out. The company further stated that copies are being shipped out in order of purchase, so interested fans should make a reservation at their local retailer in order to secure a copy as soon as they are restocked.

As an alternative to the physical version, Atlus stated through its apology message that the digital version of Unicorn Overlord is available for purchase from the Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, and Microsoft Store. For fans seeking out a digital copy, the standard edition will cost ¥8,778. The Monarch Edition of Unicorn Overlord will cost ¥13,178 and comes with a 16-bit Arranged Music Album featuring 20 song tracks, and a digital art book with 132 pages of artwork from the game.

Atlus did not announce any timeline for when they anticipate retailers receiving a new shipment of physical copies or when the game will potentially come back into stock in Japan in general. Atlus also did not indicate if they under-shipped the game to retailers or heavily underestimated the interest in Vanillaware's latest release.

Unicorn Overlord is Vanillaware's most recent game release which features the developer's iconic watercolor-esque art style, turn-based, tactical combat, and over 100 different characters to interact with within the game and 60 playable characters.

Unicorn Overlord is readily available to play on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

The post Unicorn Overlord Physical Copies Sold Out at Retail in Japan appeared first on Siliconera.

Fans are able to pose with a real-life Buster Sword while dining and shopping at the ongoing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth-themed cafe collaboration at the Square Enix Cafe in Akihabara and ARTNIA in Shinjuku. The cafe collaboration will run through to May 10, 2024.

The Buster Sword is modeled after Cloud Strife's and Zack Fair's sword from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and although fans cannot pick the sword up and pose with it, they are able to take photos of it while it is resting in its stand. Square Enix highly recommends that fans also bring their plush toys and figures to have them posed next to the sword. Photos of the Buster Sword can be seen below:

The ongoing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth cafe collaboration features unique menu items, coasters, and store items for fans to get their hands on. Fans who order food items will receive one random placemat per item and fans who get a drink will get one random coaster per item. There are different placemats and coasters available throughout the collaboration, so fans are encouraged to come back multiple times to try and collect as many as they can.

The food items at the cafe collaboration are based on various characters and locations from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which include a Cloud black omurice, a Moogle meat bun, a Zack seafood pizza, Cactuar churros, a Kalm sandwich, Mog cheesecake manju, a Deluxe Burger, a Costa del Sol rice dish, and a Gongaga mushroom pasta. The drinks are based on Cloud, Sephiroth, Aerith, Kalm, the Tiny Bronco, Junon, Tifa, Bugenhagen's planetarium, the Gold Saucer, and the Temple of the Ancients. Photos of the food and drink items are available below:

FFVII Rebirth is available on the PS5. The exclusivity arrangement ends on May 29, 2024.

The post Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Cafe Includes Buster Sword appeared first on Siliconera.

It was officially announced that Dragon Ball Daima is set to air on Fuji TV in Japan starting Fall 2024. This news comes a few days after the announcement of Akira Toriyama's passing. [Thanks, Comic Natalie!]

Fuji TV held an online presentation on YouTube titled "Fuji TV Anime Lineup Presentation 2024" and featured Dragon Ball Daima at the event as their final announcement. Masako Nozawa, the Japanese voice actor of Son Goku, was there at Fuji TV's presentation to reveal plans to air the upcoming anime on Fuji TV as well as give a speech about the impact the Dragon Ball franchise and Toriyama have had on the world. Nozawa ended her speech with Goku's iconic "Kamehameha" line and pose while wearing a Capsule Corporation jacket.

Dragon Ball Daima has been developed as the 40th anniversary work of the Dragon Ball franchise, and features new character designs by Toriyama as well as an episode written by him. In the show, Goku and his friends have been transformed into younger versions of themselves, and Goku must travel to new worlds to find a way to reverse the change as well as face off a new threat. It was revealed at New York Comic Con 2023 that the show would air in Fall 2024, but no television network was announced at the time.

It has been six years since the last Dragon Ball anime series aired. Dragon Ball Super ran for five seasons and ended back in 2018. Other new and upcoming Dragon Ball media includes Dragon Ball Z Kakarot which received a new DLC pack featuring a storyline focused on Goku and Uub, Dragon Ball Fighter Z which received PS5 and Xbox Series X ports in February 2024, and Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero which is set to release on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in the future.

Dragon Ball Daima is set to release on Fuji TV in Fall 2024.

The post Dragon Ball Daima to Air in Fall 2024 on Fuji TV appeared first on Siliconera.

The official Dragon Ball social media account announced that Akira Toriyama died. The announcement comes days after the event, as it happened on March 1, 2024.

Toriyama died at the age of 68. The official announcement noted the cause was due to an acute subdural hematoma.

Toriyama was best known for the creation of the Dragon Ball franchise in 1984 and has seen multiple continuations in the form of Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super. Among his other popular works included Dr. Slump which began serialization in 1980 and became huge success for publisher Shueisha, and Sand Land in 2000. Toriyama also served as the character designer for the Dragon Quest video game series, helping to shape its iconic visual style that has spanned dozens of releases over the last 38 years. He was also the character designer on Chrono Trigger and Blue Dragon.

Akira Toriyama was working on many different projects before he died, including the Sand Land video game adaption, the Dragon Ball Daima anime which is set to air in 2024, and other unannounced projects. The official Dragon Ball social media account announced that funeral services were held with his family and close relatives in private. To follow Toriyama's wishes for "tranquility" prior to his passing, it has been requested that there be no flowers, gifts, visits, offerings, or other forms of condolences sent in honor of him. The official social medial account also asked that no interviews be conduced with his family.

The official social media account also stated that plans for a commemorative gathering for Akira Toriyama have not yet been made, but will be announced at a later date once confirmed.

The post Akira Toriyama Died appeared first on Siliconera.