Dynasty Warriors 6: Special will be coming out for PlayStation 2 systems on October 2nd in Japan and November 28th in North America. A European release date has not been announced.
October[]
Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires was announced for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with a release date set on March 31st, 2009.
The Xbox 360 version of Warriors Orochi 2 is given an update patch to deal with major slowdown issues. Koei said sorry and promised to be stricter with quality control.
A PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 conversion of Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce was announced for Japan and will be out in stores on October 1st. It is titled Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid Special.
Dynasty Warriors Online will be updated with a new patch titled Revolution 4. It allows players to use Cao Ren, Zhou Tai, and Yue Ying's weapons.
Koei is performing a collaboration event with the anime, Souten Kōro, in three of their titles.
Koei-Tecmo's website regarding their TGS 2009 booth opens. Twenty-one games will be presented and special events will be held for Samurai Warriors 3 and Nobunaga no Yabou: Tendou.
The official site for Samurai Warriors 3 has updated with more information regarding characters and the Nazo no Murasamejo mode. Voice clips and trailers are now available.
Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires will be ported to the PlayStation Portable.
Koei's "mystery title" from TGS 2009 is a Warriors version of the Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken) anime. Videos of the October 14th press release are now available for normal viewing on Niconico Douga.
Dynasty Warriors Online will have Yue Ying's weapon available on October 20th. The fourth tie-in event with Souten Kouro is a side quest for Wei during the Battle of Mt. Ding Jun.
November[]
A sequel to Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce is announced. One of the new characters includes Da Qiao.
More characters confirmed in Samurai Warriors 3. There is also information about the online shopping features available for the game.
Dynasty Warriors Online is updating to Revolution 5 on November 17th. The new story scenario for this patch is conquering Jing Province. Players can also unlock the weapons of Zhen Ji, Sun Ce, and Huang Zhong, along with a panda pet to assist them in battles. Additionally, they can embark on a new mini-quest to execute the Self-Torture Ruse devised by Zhou Yu and Huang Gai.
Musou Orochi Z released for the PC in Japan.
December[]
Producers for Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Special and Samurai Warriors share their closing thoughts on the year's progress with 38 other game developers. They reveal their own personal favorite game genres, their private choices as the year's best titles, and their expectations for 2010 here.
Hokuto Musou has updated its official site to include individual character renders and other screenshots for the game. Toki is also confirmed to make an appearance in the title.
Dynasty Warriors Online is updating on December 17th to include Sun Ce's weapon for players and a side-story surrounding the Battle of Chang Ban for Liu Bei.
The official site for the PlayStation 3 port of Dynasty Warriors Online has updated to include screenshots and information about the Premium Boxset.
Koei-Tecmo released an exclusive video channel on Niconico Douga featuring promotional videos for their newest products. Niconico members can view it here.
Huang Zhong's weapon is available for players on January 21st in Dynasty Warriors Online. A new side story starring Sun Ce and Da Qiao is also going to be added on February 4th. As the couple passes through Xishan, they encounter a mysterious illusion and Da Qiao braves herself to face it.
A Sengoku Jidai themed party is being held on March 6th~7th. Koei will be presenting voice actors from Samurai Warriors 3, Nobunaga's Ambition related events, and various live action festivities. Vocalists alan, Shanadoo, Nana Tanimura, Do as Infinity, and Gackt will also make an appearance. Tickets are available at E-plus's website. An online shop with related merchandise can be found here.
February[]
The PlayStation Portable version of Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires continues its Dynasty Warriors 5 model releases, this time having four characters from Wu featured. Shu models were released on February 25th.
Koei-Tecmo will be at the Yamada Dengeki Labi1 Namba talkshow event. They will present their games for everyone to play. The giant Kenshiro figurine from the first press event for Hokuto Musou will also make an appearance for fans.
Previews of Shin and Toki's original stories have been announced for Hokuto Musou, mentioning more characters that will appear in the game. Renders and descriptions for Fudoh and Jyuza are also out. 160 chosen users have a chance to preview a Premium version of the game before its release. Applications are on the official website and the actual play tests will take place on March 3rd.
The PC port of Dynasty Warriors 6 and the Playstation 3 port of Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires won gold medals at the Game Star Awards. These titles were chosen from 64,000 users from a total of 206 nominated titles. This marks the seventeenth time that Koei's titles have won an award for the ceremony.
Xing Cai is formerly introduced into the Dynasty Warriors Online universe. She will start appearing in the game on February 4th. An update to celebrate the Chinese lunar new year is also going to be added for the Playstation 3 port on February 18th. A side story focusing on Pang Tong and Zhang Fei was also announced to begin on March 4th. It deals with the incident when Zhang Fei is angered at Pang Tong for neglecting his duties as the magistrate at Leiyang.
Xiang Yu is announced as a new character in Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid 2. An event starring Jiang Wei, Zhen Ji, and Sun Shang Xiang appeared for download on February 10th. Aside from the battle introducing Shi Huangdi, it also includes a map called the Battle of Shouchun. The trio fight against a beast representing the Jupiter star resurrected by the evil emperor.
March[]
A press release for Hokuto Musou reveals several new techniques and details within the game. Ryuga's official render is also revealed.
The PlayStation Portable port of Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires now has four additional Dynasty Warriors 5Wei and Wu outfits up for download for edit characters. Shi Huangdi and his army also star in a Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid 2crossover event in the Japanese play reports.
The massive Sengoku Jidai related event, Sengoku Busho Matsuri, was held in Japan from March 6th to 7th. Both Koei and Fuji TV were the main sponsors of the event. Attendees could view live events such as pro-wrestlers fighting under the names of select historical figures in battles whilst in Samurai Warriors 3 inspired costumes, mascot appearances, and on-stage performances by several vocalists and voice actors. Game fans were able to visit the Nobunaga's Ambition corner to see the illustrations for all of the main titles and could line up to gain an autograph from the original artist of some of the game covers, Tsuyoshi Nagano. They could also play test Hokuto Musou, Shin Sangoku Musou Multi Raid 2, Winning Post 2010 and fifteen other titles. A report of the first day can be seen here and the second day can be seen here.
Koei-Tecmo has renewed their official channel on YouTube. It can be seen here.
Dynasty Warriors Online will update to Revolution 6 on March 18th. Players will be able to use Liu Bei, Jiang Wei, Cao Pi, and Zuo Ci's weapons for their characters. Players can team up with the characters from the opening movie to obtain a rare item that changes the attack actions of their characters when equipped. They will also be able to have tigers assist them in battle. A mode that allows players to observe the battles of other factions will be added in the game on April 15th.
April[]
Mr. Heart can now be bought online for the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 and can be played during the original story mode in Hokuto Musou. The first episode of new scenarios in challenge mode is available, starting on April 22nd. Outlaw was also made available on April 30th.
Players can use Zuo Ci's weapons in Dynasty Warriors Online starting on April 15th. A special event involving two brothers from a trading town can also be unlocked on the same day. Lu Jia and Lu Zhen have a history of friendly relations with one another. One day, however, the younger Lu Zhen suddenly labeled his brother as a criminal. Players have to solve the mystery behind the mysterious incident. For a limited time, players can initiate a rain of flowers during their "/welcome" emoticon. Players who take part in the 2010 Netcafe campaign or the Musou Coin Ticket 1150 can win awakening gems for Diao Chan or Lu Bu. These gems momentarily allow the players' characters to morph into either unique character, regardless of their current weapon or stats.
The PlayStation Portable port of Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires has four additional Dynasty Warriors 5 models from Shu up for download for edit characters. Four more outfits from Wei and five more outfits from Wu were also made available. Three more models for Shu and Meng Huo were available on April 28th.
May[]
Players in Dynasty Warriors Online can use Liu Bei's weapon starting May 20th.
The PlayStation Portable port of Dynasty Warriors 6: Empires has five additional Dynasty Warriors 5 models for the players' original characters, this time having the remaining Other characters available for download.
June[]
Koei-Tecmo has announced four titles for the Nintendo 3DS at E3 2010, two of which include the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors franchises. The Dynasty Warriors title is just the series name while the Samurai Warriors title has the tentative title, Samurai Warriors 3D. The Tecmo side has announced similar plans for their Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series.
Players in Dynasty Warriors Online can use Jiang Wei's weapon starting June 17th.
July[]
Koei has announced a voice actors event for the Samurai Warriors cast to take place later this year in October. The official site and details will be out in August.
The newest update for Dynasty Warriors Online, "Revolution 7", has been announced to begin on July 15th. Players will be able to obtain "Rank 6" weapons and can have the chance to use Xing Cai's weapon for their characters. The edit option for the player's characters is also going to be revised and updated. The announcement for the updated weapons can be seen here.
August[]
Gamecity has launched Koei-Tecmo's Tokyo Game Show 2010 site and it can be seen here. It will update as a full website on September 9th.
The North American version of Dynasty Warriors Online for the PC is announced with no release date given. Signups for the closed beta are now open.
This month marks the ten year anniversary of the Dynasty Warriors series. To celebrate, Koei is issuing a special event in the online title. Players can collect several unique items unique to this event, two of which includes orbs to spontaneously transform players into Da Qiao or Xiao Qiao. The campaign lasts until the 17th of this month. Additionally, players can use Zhang He's weapon for their characters starting on August 19th. Parts to replicate his hairstyle and costume will appear as a collection event for players starting on September 2nd. Koei will also be holding a cosplay contest for the series at the 2010 Tokyo Game Show. Series producer Akihiro Suzuki will be one of the judges for the contest.
September[]
Sengoku Musou Chronicle has been announced for the Nintendo 3DS at the Nintendo Conference 2010 and will be out in stores in Spring 2011. This title will emphasize teamwork through the touch screen, allowing players to switch between four characters. Tecmo has also revealed more information for their Dead or Alive Dimensions project and another installment of their Fatal Frame series on the Wii.
Koei-Tecmo's official YouTube channel has updated to include trailers and other footage for this year's TGS. Be sure to check it out.
A radio program has been announced in Japan featuring Koei's popular Warriors and Neo Romance series at once. It will be hosted by Zhao Yun, Zhuge Liang, and J.D.'s (Neo Angelique) voice actor (Masaya Onosaka) and by Mitsunari, Katsuie, and Ōchi Fukuchi's (Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5) voice actor (Eiji Takemoto). The hosts chat about either series on the fly based on responses they receive from Twitter. Details for how to submit questions for the program is at Twitter here. The show begins sometime in October.
Shin Sangoku Musou 6 (Dynasty Warriors 7) has been revealed as a PlayStation 3 exclusive title. New visuals for the characters can be seen by answering a short quiz on the series' 10th anniversary page or at Koei Warriors.
Koei-Tecmo will have a special Dynasty Warriors 6 movie rendered for a 3D film experience at their TGS booth.
The official Japanese website for Warriors: Legends of Troy has undergone a small renewal to include character descriptions, a screenshots section, and a story introduction. Check out the official website to see.
Gundam Musou 3 presents itself for the first time to the public with a complete overhaul in graphics and mecha planned. Series appearances from the first two games are staged to appear along with the following Gundam series: 00 second season, UC, 0083 STARDUST MEMORY, and X. A playable demo is scheduled to be at TGS 2010.
Dynasty Warriors Online is releasing its second expansion, Souten Ranbu, on November 11th, 2010. In the new expansion, players can ride mounts and find several new items in battle. Additionally, the music is upgraded and Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shao will be recognized as two new factions for players to join with many new options added for existing battles. Three new updates have already been revealed in the future. Players may use Lu Bu's weapon in December, they can partake in a new scenario with the two new forces, and players can ride on tigers starting in January 2011. Consumers who buy the PlayStation 3 port on the release day will also have the opportunity to use Lu Bu's and Diao Chan's color scheme for their characters. The expansion will allow PlayStation 3 users to create two characters per user account. A promotional movie and screenshots can be seen here.
For the current patch, a grand tournament between all the factions is expected to take place throughout September and October. Players can fight in four-vs-four match ups to see who is the best among them. Starting on September 16th, players can use a powered up version of Lu Xun's weapon. On September 30th, players can also participate in a quest to collect parts of his model for their own characters.
Prizes for participants in the Dynasty Warriors series cosplay contest at TGS 2010 have been confirmed. These prizes are based on three categories: grand prize, special judge prize, and Omega Force prize. Details for these prizes can be seen on the contest page. Masaya Onosaka, Zhao Yun and Zhuge Liang's Japanese voice actor, will also be present at the event. Contestants and winners can be seen at Famitsu here.
October[]
Koei has released an invitation for 30 specially selected bloggers to attend their October 26th Dynasty Warriors 7 press event. The details and application can be found here. Dynasty Warriors 7 is up with news from the aforementioned event.
Dynasty Warriors Online is scheduled to have a powered up version of Zhang Liao's weapons on October 14th. Parts of his model can be equipped by players on October 28th.
The English official pages for Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage have updated to include characters in the game, a few story tidbits, and a jukebox option. Visitors who are 18 or older may access the portal site and see the launched sites for themselves. An international version of Hokuto Musou has been slated to be out in Japan on December 2nd. It will include the higher level of violence that was made specifically for the overseas audience.
The Neo Romance and Warriors radio show has launched its official website. Broadcasts will begin on October 9th.
November[]
To celebrate the Neoromance Starlight ♥ Xmas 2010 stage event, a character CD will be featured. The star characters include Bernard from Neo Angelique (voiced by Daisuke Hirakawa) and Richard from LoveφSummit (voiced by Kenji Nojima). Aside from character solo songs, monologues from both characters will be featured on the disk. The CD's themes are "holy night" and "propose". A commercial for the new CD can be seen here and the voice actor commentary can be seen here. An introduction for the Sengoku Jidai themed comic, Sengoku Angelique, is present for the Angelique members attending the event. The members can be seen here.
A talk show for Gundam Musou 3 will be held by Bandai-Namco with a few of the developers and the original author of the novel series for Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. The ninety minute meeting will take place on November 23rd (Japan Time) with select bloggers present for questions and attendance. People who can't attend the event in person can also choose to watch the live broadcast on Bandai-Namco's channel at Ustream. For those who missed the live broadcast, they can see the archived version of the stage event here. Like other Omega Force titles, store meetings in Japan have been announced for those curious about the game throughout this month and up until the release date in December. Details are available for interested fans on the game's main page.
The eighth episode of Neoroma & Musou has Tomohiko Shou (the director of TRINITY: Souls of Zill O'll) appearing as a guest this week. He explained the basic layout of the game and stated that its system was easy for anyone to play. Shou hopes the title will be enjoyable for action and RPG fans alike. Since Masaya Onosaka brought it up, he answered that Omega Force is the "action team" for Koei whom try to explore different genres for the company. Onosaka then proposed his idea for a game title, "Nobunaga Invader", and suggested to keep everything about the game a secret until its release date. Shou politely declined the idea with a chuckle. After this segment, Eiji Takemoto passionately narrated a commercial for Hokuto Musou International and ended it by saying "You are already dead!" in English.
A live festival event for the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de series has been announced to take place January and March next year. The event is called Neoromance ♥ Festa ~ Haruka Matsuri 2011. So far, the announced cast includes the brother gods of Yume no Ukihashi, two of the Heike brothers from the third title, Yasuhira from Izayoiki or Michiomi from the fourth title, and mixed Hachiyou from the older titles. All of the Hachiyou announced for the upcoming Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 will also attend the event. Two exclusive animated clips prepared for the event includes a sequence starring characters from the fourth title -a series's first- and a new animated video dedicated to the three Heian Period titles of the series.
60 specially picked players of Uncharted Waters Online can win a chance to obtain the upcoming fourth expansion pack early. Details of the presentation are found here. An update allows players to explore the ancient Mayan city Palenque, unlocking new items, quests, and site seeing opportunities. When a player logs-in around the area, they may also be entreated to a random quest by one of the unique NPCs in the area.
The expansion, Tierra Americana, will be released on February 22nd, 2010. Its subtitle means "onwards to America" or in this case, towards a new world and a completely new system for players. Players can buy their own plot of land and customize their property entirely to their liking. Their new plot of land helps the player trade, since towns now act as another trading route. Europe is now going through its Renaissance and Paris becomes a new addition for players to explore. The player has to pay close attention to the ever changing trends of the city scene, as their reputation might take a hit if they ignore them. Reputation is needed for certain quest givers in town. Firenze is another new town of interest if the player wants to do business with the influential Medici family. They may either purchase unique items or auction off their inventions or treasures for a higher reputation. Players can also initiate their own sea battles -as opposed to waging war only as an event- if they feel their merchant trade route is threatened. Boats and other tools needed for traveling across the sea have upgraded as well, allowing more customization options. The three new NPCs being added are an American woman named Justine, Lorenzo de' Medici, and Albrecht von Wallenstein.
Various store front meetings are planned to promote TRINITY: Souls of Zill O'll throughout Japan this month. Details of the meetings and the present for attendees can be seen here. An illustration contest has been announced for interested fans. For more details, visit the game's page on the wiki.
To gradually introduce the newest expansion, Dynasty Warriors Online is undergoing a promotion of classes and upgrading the player's friendlists. A commemoration outfit for the expansion will also be available.
In a Famitsu report this month, Sengoku Musou 3 Moushouden and new characters in Dynasty Warriors 7 have been announced.
December[]
An evaluation of this year's progress and next year's expectations from Kou Shibusawa, Hisashi Koinuma, and Akihiro Suzuki can be seen at 4gamer. Shibusawa looks forward to seeing some of the social games released for Japan also be played overseas. Koinunma gave his regards to fans for the new title he is working on. Suzuki has said on the Dynasty Warriors 7 Twitter his fond farewells to fans for this year. Although this weekend and next week is filled with New Year parties in Japan, he said a report for new characters appearing in the title will be out by then.
Heiwa has announced their pachislot adaption of Dynasty Warriors called Shin Sangoku Musou Pachislot. It sports visuals from Dynasty Warriors 5 with Sangoku and Lu Bu Rush features announced. The official website can be seen here and the promotional video can be viewed at YouTube here.
Two new mobile games announced from Koei-Tecmo include 100man-nin no Monster Farm and Nobunyaga no Yabou. The former title is a game for Tecmo's Monster Rancher series that seeks to make the game completely based in a social network. Basic gameplay features remain, allowing users to raise their monsters and pit them in fights against other users. When the game reaches its title namesake of 1,000,000 users, the game's world will change. Nobunyaga no Yabou is a pun of Nobunaga no Yabou and changes figures of the Sengoku Jidai into cats (the "nya" in the title is named after the sound of a cat meowing, "nyan"). These "neko bushou" then partake in a bid to control the land. Both games will be in service next year in January.
The twelfth episode of Neoroma & Musou begins with Onosaka performing a love confession request from a fifteen year old male listener, which surprised both hosts on the show. Naozumi Takahashi, who provides the voice for three Ten no Suzaku, Touya, and Suzaku in the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de series, is this week's special guest. Although listeners could not see it, Takahashi supposedly came to the show while dressed as a Christmas tree. They cover the recently released Portable/ Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4 Aizouban and the upcoming fifth installment. Takahashi talked about his role as Touya and finally becoming a god in the fifth title. He particularly stated his excitement of the gods finally talking more than they have in previous titles. Takemoto then brought up the upcoming Haruka stage event and asked for advice from Takahashi about conduct. When advised to act like his character and wear colors close to Ouchi Fukuchi, Onosaka brought up the idea of Takemoto dressing up like a white tiger to match the Byakko theme for his character; Takemoto hesitated to answer and merely thanked Takahashi for the pointers. After the segment concluded, Takemoto narrated a commercial for the fifth title's drama CD with Ouchi's image song on it. Before leaving the show, Takahashi took the time to inform fans of his newest single and its upcoming DVD. Onosaka pushed Takahashi to say "a proper Christmas themed message" so Takahashi ended his time on the show with, "Merry Christmas." Three listeners of the show may receive a Haruka 5 poster with autographs from Onosaka, Takemoto, and Takahashi by mailing the key word "papaya-pan" to the radio's official email address.
Nobunaga no Yabou Tendou is coming out with its Power Up Kit on the 17th of this month. This expansion will include a precedent feature for the series: the AI Editor. Players may choose to alter and program any daimyo they desire within the game; changes can be done on their behavior, military strengths, personality, and other personal aspects. When finished, the altered AI can be placed within a custom map which can also be altered to the player's preferences. Players can even share these altered characters with one another online to test their skills. New downloadable contents include three new warriors dealing with Ishida Mitsunari themed histories, whom can be seen here. The game includes lots more "what if?" scenarios than the original release. More is allegedly scheduled to be revealed in the game's tie-up radio program, Neoroma & Musou.
The Opoona original soundtrack is finally coming out this month on the 22nd, three years after the game's original release date. Basicscape's listing for the CDs are now available.
Dynasty Warriors Online, 100man-nin no Sangokushi, and Dynasty Warriors 7 are part of a collaboration campaign with the Japanese DVD releases of the Three Kingdoms TV series. Upon purchasing the DVD set, the consumer can then contact Gamecity to receive a present for the three games. Click here for the official page of the event.
Dynasty Warriors Online will update their Asian servers to allow players the chance to obtain an ungraded version of Lu Bu's weapon for their characters on December 16th. Players can use a new attack with the weapon called "Demon Force" to break through their opponent's guard. On the same day, players may also choose to recollect Zhang He parts for their character models. Starting on January 6th, 2011, players may do the same with Lu Bu's costume. Details and other updates can be seen in the official press release here.
Koei has created a special page for their participation in Jump Festa 2011. The three previously mentioned titles from the previous month will be joined by Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5. A 3D promotional video for Dynasty Warriors 7 will also be at the event.
Hokuto Musou won a Gold Prize at the Playstation Awards. Receiving the Gold Prize means the company has successfully shipped over 500,000 units of their product. The rest of the games and winners can be seen in a news report here.
The Neoromance Starlight ♥ Xmas 2010 stage event has revealed a few details of the brand new Angelique game. It will be a special collaboration title with the otome game brand, Otomate. The title is Love Love Tenshi-sama ~Angelique~. Characters from the two universes have been hinted to appear and their designs are with modern outfits instead of the clothing found in the Holy Land. According to the early comments from fans attending the event, it might be a parody themed title. A promotional video showing the designs and new character for the game can be seen on YouTube. Despite rumors and expectations, Sengoku Angelique has not been announced for a game adaption.
Voice actors from the Neoromance franchises will attend the Japan Otome ♥ Festival next year. Event details and other otome game series appearing at the event can be seen here.
The first downloadable outfits for the main party in TRINITY: Souls of Zill O'll can be seen here. The second set of downloadable content is out to include more costumes and exclusive scenarios.
Hokuto Musou International is out for sale in Japan's stores. Discount prices for downloadable content have been announced.
The PlayStation Portable versions of Winning Post 7 2009 and Warriors Orochi 2 will be available to download online at the Japanese Playstation Store on January 13th, 2011. A downloadable version of Samurai Warriors: State of War is now available for Japan this month.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online will start its Playstation 3 servers on December 22nd. A statement regarding events for winter and next year was included. An update for the title will happen next year in Spring. On the same note, Uncharted Waters Online will be conducting a Christmas themed event with Santa Claus costumes starting on the 14th of this month.
In a Famitsu report at the end of last month, new characters in Dynasty Warriors 7 have been announced. The official website has updated to include them.
January[]
100man-nin no Shin Sangoku Musou has been announced for a release in spring this year. Closed betas for the social game begin in March.
This week's theme for Neoroma & Musou is Dynasty Warriors 7. Masaya Onosaka is still taking a break, so Eiji Takemoto started the show by himself. He was soon joined by three other guests: Hisayoshi Suganuma (Jiang Wei and Sun Quan's voice actor), Ai Nonaka (Bao Sanniang's voice actor), and Kanae Ito (Wang Yuanji's voice actor). It's also the first time any woman has appeared on the show as guests. All three were called on their time off, so they were a little unaware of how things on the show went. Takemoto was kind enough to not pick on them though. Each voice actor had the chance to talk about their respective characters, though Suganuma's session was mainly dedicated to Jiang Wei. He performed an impression of Zhuge Liang, which jokingly lead to Onosaka being called "legendary" by the end of the program. Nonaka again mentioned her character following a "handsome man" like she did at TGS 2010, which further fuels the rumors for Guan Suo's appearance in the game. Itō stated a brief rundown of her character's role in the game, stating that she feels Wang Yuanji is trying her best. When the group talked about the gameplay features, they touched on the topic of being able to ride pandas in the game.
Japan Otome Festival, the biggest crossover event of several different Otome franchises and companies, has a theme song for the event called Sekai de Ichiban Aishiteru! Voice actor commentary for the song and event can be seen on the Neoromance Myspace page, The three participants who speak are Kenyu Horiuchi (Oscar from the Angelique series), Kentaro Ito (Ryōtaro Tsuchiura from the Kin'iro no Corda series), and Kōsuke Okano (Mahiro Atori in the Hi'iro no Kakera series).
The official website for LoveφSummit has updated with cast interviews for their first drama CD. The voice actors responses for their characters, their characters' lines, and a message to fans. An extended cast interview has been announced to be in the ninth volume of Comic B's Log Kyun!.
Akihiro Suzuki showcased a real time technical demo for the "Next Generation Portable" during the PlayStation Meeting 2011. The demo uses visuals from the Dynasty Warriors series. His speech and video presentation can be seen at Niconico Douga here. Non-Niconico users can see the same video online here.
The Neoromance franchises are performing a Valentine's Day and White Day special shopping campaign this year for members of Koei's online fanclub. Fans who are eligible and interested can receive a special message on White Day, chocolates, or sweets for either holiday.
Nobunyaga no Yabou will begin its closed Beta testing services on January 31st and end on February 6th. The site has updated to include more "neko bushou" and a few screenshots for its casual simulation game. To celebrate the end of their closed beta sign up period, four more "neko bushou" were revealed on January 28th.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online will be updating with new battle events for the three powerhouses in Kyushu. Players can take part in these events beginning the 26th this month. Other additions can be found in the press report.
Uncharted Waters Online has announced a new play event dealing with the committee for Nouvelle-France. While on their confidential voyage for new land, the ship's poorly implanted steer broke during a terrible storm. Somehow landing on Azores, the crew have no choice but to wait for a new ship to be made before continuing their travels. Players can help crew members pass away the boredom and dispel their feelings of unease with various quests. The official event page is up and additional lore for the event can be seen in the journal of one of the cast aways named Allen. Other future updates may be seen in the press release here. Their adventure to the Caribbean continues in February. Starting on February 22nd, the first chapter for the expansion will be out and is called "Atlantic". The newest press release goes into detail about the two new features: the inclusion of Paris and its models and the "trends" system.
A DVD edition of the live stage event, Neoromance ♥ Event 10 Years Love, is going to be available for purchase on February 23rd. The website dedicated to this video can be seen here.
The Asian servers for Dynasty Warriors Online have announced their updates to celebrate the Chinese New Year starting on January 20th and ending on February 17th (this year's Chinese New Year is taking place on February 3rd). After finishing a quest given by a client named Rin-Rin, players can celebrate with firecrackers by typing /cracker. At the same time, they can also participate in a quest to finally gain their tiger mounts. Details and other new items can be found in the press release.
Ruby Party has updated the website for Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 with information regarding the world screen and the new battle system. The sand clock feature allows the protagonist to travel between worlds. However, if too much time is spent being idle, her life pieces will decline and may result in a game over. Sample CGs and voices for the Four Gods are now included on the site. Modern portraits for the Hachiyou are also available for viewing. The preview for the second drama CD can be seen in the official catalog.
100man-nin no Nobunaga no Yabou, which is coming to the Japanese Yahoo! Mobile Game Town this month, has reached two million users or double the number of the title's namesake. Data regarding the gender and ages with the application's users can be found in a news report here.
Haruka Matsuri 2011 ~Hatsuharu Jidai Emaki~ has concluded and the program list is available on the website. During the event, details of the Samurai Warriors 3 voice actor event for spring has been announced. It will take place on March 27th and the official website for the Sengoku Musou Seiyuu Ougi 2011 Haru event can be seen in the Xtreme Legends page.
Otomate is developing another Angelique title based on the light novel, Angelique Requiem ~Kuroki Tsubasa no Moto ni~. The name of Otomate's production is called Angelique ~Maren no Rokukishi. Both the novel and the game center on the past history of Arios's alter ego from Angelique ~Tenku no Requiem~, Emperor Leviath Laguna Alviss. According to the title of the game, Leviath will meet at least six of his nine subordinates.
As a part of its tie-in with the radio program, Neoroma & Musou, the second pack of downloadable content for Nobunaga no Yabou: Tendou Power Up Kit showcases in-game versions of the two hosts, Masaya Onosaka and Eiji Takemoto. Their character descriptions resemble the voice actors' preferences stated within the eleventh episode of the radio program. Onosaka's blond hair and brazen appearance is particularly faithful to the voice actor's desired traits for his in-game counterpart. An AI Editor contest for the game begins on January 28th and ends on February 21st. Online users are encouraged to edit a simulation for the Sanada clan and make them mighty enough to conquer the Imagawa and Date clans. Winners receive original merchandise dedicated to this title. The contest preset save and other information can be found on the contest page.
In a Famitsu report this month, new characters appearing in Dynasty Warriors 7 have been announced. The newest online report can be seen here.
February[]
This week's theme for Neoroma & Musou is the new-in-Japan's-stores Sengoku Musou Chronicle with Hisashi Koinuma as a guest. Masaya Onosaka enthusiastically played the game on air while Eiji Takemoto talked with their guest about the game and the Nintendo 3DS. Koinuma said he wanted this title to be one of the first essential action titles for the new hardware. They briefly talked about the game's story system of allowing players to place themselves as the main hero for the game's setting. After a thorough rundown of the game's features, Takemoto narrated a commercial for Sengoku Musou Seiyuu Ougi 2011 Haru, the newest available Haruka 5 CD, and the DVD recording of the Neoromancetenth anniversary event. One lucky listener of the show has a chance to win both the Nintendo 3DS and a copy of Sengoku Musou Chronicle if they mail in the name of the character Onosaka defeated during the show.
Nobunyaga no Yabou and Uncharted Waters Online: Tierra Americana both began their fully playable services on February 22nd. To celebrate the launch of both titles, a special campaign involving both games is taking place on "Cat day" February 22nd. People who clear a special event within Uncharted Waters Online will have a chance to immediately obtain a special Date Mashiamune in the social game or will obtain kitty themed sails for the newest expansion. A NPC named "Nekokami-sama no Miko" will grant players a "Nyao Mikuji", which allows players to obtain a random item dedicated to the event.
Gamecity is offering tickets to Calling Fight, a theatrical play that surrounds the adventures of Ishida Mitsunari. Years after his death from Sekigahara, a fellow named Kai Nagato is playing an online game called Kourin Fight when he receives a mysterious text message informing him that he received the "call" as Mitsunari. His spirit is sucked into the game and is synchronized with the spirit of the real Mitsunari. With his knowledge, Kai has the power to save Mitsunari's wife, Orin, and to defeat Ieyasu. One of the participating thespians is Yukihiro Takiguchi. He voiced the minstrel in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4 and sang the game's ending theme, Shinpi no Rasen. The other theatrical performance Gamecity is offering tickets to is Odoru Ahou. It is a play which features the acting talents of Yukimasa Kishino as well as the reputed voice actor, Toshihiko Seki. Seki is well known by Neoromance fans for providing the voice for Luva within the Angelique series.
Love Love ♥ Angelique is a social game that will begin its services sometime in this spring. Advance registration for the service begins on Valentines' Day. Another promotional video for the game can be seen on the company's official youtube channel.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online will be undergoing an update of graphics for the upcoming expansion pack this spring. In the meantime, various mechanics, stats, and techniques will be tweaked during February. Players may partake in a new dungeon with Masamune to prepare for themselves for the expansion. A Hina Matsuri will be celebrated throughout February.
For the Haruka 2010 Ouka Koimoyou event, an opening animation for Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 will be shown exclusively at the event. Information about the newest title and characters will be the focus for the event. Merchandise for the event can be seen on the official site. A parody DVD dedicated to the Hachiyou will be available for sale on March 30th. The DVD will be a multi-universe fandisc that has Hachiyou from the first and new cast interact with one another.
Koei announced it will completely absorb Tecmo's development team to form one company. It has been stated that it's a part of the companies' efforts to appeal to a global market. After April 1st this year, games in Japan will be released with the "Koei-Tecmo" branding as opposed to distinguishing the separate companies. Presumably, developers from both companies will then work together for future products. The exact impact the merger will have on the market and their future products, however, are still unknown.
Three downloadable quests are available for TRINITY: Souls of Zill O'll on February 3rd. The excellent prize for the Kizuna themed illustration contest has been announced and waiting for the artist's verification. Once that is done, the quest surrounding the image will be available for the game.
Famitsu reports that the Griffin and Cyclops are confirmed to appear in Warriors: Legends of Troy. They will likely be opponents for the player to fight against. The European and Japanese official websites updated to reveal a lengthier overview and more playable characters.
The Asian servers for Dynasty Warriors Online are updating with a special event to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Every day of the event, players have a random chance to win gems that allows their characters to instantly transform into Sun Shang Xiang, Diao Chan, or Zhen Ji. They may also receive other rare gems as a part of the present event. Additionally, players have another chance to earn parts of Lu Xun's model for their characters. Details and other announcements can be seen in the press report here. A Diao Chan themed update to include her weapon and model parts for male and female characters will begin on February 17th. PlayStation 3 users can log in on the 18th this month to receive a special present from Zuo Ci.
A press report was released to reveal details about Firenze, a new city announced for the Atlantic chapter in the upcoming Uncharted Waters Online: Tierra Americana. Players can find special recipes scattered across the city and deliver their finds to various craftsmen. Depending on their progress, the player may gain the opportunity to learn skills for production and invention. Additionally, they can experience the Italian Renaissance and visit Lorenzo de' Medici in person. There are skills the player can only learn from the Medici family so it helps to become acquainted. Other details found within the report can be seen here. Another report for the new "Royal Fleet system" has been made public on February 9th.
In a Famitsu report this month, new characters and game features for Dynasty Warriors 7 were announced. The newest online report can be seen here. Original merchandise will be given out at the store front meetings this month and through March. A playable demo featuring Story Mode will also be available. Akihiro Suzuki will personally attend the February 26th store event to perform a special talk show. A schedule of dates and stores can be found here. A special premiere event will be held for 100 special bloggers on February 19th.
March[]
As a part of their April Fools' joke, Nobunyaga no Yabou has changed the header of its official site to be a spoof of the Ninja Gaiden series, Nyanja Gaiden. Characters who would appear in the made-up title are Miu Hayabusa, Nyane, Kyatsumi, Muramyasa, and Genshin-nyan. The game's "release date" is February 22nd, 2222. While Nyanja Gaiden is a joke, Nobunyaga no Yabou being featured in the Japanese TV show Sengoku Nabe TV isn't. The TV show will feature the game during their broadcasts in a mini corner. A short video announcement for the collaboration can be seen on the company's channel at youtube or Niconico Douga.
A popular Japanese Warriors-themed blog, Musou Blog, staged its April Fools' post of "announcing" Shin Musou Orochi. His imaginative title would include the Sangoku Musou, Sengoku Musou, and Hokuto Musou franchises into one universe. Despite being part of the April Fools' festivities, interested fans who want to see his made up character parallels can check out the post here.
The CDs and DVDs that were scheduled for purchase in March have new release dates. The Haruka 5 vocal CD and the Sengoku Musou Seiyuu Ougi 2010 Aki DVD will be available for sale on April 6th. The other products within the Famitsu link can be bought on April 13th.
The former president of Koei-Tecmo has been announced to soon become the CEO of the mobile gaming company, Zynga Japan. He will succeed Robert Goldberg on May 9th this year with hopes of creating products that will appeal to Japanese consumers.
Harukanaru Toki no Nakade 5 has announced ten side stories for its downloadable content. These stories will feature the main Hachiyou as well as Amami and the Kokuryu no Miko for this title. Players can download the first set of characters on April 21st. The second set is scheduled to appear on May 21st.
In this week's Neoroma & Musou, Masaya Onosaka and Eiji Takemoto cover the Neoromance game, Neo Angelique. Takemoto said a specific announcement for the downloadable version of Portable/neoangelique/ Neo Angelique Special for the PlayStation Portable, since it was made available this week. Onosaka acted as his character in the game, J.D., for explaining the Neo Angelique universe and his character. Takemoto nervously tried his best to ask questions when faced with J.D.'s gentle responses and laughter. For the audience who aren't familiar about his character, J.D. calmly explains he wears green, likes the cosmos flower, can cook anything but especially likes to make sweets, and fights with tonfa. He lives together with four other purifiers in Sunshine Villa to fight dangerous spiritual-like beings known as Tanatos. Among the five is a -to use J.D.'s words- "very special girl" named Angelique, the only known female to have purification powers. The hosts talk about the animated TV series, J.D. and Jet's character duet, SYSTEM ERROR?, and miscellaneous merchandise related to the game. J.D. said a fond parting message to fans before Onosaka "returns" to the show to answer fan letters.
Weekly Toro Station performed a tour of Koei-Tecmo for their second creators' visit (Square-Enix being the first). The program stated that though the company has merged into one, the respective branding and teams for each company are still intact. During the broadcast, they encounter characters from Shin Sangoku Musou 6 and Troy Musou while showcasing various sections of the company building in the Kanagawa Prefecture. Both games are featured for this session's Mini Corner showcase. The two kitty hosts of the show, Toro and Kuro, are invited by the producer of Shin Sangoku Musou 6 for tea. They have a chat with him and the game's director to hear their impressions of what the company is to them, some history about Omega Force, and their thoughts regarding the Tecmo side of the company. They didn't confirm whether the obscurely announced Bakumatsu Musou would be made a reality, but it was hinted that the team plans to launch a new title soon. Toro and Kuro sneak into the president's office for his thoughts regarding the company, the Tecmo team, and why he has his handle name. He briefly gave a shout out to Ni-Oh and the social game, 100man-nin no Shin Sangoku Musou. One viewer of the show can receive his autograph.
Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2 is getting a live stage adaption to include an original narrative and characters. It is scheduled to be performed through June 3rd~12th this year. Due to the March 11th earthquake, ticket selling for the event has been changed to another time. A short spotlight for the stage show can be seen on Youtube.
During the midnight hours on March 11th, 2011 JST, a large 8.8 earthquake hit many sections of Japan, stranding several residents without electricity throughout the night and early morning of today. Many people still working in the business sectors were stranded from returning to the homes due to trains being nonoperative. The total number of casualties are still not known, but TV Asahi reports over 9,000 people were killed and over 4,000 remain missing due to the natural disaster, the following fire breakout, and flood. Over 440,000 people who were evacuated have their lost their homes. The numbers continue to rise as police and rescue teams continue to search through homes and damaged property. The quake has also been reported to hit South Korea as well, hitting the center of Seoul. With power returning to certain provinces, people are crowding up the stations to slowly return to their homes. Some are still stranded at stations or relocated to an emergency center for victims. For the employees in Koei-Tecmo, the Hiyoshi building was hit and suffered a power outage. It's still not verified who was hurt, but people who could return to their homes did so on the early morning of March 12th JST. Koei-Tecmo is encouraging their consumers to help donate funds for the Tōhoku region through March 15th~25th. Their goal is to send a total of 10,000,000 yen -along with other collected donations- to the Japanese Red Cross, hoping to help victims and any type of restoration. Koei-Tecmo is among the many companies contributing donations for rescue efforts. Players can also donate just by purchasing downloadable content since all of the funds earned from select items will be included in the Japan's Red Cross fund. The company is taking part in 4Gamer's charity auction. Four producers from the company also gave a public statement regarding their sentiments for victims of the quake.
Since the workers are busy trying to recover from the disaster, the Japanese online servers for the official website, online games, and other Internet using services were down completely on March 12th (JST). Although it was restored for a day and a half, Gamecity's official website and other online services are scheduled to be down for the approximate week of March 14th in respect to victims of the earthquake. These include features for several downloadable options found within their games; DLC is scheduled to return for most games on March 24th. Online games for Koei-Tecmo's Japan's servers were unavailable until March 28th. As a small compensation, players for the online games will not be charged until the start of April. The Haruka Festival event and the Dead or Aliveblogger event scheduled for this week have been canceled. People who have purchased a ticket to the Haruka event can receive a refund, along with an option to donate a portion to help victims. An alternative option is to use the ticket to pay for another Neoromance event on July 23th~24th. Sengoku Musou Seiyuu Ougi 2011 Haru has been discontinued as well with a similar refund program as the Haruka event in effect. The White Day message and sweets consumer service, Neoromance SWEET Valentine's Day & White Day 2011, has also been canceled. The CDs and DVDs scheduled for purchase this month have been postponed and will be announced with new release dates. Dead or Alive Dimensions and Troy Musou are being rescheduled for a different release date.
TRINITY Zill O'll Zero will be uploading two downloadable quests on March 3rd. These quests continue the "Island of the Dark Gate" storyline of investigating a mysterious island rumored to be a land for the dead. These stories include fighting against some of the most powerful monsters in the game.
The newest expansion for Dynasty Warriors Online has announced its huge update to introduce the mystical Kunlun Mountains. Using their Warriors Orochi appearances, Fu Xi and Nu Wa will appear in the online game for the first time. After clearing a special mission given to them, players can use parts of Fu Xi and Nu Wa's model for their characters. Línjiăodāo (麟角刀), a mythical sword of legend forged from the tooth of a qilin, will be included as the online game's fourth original weapon for players. Other details and changes to the game community can be seen in the press report. Alternative coverage for the update can be seen here. The patch will be available for Japan's servers on March 17th and March 25th. ITMedia Gamez was scheduled to perform a special live broadcast on Ustream to showcase Revolution 8 on March 11th, 9PM JST. Those who viewed the live broadcasting were given a chance also earn a special present for watching. However, due to the March 11th earthquake, the broadcast was postponed for another time.
In a Famitsu report this month, the returning characters and game features for Dynasty Warriors 7 were announced. The newest online report can be seen here. Famitsu is currently running a survey for fans for who they want to appear in the series. It will end on April 7th, 11:59 PM (JST). To participate in the survey, visit the link here.
Nobunaga no Yabou Tendou with Power Up Kit has announced two collaboration events for its release in May. The first is dedicated to the company's mobile game, 100man-nin no Nobunaga no Yabou. By entering a password given online, players can obtain new warriors for their armies. A scenario dedicated to the live action film, Nobou no Shiro, acts as the second campaign. Though the film has been pushed back to Autumn 2012, it's a part of Koei's collaboration for the film which started with Sengoku Musou 3. Players can participate in a new scenario set at Oshi Castle, a major focus for the film. They can control the defenders or the invading Toyotomi forces. A promotional movie has also been uploaded to the official website or youtube.
The newest Neoromance stage event has been announced to take place on July 23th~24th this year. The event is named Neoromance ♥ Festa 12. So far, Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5, Angelique and Kin'iro no Corda voice actors are announced to appear. The theme of the event is to celebrate summer and to refresh the Neoromance live events. It will be the first Neoromance stage event taking place after the March 11th natural disasters. Attendees who chose to have a refund last month for the canceled Haruka festival had an option to immediately get a ticket for this event. Details for the newest Kin'iro no Corda entry has been hinted to be revealed at the event.
Uncharted Waters Online has updated Alexandria to include new NPCs, new trends, and new quests. The trends for this city strive to allow an Arabian flavor to players' inventory and fashion. Players can now create a memorial book dedicated to the items and other necessities they have collected throughout their journey. Other details and screenshots of these new features can be seen in the press report here. Players can log in this month to additionally celebrate the sixth year anniversary for the game. Next month, Santo Domingo is scheduled to be made an explorable spot in the world.
Koei's social game, Nobunyaga no Yabou, has reached 100,000 subscribers. To celebrate, the company released original wallpapers and Twitter icons for fans of the game to enjoy. These images can be seen in the official website's Downloads section.
The third entry for Masamune's story in Nobunaga no Yabou Online is reaching its climax. Players can help Masamune defy history by helping him refuse to surrender to Hideyoshi. Masamune sides with the Hōjō at Odawara to further defy Hideyoshi. As a result, players can then assist the clan's defense against Hideyoshi's massive army of top classed generals. Further details can be seen in the press release.
Troy Musou has updated its official page with a new promotional trailer. It includes Japanese voice overs for the lines usually spoken in English, meaning that the game will have Japanese dubbing. The Japanese voiced trailer can be seen on youtube here.
Koei is performing a collaboration charity event for victims of the earthquake last month on April 23rd. The name for their event is Sengoku Musou Higashinippon Daishinsai Charity Event Gi no Tame ni!; the last part can be translated as "For Righteousness!" or "For Honor!", a trademark quote for Kanetsugu in the series. It should come to no surprise that his voice actor (Masaya Takatsuka) will be one of three hosts for the event. Eiji Takemoto (Mitsunari) and Shinichi Yamada (Sakon) join him. Since the event is a part of the MITSUNARI 11 project, the kitty mascots of Sengokumaru will be there. They will be hosting a charity auction whilst on stage. Due to increased interest for the event, the stage's location and time has changed to allow a bigger audience than originally planned. Although they won't be appearing, a clear file signed by other voice actors for the series (some of which include Ai Maeda, Hiroshi Isobe, Takeshi Kusao, Ryōtarō Okiayu) will be available at the auction. Thanks various donations and the auction, Koei has reached a total sum of 1,193,256 yen and has surpassed their donation goal. The three voice actors say their thanks and closing thoughts about the charity efforts in this youtube video.
ITmedia's broadcast for Dynasty Warriors Online that was canceled last month due to the natural disasters in Japan has been rescheduled for a showing on April 26th, 9 PM (JST). Interested fans who want to see the features of the newest expansion and update can check out the Ustream page. Their broadcast will likely feature the newer updates scheduled for the same week. Users who log in during during the Golden Week holiday in Japan can gain another chance to collect parts of Lu Bu's outfit for their characters or an orb that allows their characters to shape shift into various female characters. A special collaboration item with the Three Kingdoms drama series will also be within the game.
The official website for Angelique ~Maren no Rokukishi~ has updated with a gallery section and voice actor credits. It also specifies that the game will be made for the PlayStation Portable. Click here to see.
Ruby Party's collaboration comic with Nakayoshi magazine, Miss Puri!, is being made into a Neoromance title for the Nintendo DS. The game will be called Miss Princess: Miss Puri! featuring character designs from the comic's original artist, Madoka Seizuki. Unlike other Neoromance titles, this game is the first of the franchise made to specifically appeal to younger girls in elementary school or junior high school. Other Neoromance titles aim to appeal to an older audience, teenagers or adults. There is no scheduled sales date as of yet, but early designs for two characters can be seen in this Inside Games article.
The last episode of Neoroma & Musou catered to fans to the show, beginning with a Doya!? Girls reading from Masaya Onosaka. Onosaka and Eiji Takemoto then answered various fan letters from Neoromance or Musou fans, wishing them well on their final broadcast. After the previous segment, Onosaka narrated a message from the company regarding their sentiments for victims from the Tohoku earthquake, asking them to please take care of their own health and not overworking themselves. The company wants to continue making entertaining titles and to bring whatever joy they can to those who suffered the most. A big thanks was read for the high sales rankings for Dynasty Warriors 7 and for everyone who helped -and chooses to keep helping- with their donation effort. The merchandise for the company's charity event on April 3rd in Japan was announced and both of the hosts' autographs will be present on various items.
Ticket sales for the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2 stage adaption have started. So far, there is no change to the show's scheduled run in Japan (June 3rd~12th). A youtube video featuring the cast and one of their meetings can be seen here.
May[]
Sengoku Musou 3: Empires is scheduled to be made available for the Playstation 3 in Japan this August. There is no news yet on whether the title will be made available for the Wii. The early promotional poster can be seen here.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is preparing to celebrate its eight year anniversary with a special world event. Nobunaga, Kenshin, Shingen and other daimyo in the east are faced with the threat of a mysterious mastermind from the west. Based on the silhouette of the commander leading the western army, the mysterious daimyo is likely Oda Nobunyaga, Nobunaga's kitty counterpart in the mobile game, Nobunyaga no Yabou. The anniversary event subpage can be seen here. Other announced updates for the anniversary include a quest in Masamune's centered quest at Odawara, the third part of the Dokuganryu no Yabou event, and a fireworks event during the summer months. Details and images can be seen in the press release or at the developers' schedule page.
Japanese servers for Uncharted Waters Online has updated the Caribbean sector by improving Santo Domingo. Players can partake in a new set of quests, one of which includes subjugating a group of thieving pirates, or can perform special sight seeing events. Merchants have also been included and new various goods and trends can be purchased by players. Due to the popularity of the Oda kitty crest sails from their previous Nobunyaga no Yabou campaign, players have a second chance to collect it with the current update. Details and photos of the update can be seen at Gpara.
An animated sequence of Nobunyaga no Yabou will be broadcast during this week's episode of Sengoku Nabe TV. It will be on air Saturday 1:30 AM (JST).
Tecmo-Koei Singapore is launching the beta service for the online social game, Jolly Wood. Unlike recent social games made from Japan, this game is also available to English users on Facebook. It's the company's first ever Facebook application. Players act as miniature squirrels to decorate their tree environment with various goods. The official beta testing page can be seen in English and Japanese here while the English Twitter account can be seen here.
The stage adaption of Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2 has confirmed an after talk show for photo opportunities and commentary from the actors. Actors who participated in the earlier theatrical productions, Maihitoyo and Oboro Soushi, are hinted to appear as special guests during these sessions. A Twitter for the theater group has started and can be read here. The theatrical group posted a video introduction/interview of the thespians participating in the play on Youtube.
Shibusawa Kou and other executives in Koei-Tecmo presented a public report about their company's recent profits during the March 11th natural disaster. During the month, the company had a decrease of 7% in sales compared to last year. At the same time, they experienced a dramatic boost in profits which is 415.5% higher than before. Executives equate their success is largely due to caring for their consumers' needs and providing services that "internally contribute to society". Unsurprisingly, they cited the sales for Shin Sangoku Musou 6 as a main contributor, stating to consumers that they are also hoping the Playstation Network revives soon. It's possible to still perform online co-op via PC methods, but they are looking forward to releasing the rest of their DLC in the future. Shibusawa expressed his excitement for the success of their various mobile games, all of which continued their operations whilst online games from the company were shut down during the latter half of March. He is hoping to expand the company's social games globally, seeking to strengthen their mobile game market further. In a private interview with Nikkei Trendy, Shibusawa is looking forward to releasing Ni-Oh this year as the company's first title to simultaneously incorporate Koei and Tecmo's creative teams. He also desires to enrich their existing IPs for 2011.
Famitsu has announced the results of their March poll for who should next appear in the Dynasty Warriors series as a playable character. According to their results, Japan's most wanted character for the series is Guo Jia, who received a special illustration to accommodate his place on top. Second most wanted character is Yue Jin. Pang De, Xun Yu, and Lu Su tie for the third place ranking. The series' producer provided his personal commentary regarding the top three choices in Famitsu's May 26th issue.
Fu Xi's sword will be available for players on the Japanese servers of Dynasty Warriors Online starting on May 19th. Players can also obtain an new emote once they complete a limited time quest regarding the Duanwu Festival. Details and other additions with the update can be seen in the press report.
The Power Up Kit for the newest Nobunaga no Yabou title in Japan has announced another added gameplay feature. Players can now invest on enriching their society's culture, such as throwing festivals for the people or staging poetry reading with their followers. There are four different types of "culture paths" that can be chosen: court, samurai, religion, or foreign. Choosing to expand an interest towards culture may act as another venue of increasing various strengths of followers without having to go to war. A total of 32 options are available to explore.
The Power Up Kit will also stage a crossover campaign event with the mobile social game, 100man-nin no Nobunaga no Yabou. The Ujimasa themed Tutorial found within the console game appears again for the social game. When players complete the Tutorial within the social game, they will receive an item exclusive to the event as a reward. Players can also input a password from the social game and use it to input into their copy of the latest Power Up Kit. Once the link between the titles has been confirmed, a new scenario can be played within the social game. To keep in touch with the prior crossover, the story focuses on a young and somewhat buffoonish Ujimasa and his attempts to prove himself as a worthy successor. Completing the scenario unlocks items, equipment, and generals exclusive to this campaign event.
June[]
This week's Famitsu has revealed early information for Shin Sangoku Musou 6: Moushouden. The game is currently half way done with its development and will be released in Japan on September 29th, 2011.
Koei-Tecmo is commencing a survey with their Facebook fans regarding which game they should consider for huggable body pillow covers (dakimakura covers). There are ten titles in current consideration -such as the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de, Sengoku Musou and Shin Sangoku Musou series- but an "Other" option exists for those interested in other games. The full list can be seen at Game Rabbit.
Angelique ~Maren no Rokukishi~ has updated its official website to include portraits and bios for Revias's four remaining followers. Check the official website to see them.
Various Neoromance merchandise, mainly Harukanaru Toki no Naka de and Kin'iro no Corda goods, are going on sale for the summer. Everything within the sale is nearly 50% off for people registered with the online store. The campaign page can be seen here. The DVD box set for the Kin'iro no Corda TV animated series is also going to be available for purchase with multiple endings.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is commencing their eight year anniversary event this month. A world battle is taking place between Nobunaga and his kitty counterpart Nobunyaga. Users of the online game can register to participate and may gain a rare Nobunyaga card for the social game. Details and photos for the event can be seen at Game Watch. To raise the stakes between the two franchises, the producers for both the mobile game and online game are participating in an event with two pro wrestlers from SMASH, a Japanese wrestling group. Tajiri assists the east (Nobunaga no Yabou Online) while Shuri supports the west (Nobunyaga no Yabou). Their "hair cut deathmatch" demands that Tajiri should cut off his hair if his side should lose. Players can decide who emerges victorious by participating in the online game's world battle.
On somewhat related news, Nobunyaga no Yabou, is starting its service for Yahoo! Mobage today. Fans who are signed in with Koei-Tecmo's mobile service can also download icons and wallpapers for their cellphone. When general director Shintarou Kobayashi was asked about Nobunyaga no Yabou's popularity with western fans, he remarked he knows they are aware of it but is not sure about its impressions quite yet. He did remark that the kitty generals are well liked by the staff.
Tomoko Kawakumi, the voice actor for the four main protagonists of the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de series, has passed away. She was recovering from a surgery to remove an ovarian tumor. She stated she was going to take a break from voice acting to undergo a three year hospitalization, but she sporadically performed roles during her recuperation (one of which includes Nozomi Kasuga for the second Haruka 3 animated feature). Whilst in the midst of receiving medical treatment for the same tumor, she was announced dead in the hospital on June 9th, 4:45 PM (JST). She was 41 years old. Fellow voice actors and fans are currently stating their condolences around the Internet.
A mascot character contest is being held for the Japanese Gamecity site. Anyone who is registered with the official website can vote for their choice among five different characters. The page for curious visitors can be seen here.
Gamecity has made a convenient separate page to showcase the trailers Tecmo-Koei presented at this year's E3. Among them is Champion Jockey, a horse racing title being made for Kinect and is planned to be available overseas. The title will support multiplayer online options, a feature finally imported from the Japanese games. Aside from being the company's debut title for the Kinetic, it combines two horse racing series from Koei and Tecmo in its subtitle; G1 Jockey from Koei and Gallop Racer from Tecmo. It likely promises to feature gameplay aspects and horses found in both series. The official European website can be found here.
The anticipated Dynasty Warriors title for the NGP, recently announced as the PlayStation Vita, has been revealed at this year's E3. Teaser trailers and other promotional footage can be seen on the official European Youtube channel.
Japanese servers for Uncharted Waters Online will soon update Amsterdam this month with a possible chance to enter their broader market and trading routes. Players have a chance to win mountains of gold during the event to cash in on the increased business. Other details about the historical spectacle event can be seen in the press release. Chapter 2, the Vinland update, has also been announced. Travelers can expect to see the Viking culture and trends in their world next month. The last week of June will be dedicated to a present campaign that rewards players or additional skill points just by logging into their accounts.
Love Love ♥ Tenshin-sama ~Angelique~ has updated to include the celebrity profiles for Marcel and Heuye. Their new alternate universe information can be viewed at the official website.
The stage adaption of Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2 is ready to begin their first day of performances. Tickets for the theatrical performances can be bought until one hour before the curtain rises for the shows. The final teaser video from the troop is the actors practicing and rehearsing for the play while not in costume. Choreography for the fighting scenes act as the showcase in the second half, so actors can be seen using their characters' weapons (props). Curious viewers can see the candid footage on Youtube. A news report with on location photos of the actors in costume can be seen at Oricon and 4Gamer. A digest video of the first day has also been posted by the members. For people who have missed the theatrical performances, a DVD recording and an original soundtrack of the production is scheduled for purchase. Information for the mediums' respective dates may be seen by tracking the theatrical group's official website.
GREE has announced their newest upcoming mobile title, 100man-nin no Sengoku Musou. Players can control various characters in Samurai Warriors 3 to capture territory and provisions from other players. The visuals for the characters are going to be their illustrated super deformed counterparts used for several merchandise, such as their miniature figurines or post card calendar. People who register with the mobile game can interact with their copy of Sengoku Musou 3 Empires. The press release can be seen at 4Gamer.
Nu Wa's weapon may now be used by player characters in the Japanese servers for Dynasty Warriors Online. Players can participate in an event to dress their characters like merchants if they desired. Other details with the same update can be seen at OnlineGamer. A Ma Chao themed update has also been announced to update his weapon for characters. Players can also choose to use parts of his outfit for their own characters starting on the 16th this month. Other new clothes options and items mentioned within the event can be seen here.
The Lianhuan Ji scenario is coming to a close between the heroes who support Cao Cao and Sun Jian. Each lord is represented by their respective figures, Xu Zhu for Cao Cao and the Two Qiaos for Sun Jian. Another event taking place at the end of this month is a Diao Chan themed event which allows players to earn parts of her costume for their own characters. Details and other campaigns can be seen at the press release at Online Gamer.
This week's Famitsu issue stated that Shin Sangoku Musou 6 Special is going to be made for the PlayStation Portable. Like the recently announced Sengoku Musou 3 Empires, it is also scheduled to be available for purchase in Japan on August 25th, 2011.
JollyWood, Koei's first Facebook application that is developed by Tecmo-Koei Singapore, has ended its beta service and is now a published product. The official website is found here and the official English Twitter is here.
July[]
Famitsu is holding a short three day online survey for video game fans. They want to know which title scheduled in autumn holds their greatest interest at the moment. Games that are rated high with consumers will have a special article dedicated to them in their September 8th issue, which will be on sale on August 25th. Shin Sangoku Musou 6 Moushouden and Champion Jockey are the Koei-Tecmo titles listed for voting. If interested in participating, please visit Famitsu's voting page.
Angelique ~Maren no Rokukishi~'s official website has updated with two promotional videos that were shown at live events and an announcement for the game's vocal themes.
Two other Neoromance events are planned for autumn. The first is an event dedicated to performing character image songs called Neoromance ♥ Live 2011 Autumn. Registered Gamecity users already have the chance of requesting which character song they want to hear live on stage. The other is a continuation of the 2011 Haruka Festival. The second part was previously canceled due to the March 11th earthquake.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is updating its Masamune themed story arc in August. The main focus for this chapter will be Sekigahara. The player's character succeeded in slaying Hideyoshi during the last chapter at Odawara Castle. They are warned by the spiritual deity, Marishiten, that changing time will have grievous consequences. The player's character is hesitant to support Masamune's conquest, yet does so with the hopes of returning to their own time. Mitsunari and Yukimura lead the Western Army and Ieyasu commands the Eastern Army. Masamune boldly opposes both opponents simultaneously. Other details and screenshots can be seen on the official website.
Koei-Tecmo is issuing a Facebook survey for fans regarding which Warriors games they personally own. Interested fans with a Facebook account can complete it by visiting the official Japanese Facebook page. Another survey has been posted on their page to ask fans their thoughts regarding this year's Tokyo Game Show.
The third Neoromance mobile game has been announced for the Mobage social network. Its title is 100man-nin no Kin'iro no Corda. The protagonist is Kahoko Hino, who acts as the player's character for the first two titles in the series. The overall story is based on the second game except the goal for this competition is to win a country wide musical festival. Two new characters will join the cast for the mobile game. Their names are Shouma Budo (voiced by Tomoaki Maeno) and Yousuke Budo (voiced by Makoto Yasumura). The two characters are brothers who attend Seiso Academy. Shouma is a third year student in normal studies, while Yousuke is a teacher. The official website can be seen here.
A present campaign is also taking place at the Neoromance ♥ Festa 12 event. Attendees have a chance of winning a special CD with special messages from the series's first cast of male characters. Other gifts include an item players can use within the mobile game.
Gamecity ID users have another chance to vote this week. They are being asked to choose one character from three different online games they want voice actor, Umeka Shouji, to voice. She has acted as characters such as Aya, Bat and the main female protagonist in Samurai Warriors Chronicles in the past. Details can be seen on the official announcement page.
The results have been announced and can be seen by all visitors here.
Uncharted Waters Online ~Tierra Americana~ has updated their servers to include the Viking city, Vinland. Players can explore the northern lands and can experience a series of quests dedicated to legends regarding the Vikings. Tweaks have also been made to Rome's technique system and its Colosseum. Merchants have also been balanced and feature a new feature called Appraise. The player gets to barter the price of an item based on their own set values. Other several other updates can be seen at the official website. A summer promotional campaign is taking place as well. Players who introduce their friend to the game will be rewarded with a new item and hat for their characters.
A Chapter 3 update has been announced for next month. It will center on the Baltic Sea, adding new quests and battles for the area. Vinland will continue adding new features and quests. Holiday celebrations such as the Beer Festival, Halloween and Christmas are also scheduled to occur throughout the winter.
Nobunaga no Yabou: Soutenroku with Power Up Kit's upcoming PlayStation Portable version is featuring a series's first by allowing players to control a castle lord or a subordinate retainer. Screenshots and detailed information can be seen on the game's official website.
Champion Jockey: Gallop Racer & GI Jockey has launched its Japanese website. It will be available for Japan's stores on September 22nd, 2011, roughly around the same time as its European counterpart, Champion Jockey: G1 Jockey & Gallop Racer.
An online survey for the Dynasty Warriors 7 cast is being held at Gamecity. If users have a Gamecity ID account, they can vote for three of their favorite characters. Ten lucky users might win a free game for participating. The three characters with the most votes will be granted original wallpapers for the PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Portable. Interested visitors can vote here. The results will be announced in August. Non-Gamecity users can see the current results here.
Ruby Party's collaboration with Nakayoshi magazine, Miss Princess: Miss Puri!, now has an official website. An illustration contest for young girls and news for an August stage event dedicated to the comic and game has been posted on it. A promotional video can now be seen on the official website. Interested visitors can see the site for further details.
The official website has updated with Ernst's and Mel's Love Love Tenshin-sama Angelique personas this month. A message from Ruby Party has been placed on the site, asking fans to continue their service with GREE in autumn for more characters and stories.
Dynasty Warriors Online is undergoing a new patch update surrounding the Battle of Tong Gate on July 21st. Players can choose to follow Cao Cao, Ma Chao, Liu Bei or Sun Quan for the scenario. Sun Jian's weapon and parts for his costume will be available for players to collect. Players can also choose to raise a deer or a wolf as their pet. Details for other updates and changes can be seen in the press report at GameWatch.
A item and present campaign has been started this month to celebrate the update. One of the items players can receive for logging into their account is a gem that can transform their character into Ma Chao. Online Gamer shows other scheduled items players may obtain this week.
Kanae Itoh (Wang Yuanji) and Ai Nonaka (Bao Sanniang) will be attending the Dynasty Warriorsvoice actor event. Fans who decide to buy their tickets early at Gamecity have the option of reserving additional items with their purchase.
A special voice message campaign has started for the upcoming Neoromance ♥ Festa 12 event. Interested fans can request specific themes of a character's message by registering with Gamecity's online community. The popular choices will be made into a special message for the event. A DVD recording of the event is already scheduled to be made available this year in September. A CD dedicated to the event is also going on sale. This CD is dedicated to the Kin'iro no Corda cast with two new character songs, new character monologues, and the music that plays during the live drama at the event.
The Nobunaga no Yabou Online, Nobunyaga no Yabou and SMASH collaboration "death match" has ended with Nobunyaga's defeat (1-4). While the event is over, players can still collect banners and the special Nobunyaga treasure card dedicated to the event. A Famitsu survey is also being conducted to receive player feedback for the game.
The producer of Nobunyaga no Yabou, Nyaraki, has been "on the run" from receiving his judgment ever since the results were announced. During his recent escape, he swears to "get his revenge" on July 15th. The official company Twitter updated with a message stating that Nyaraki will appear in SMASH's July event. As promised, Nyaraki arrived and hopped into the ring to challenge Tajiri. The kitty producer went down fast, however, and had his hair shaved in front of the audience. Nyaraki was stubborn to the end, stating that his new haircut was merely him being more eco-friendly. Photos of the outburst can be seen at Online Gamer.
Koei-Tecmo is commencing a survey with their Facebook fans regarding which game they should consider for huggable body pillow covers (dakimakura covers); the full list can be seen at Game Rabbit. Currently, the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de series is leading with Kin'iro no Corda being second. The Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors series are tied for third place.
August[]
Youichi Erikawa and other Koei-Tecmo executives have announced their planned future expansions for their online and mobile networks. Erikawa and company are excited to announce three new mobile games for GREE and Mobage: 100man-nin no Winning Post, 100man-nin no Daikoukai Jidai, and 100man-nin no Cho World Soccer!. The third title is a collaboration effort with CWS Brains, one of the companies that help provide mobile services for Koei in Japan. Koei-Tecmo's myGamecity service is looking to upgrade as well by offering its own type of games through a collaboration with Corporation SCRAP. They will be offering "real escape games", which are yet to be described in full detail.
Koei's current online games are looking to offer expansion packs in the next few months. Nobunaga no Yabou Online ~Shinsei no Shou~ Kessen no Yoru Mae has been previously announced earlier this month, but two new additions were introduced. Uncharted Waters Online ~Tierra Americana~ is expecting a Treasure Pack called with the subtitle Jiyuu no Daichi. Another Dynasty Warriors Online expansion is scheduled to be available in Japan on November 2nd. This title will have a collaboration event with NINJA GAIDEN Σ 2 in which players can customize their avatars to look like Ryu Hayabusa or Ayane. A special TGS booth for the online games will feature a special present for attendees.
Nobunyaga no Yabou has updated its site with a new wallpaper and Twitter icons for fans to enjoy. Merchandise such as tote bags and buttons will be available in Japan during September. Among the merchandise is a special downloadable serial code to gain access to the exclusive Treasure card, Iroha-nyan (Iroha-hime, Masamune's daughter and Tadateru Matsudaira's wife).
A countdown site for a new Bandai-Namco and Koei-Tecmo PlayStation 3 title is up. The teaser site will be unveiled at the appointed time on the clock. The following words can now be randomly seen on the site: Desire, Ambition, Battle, Endurance, Dream, Bond.
Although the countdown is still ticking down, this week's Shonen Jump issue has revealed an interesting leak for an upcoming PlayStation 3 game, One Piece Kaizoku Musou, for an unknown release date. Given the nature of the game's title and the official website launch, Japanese consumers are thinking that this is the "mystery game".
Love Love Tenshin-sama Angelique has updated its official website with Zephel's new profile information. An in depth character interview with Zephel will appear in B's Log's October issue.
Ashikaga City is currently holding a contest with all of the high schools offering an art program. Participants are asked to create a design which reflects the constant changes found within the city's history while striving to entertain and be educational. The three day workshop for the contest will have the results be judged by local art instructors and historical professors. Judges are ideally seeking to see works that are inspirational to both the audience and the presenters, since the young artists are the ones who will someday design the future. On the final day, city graduate Youichi Erikawa will also make an appearance.
The final results for the Dynasty Warriors 7 favorite character survey have been announced. Wang Yuanji takes first place, Xiahou Dun claims second, and Lu Xun comes in third. As promised, these three characters will have special wallpapers downloadable to fans on PC and for both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. These images, as well as the results for other characters, can be seen on the survey page. Translated results beyond the top ten can be seen here.
Koei-Tecmo has launched an official promotional site for their 100 mon nin social games, so far featuring their Samurai Warriors mobile title, 100man-nin no Sengoku Musou. The social game's features closely resemble the upcoming Empires title, in which players build their castle grounds and attack other players. Unique conversation events are also included for fans to enjoy. Original unique generals are scheduled to appear in the mobile game, one of which includes Kojurō Katakura. Gamecity ID users can also complete an online survey for the game. They may be presented with codes for the super radio tower building part and Dōsetsu Tachibana.
Dynasty Warriors Online is scheduled to begin its Pang De themed event on August 18th. Players can earn his weapon and costume for their characters. Characters can also earn a new outfit named "Formal Attire" for their characters. Further details and scheduled updates can be seen in the press report at Gpara.
Like their Dynasty Warriors 10th Anniversary themed event from last year, another cosplay contest will be held by the company at this year's Tokyo Game Show. This year's theme is characters who appear in ω−Force or Team NINJA titles. Anyone can enter as long as they follow the show's cosplay guidelines and submit their chosen costume and character to the company via e-mail by August 31st. Winners will receive their prizes whilst on stage. Details and other info can be seen on the official contest page.
Fans can state their thoughts about which character cosplay they would like to see at the Japanese Facebook page.
Although they have long met their initial donation goal back in May, Koei-Tecmo has since continued to raise charity funds for March 11th earthquake victims. A PDF was released today to chart the amount of yen donated from members of the company and from their various charity campaigns. A grand total of 134,566,738 yen (approximately $1,727,652 or £1.05 million) has been collected. The company document goes on to say that they pray for a quick recovery for those afflicted by the natural disasters.
On a related note, JP Morgan has rated Koei-Tecmo to own profitable stocks on August 6th. Their rating has shifted from "Neutral" to "Overweight", stocks rising from 650 yen to 875 yen. This report echoes the news of rising profits stated by company executives back in May. Business is expected to improve with any new mobile games or console games the company is planning to reveal at this year's Tokyo Game Show.
Uncharted Waters Online is performing a live event this month as a part of its Baltic Sea update. Players are being asked by a monk to investigate the mysterious masked people aboard the ships. These masked sailors allegedly conjure evil spirits to haunt the seas. Details and other images for the event can be seen on the official website.
The vocalist Kanon is performing one of the two ending themes for Angelique ~Maren no Rokukishi~. Her song is called Shalom. New character profiles and images are also available on the game's official website. The game will be available for purchase on November 17th this year.
2 Hearts' song for the ending theme is a new song called Spica. The opening movie and an in-character blog called Giovanni's Room has been placed on the official site.
Miss Princess: Miss Puri! has updated its official website to include more characters, voice actor credits, and images. The game is expected to be available in Japan's stores this year in November.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is re-packaging the game's current expansion. It is dedicated to fans who wish to prepare themselves for the inevitable battle of unification. The Premium Box release is titled as Nobunaga no Yabou Online ~Shinsei no Shou~ Kessen no Yoru Mae. It includes several bonuses for players who are willing to purchase it, including four soundtrack CDs for music found in all four expansions, exclusive items for the player's characters, and a visual book. Further details and images can be found on the official website.
New fireworks and yukata patterns will be available at this year's fireworks festival. Images of these additions can be seen on the official site.
The official website for the second Samurai Warriors voice actor event has been launched. Naomi Shindoh (Ranmaru) has been added to the previously announced list of voice actors. Daisuke Sakaguchi will return to act as the show's presenter. Tickets for the event will be on sale later this month.
September[]
4,000,000 people are currently subscribed to Koei-Tecmo's cellphone games. Just on their cellphone games alone, Cosmo Securities has stated the company's gross amount of sales is roughly 1,200,000,000 yen with an approximate 600,000,000 yen profit. This has lead to a jump of the company's stock ratings, which is now evaluated to be worth 900 yen.
A video recording of Neoromance ♥ Festa 12 will be available for purchase on October 26th.
This year's Kyoto Cross Media Experience will have Ayako Tsukaguchi, a Ruby Party developer, as a guest at their Cross Media Conference on November 1st. She will be present to explain how various media can be made to attract the female audience.
Dynasty Warriors Online is performing a campaign surrounding the Battle of Tong Gate. Players who participate may obtain several rare and unique gems for participating several times. More details can be seen in the press release.
100man-nin no Nobunaga no Yabou and Nobunyaga no Yabou is performing a special crossover campaign. Players of both games can obtain special items within this event. A special treasure card depicting a younger Nyaoe Kanetsugu will be available, his name instead being Higuchi Nyaroku. This coincides with a new scenario for 100man-nin no Nobunaga no Yabou called "The Dragon Stands!" Players can download 21 characters to use for the story, whom primarily re-use visuals from Tendou with Power-Up Kit or Online.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online has announced a new "option service" will be available for players on October 12th. They can now swap gold, items, and equipment between their accounts and can rename their characters. A new item is set to be made available for the two services.
Musou Orochi 2 is confirmed to hit Japan's stores this December.
As thanks for their 100,000,000 yen donation efforts for the March 11th natural disasters, Koei-Tecmo has received a letter of appreciation from the Red Feather Community Chest. Corporal recipients of the letter are being congratulated for giving back to the social community during Japan's time of need. The donation is being used to help sponsor various volunteer programs for restoration efforts.
Koei-Tecmo will be one of the many companies present at this year's Sanguozhi Festa in Japan.
Although they will feature Dynasty Warriors, their main topic of interest will be the upcoming Sangokushi 12. The producer will be present on stage to showcase the title. Guests can be the first to see the illustrations for generals appearing in the game and may win merchandise dedicated to the title. Ken Kitami, the game's producer, will be on stage October 9th~10th.
Koei has announced an entire country tournament between players of the Kin'iro no Corda mobile game, 100man-nin no Kin'iro no Corda. The tournament will be held through a series of live events this September and October in Japan. Series character designer and illustrator, Yuki Kure, and the main voice actor cast for the games will be hosting these events. Players need only to register their teams in order to be viable contestants.
Neoroma & Musou stage event had the two radio personalities introduce the games present at the Tokyo Game Show. Takeshi Kusao's video recorded message for Fab Style was played again for fans. Takemoto and Onosaka then played Champion Jockey with the PS Move live for attendees. Both voice actors then talked about their thoughts regarding Neoromance ♥ Live 2011 Autumn, which took place the same time as Tokyo Game Show. Onosaka jokingly pointed at Takemoto's flowery shirt and said it screamed Okiayu to him. They were asked to perform Neoromance lines on stage, but Onosaka refused saying he represented Musou due to his Zhao Yun costume. Their conversation led to Takemoto jokingly saying they should do a four man wrestling match between the Shin Sangoku Musou and Sengoku Musou characters, but the dancing and singing idea was the one that won fans over in the end.
After the Neoroma & Musou skit ended, both voice actors stated their thoughts about the character popularity ratings from both Warriors series. Onosaka humorously complained when Takemoto's character (Mitsunari) was more popular than Zhao Yun or Yukimura. The voice actors then said their character's thank you messages for fans on stage before it ended. The radio show will not be revived on air, but Onosaka implied it might if enough fans ask the company to restore it.
The Net Entertainment Festa event at Tokyo Game Show 2011 had the producers for Koei's online MMOs present on stage to answer questions from Twitter and to announce upcoming information for the online games. Nobunaga no Yabou Online is scheduled to have another expansion named Hou-oh no Shou for fans to enjoy. Uncharted Waters Online will have its Chapter 3 update "Thanksgiving" for players to experience on November 8th. The upcoming Dynasty Warriors Online expansion announced last month was briefly touched on, stating that a new battle feature would be included. It is still scheduled to be in Japan's stores sometime in Spring 2012. Users who attend the booths in person can obtain special items for their characters in the games.
Koei-Tecmo's Lineup Stage at this year's Tokyo Game Show has revealed a new title, Sangokushi 12, for a tentative 2012 release date. Its producer is Ken Kitami, who also foresaw the development for the last two Sangokushi entries and the latestNobunaga no Yabou entry. Like the second series, battles will now take place in real time. The title is announced on the same day The Battle of Sekigahara took place according to Japan's archaic calender, September 15th. The Japanese teaser site is now up.
This week's Famitsu issue reveals a new Ruby Party title with Keiko Erikawa as its producer. It's called Fab Style and is scheduled to be available for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS on November 24th this year. It is currently 80% done with its development. The game roughly follows the adventures of a young woman who takes over her older sister's clothing shop and has the option of courting with her male fashion advisors. Known voice actors for the game include Shunsuke Daito, Tomoya Nakamura, Teruaki Ogawa, Hikaru Midorikawa, Hiroshi Okamoto, Mamoru Miyano, and Takeshi Kusao. It will be seen at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Images and further information for the game can be viewed at Gamer and the official website can be seen here.
Game Watch published an interview they had with Koei-Tecmo's Executive Director, Shintaro Kobayashi. The focus of their interview is the company's online services, a subject which Youichi Erikawa has actively pressed for future projects. Kobayashi has stated that progress for expanding the overseas market is one of their biggest objectives as of late. He mentioned plans to coordinate their popular social or browser games to American mobile networks. He especially thinks 100man-nin no Daikoukai Jidai (Uncharted Waters mobile game) or 100man-nin no Cho World Soccer! (football themed game) have world wide appeal and plans to have them available for a global network. JollyWood might also be ported to another service soon. According to his comments, collaboration efforts between console and social games are expected to continue.
Kobayashi remarked that the Japanese myGamecity feature might be made available to overseas fans as well. He looks forward to creating a visually reliant look for registered fans to enjoy particular franchises. Warriors fans, for instance, could visit their own Warriors Mansion to explore and so on. Nobunaga no Yabou Online 2 is currently being worked on. His hopes to revive Sangokushi Online, which he hinted during this year's E3, isn't set in stone quite yet.
This year's Nintendo Conference has confirmed the name for the Nintendo 3DS Dynasty Warriors title. It is titled Shin Sangoku Musou VS and is scheduled for a 2012 release date. Not much more has been said about the title, aside from it supporting a multi-player community.
Famitsu's interview with the game's producer, Kenichi Ogasawara, has a few details about the game's tone. It is fashioned to appeal to four-man groups for each battle. He states that it was made as a quasi return to the the series' fighting game roots, or at least they tried to keep the tense and competitive undertones whilst in a battlefield setting. His rough summarization of the title's gameplay is reminiscent to previous Nintendo titles in the series, Dynasty Warriors Advance or Dynasty Warriors DS: Fighter's Battle.
The Japanese servers for Dynasty Warriors Online is scheduled to undergo a Zhen Ji themed update on the 15th this month. Players can update their version of her weapon and can earn parts of her model for their characters. Further details for other updates can be seen at the press report at Game Watch.
Uncharted Waters Online ~Tierra Americana~ is going to expand its boarders to Africa later this month. Players can experience its western waters in a Gold Coast event. New items, trends, and coliseum options will become available. Additionally a small announcement for the game's Beer Festa is included in the newest press report.
The MMORPG is one of three online titles currently part of an autumn gift campaign for Japanese servers. Players can receive these items by confirming their Gamecity ID account or by logging in and talking to specific NPCs for a code. The items the player's character receives are exclusive to this campaign.
Another campaign is being held to prepare fans for the Chapter 3 update on November 8th, this one being called Gigantic 10 Bullets! Enjoyable Month for Navigators. Players can currently enjoy a daily present event, a limited time boost in navigation skills, and Twitter icons for the series. Scheduled events for next month include a live event with the game's producer and a special mini-game/present campaign for myGamecity users.
The official website for One Piece Kaizoku Musou is now up. More information for the title will be revealed at Bandai-Namco's booth at this year's Tokyo Game Show.
Information about regarding the special stage event has been updated on their Tokyo Game Show site. It will share the stage with another One Piece game in the works, One Piece Gigant Battle 2. The following voice actors will appear on the stage: Kappei Yamaguchi (Usopp), Hiroaki Hirata (Sanji), Kazuki Yao (Franky), and Misa Watanabe (Vivi). The vocalist Hiroshi Kitadani and the games' producers (Kouji Nakajima and Hisashi Koinuma) will also be present for the event.
Miss Princess: Miss Puri! will be available for Japan's stores on November 17th. Two new characters for the game can be seen at Gpara.
Koei-Tecmo's Tokyo Game Show official site is up. Details for their game lineup and their planned stage events are included. As a follow up to the recent leak of One Piece Kaizoku Musou, a 2chan user has reportedly leaked another Warriors collaboration title. Its tentative title is Fire Emblem Musou and it is scheduled next year for the Nintendo 3DS. Fans are expecting more information at this year's TGS event.
Love Love ♥ Tenshin Angelique has updated its website to include Luva's new bio. His alternate counterpart was born in China and his full name is Luva Wu'erkaixi.
Oda Nobunyaga from Nobunyaga no Yabou and Gamecity mascot, Nyabraham Linnyahn, will be present on the first day of the Yuru Chara Festa in Hikone. The event lets attendees meet over 210 historical figure inspired mascot characters throughout Japan. Koei will have a booth on the second day dedicated to stamping fans' cards. Fans can then use the stamped card to obtain Ishida Mitsunyan, one of Hikone's mascot characters, as a playable Treasure card in Nobunyaga no Yabou.
The shop Maskshogakkou Honkou will also have miniature Nobunyaga statues on sale during the event.
Nintendo Direct has revealed the release date for the Nintendo 3DS horror game, Shinrei Camera ~Suiteru Tegami~, a new title being made by the same creative team behind the Fatal Frame series. The game's release date is January 12, 2012. So far, it is the earliest date in the console's 2012 title lineup.
Fab Style has dramatically revamped its official website to include details for the game's system and additional characters. Videos and background music for the game are now available for select portions of the site.
A staged press event for Fab Style will be broadcast live for Niconico Douga users with the game's general producer, Keiko Erikawa, present for comments. Ruby Party members who were involved with the game's development even appeared on stage. Grace Mahya, vocalist and voice actor for the character Bobby, performed a song which would appear in the game. Mitz Mangrove, a talented Japanese drag queen who voices the character Mako, stated her thoughts about her first voice acting job. Models for the game's commercial (Nozomi Sasaki and Tomoya Nakamura) also spoke their two cents for their work. The 70 minute presentation was held on October 25th, 1:30 PM JST.
After the end of the web broadcast presentation, Gpara's further coverage has Keiko quickly answer a handful questions. One of the interesting notes from her replies is Nintendo's wish to bring the title overseas. Keiko stated she would seriously consider the proposal if Fab Style generated enough success in Japan.
A blogger event for females is scheduled to begin on November 1st. These bloggers can attend a meet-and-greet for the game on November 11th. Details for the occasion are listed on the official website.
Dynasty Warriors Online is going to have a Yuan Shao themed update on the 20th of this month. Players can collect parts of his model for their characters and can use an improved version of his sword. Other costumes and items are also planned and detailed within the press report.
A special five event campaign is scheduled to take place in November and December. Participation in these events rewards the player's character with several exclusive items. The fifth event has players raid the Yuan family's warehouses for goods.
Just like previous Christmas events, Neoromance Starlight ♥ Christmas 2011 will have a special after talk show.
Pictures of participating voice actors were posted by Kazuhiko Inoue and Masakazu Nemoto to celebrate uniting both sets of voice actors within the series.
The Gamecity website for the Sengoku Jidai Real Escape Game has updated with a new look and introduction movie. Previous information regarding the event can be read in English here.
Samples regarding the puzzle challenges awaiting participants are gradually being revealed on the official website.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is going to update with an autumn lottery event later this month on the 12th. Players can initiate the game by speaking to a non-playable character named Ise Koshikibu. Lucky winners can obtain secret and rare items if they participate.
The Uncharted Waters Online campaign, Gigantic 10 Bullets! Enjoyable Month for Navigators, has updated with further details for its events. Expect more information to become available during this month. The MMORPG is also beginning its Halloween festivities for the current and next chapter.
Images and details for the Chapter 3 "Thanksgiving" update, which will be available for Japanese servers on November 8th, are now available. Players can explore the great plains of America and befriend Native Americans. 4Gamer conducted an interview on the producer for further commentary.
Oxford is going to be a new city included within the update. Players can choose to study at the University of Oxford to become an expert in a particular skill.
This year's Halloween event has been changed to include a collectible pumpkin mask and other rare items. The producer will also be logged in the game to judge a race in Africa. He will reward winners with rare in-game items.
More information about the Chapter 3 update is available. This time this update elaborates on various new features that will be implemented in the game. For instance, players now receive warnings when colliding with pirate brigades, a new title called "Granino Espada" is available for player characters, and a world chat channel will be available.
The Treasure Box version of the current version, Tierra Americana, will include various bonuses for consumers who purchase it. Gamecity is offering an original card and a downloadable serial that can grant five smithing instruments and ten tailoring instruments. It will be available for purchase on November 8th.
An option service is available within the November 8th update. Players may choose to pay a minimal fee to increase their characters, inventory, and so on for their account.
Sample voice clips for the four main characters, new event stills, and an updated promotional video can now be viewed for Miss Princess: Miss Puri!. Consumers who pre-order the title will receive a special Christmas comic illustrated by Madoka Seizuki, the same woman who illustrates pictures for the game and comic.
November[]
New screenshots and information for the upcoming Sangokushi 12 are available for viewing at 4Gamer.
A guide book for Nobunyaga no Yabou will be available in December. A downloadable serial for three rare Treasure cards will be included for people who purchase the book.
Japan Otome ♥ Festival 2 has been announced to take place next year in February. The event is the second Neoromance, Otomate, and B's Log collaboration event for Otome game fans.
Updates for Nobunaga no Yabou Online have been announced for the end of this year and the start of 2012. December marks the end of the Masamune centered story arc with the episode "Farewell, One-eyed Dragon". Next year the fifth expansion pack, Houoh no Shou, will also be out in Japan's stores but no further details have been mentioned about it.
Love Love ♥ Tenshin-sama Anglique is now going to be available as a limited service on GREE. Fans who are interested can see the report.
Voting for the Otome Game of the Year has begun. The participating Koei titles this year are Neo Angelique Special (discounted "the Best" version), Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4 (discounted "the Best" version), and Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5. Fans who are interested in showing their support can do so on the voting page.
Members of Koei's official fanclub can register to receive a special holiday audio message from their favorite characters in the Neoromance franchises. They can choose five characters from four different games: Angelique etoile, Kin'iro no Corda 2, Harukanaru Toki no Naka de and Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5. The first message will be given to participating fans on Christmas Eve (12/24) and the next message will be available on White Day (3/14) next year.
Hyakku-mon no Kin'iro no Corda has updated to include Hiroto Kanazawa as a valid character route. His voice sample can now be heard on the official website.
Aside from now being available on smart phones, a collaboration with Miss Princess: Miss Puri! is now available. Players who have allocated enough Bravo Points can buy one of Kokoro Himeoka (the protagonist of Miss Puri!)'s dresses.
Simultaneous store front meetings for Musou Orochi 2 and Dynasty Warriors Next will start on the 26th this month in various Japanese outlets. Fans who attend will get to play these games before their release dates and can take home a Musou Orochi 2 clear file. These meetings will last until mid December.
Gamer posted their report of one of the shows for the Sengoku Musou Seiyuu Ougi 2011 Aki event. Interested fans can see their photos of the daylight showing. Like the last event, the "Gi Trio" (Yukimura, Kanetsugu, and Mitsunari) cosplayed and performed their first group song Aogi te Ten ni Hajizu for the event's encore.
Users with a my Gamecity account can vote for their preferred conversation topics in the Neoromance Starlight ♥ Christmas 2011 ad-lib segments. The four most popular topics will be chosen and used for the event. Registered users can vote until December 7th.
A special corner for the upcoming Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 Kazahanaki will be at the event. Special guests Kenichi Suzumura (Ryoma Sakamoto), Eiji Takemoto (Ouchi Fukuchi) and Micheal Shitanda (Ernest Satow) will be appearing on stage for these segments.
Though not a Neoromance title, a special Fab Style corner will also be at the event. Hiroshi Okamoto (Reo Natsuki) will appear to sing his character's image song live on stage. An exclusive Kin'iro no Corda CD featuring Kisho Taniyama (Len Tsukimori) and Kentarō Itō (Ryotaro Tsuchiura) will be available for purchase at the event.
Uncharted Waters Online ~Tierra Americana~ has the Chapter 3 update finally available for players in Japan. Players can explore the Great Plains in America and can visit Oxford, England. Details and other additions can be seen on the official site.
Players can hear Irene (Umeka Shōji) speak in a new event. They help her create a menu by cooking various global delicacies. They can then dine with her in a celebration dinner.
The Thanksgiving campaign has started in Japan. Returning players have the chance to play their account for five days free of charge, and if they introduce a friend to the game their avatar may gain a cowboy/cowgirl outfit for their characters. Registered users can earn an item just by logging in and can learn six different chicken recipes during the campaign. They gain a randomized one recipe a day.
Koei-Tecmo's sales have increased dramatically compared to results from last year with a 23.2% increase, putting the company in the black. The company's 2nd term fiscal report stated the following figures: 13,635,000,000 yen in gross sales, 712,000,000 yen in operating profit and 862,000,000 yen in recurring profit. These numbers are record breaking for the company, though their success is reportedly due to their thriving mobile game, secondary content, and media event ventures. Both new reports insinuate Japan's growing preference to appeal to the mobile game market to save their video game industry, which was emphasized earlier this year at Tokyo Game Show.
Otomate's collaboration project with Ruby Party, Angelique ~Maren no Rokukishi~, is now available in Japan's stores. Giovanni's Blog has updated to celebrate with a special wallpaper and other illustrations for fans.
An abridged video clipping of the Fab Style October press event can be seen on the official website. A report of the blogger event is viewable at Gamecity. The model inspired TV commercial is now up for viewing.
GameWatch reported their take on the the blogger event, stating that 30 participants came to listen and see Keiko Erikawa's presentation in person. Snacks and coffee were served to guests and they were allowed to play the game themselves after her speech. Since the crowd was small, Erikawa was able to talk with each individual personally one at a time. In Famitsu's coverage of the meeting, Erikawa is pleased to hear that even the Neoromance fans enjoyed themselves. Although the game is mainly targeted to young adult women, Erikawa is confident that the protagonist's clothing options and the business simulation aspects of the game is enough to interest anyone who has an eye for fashion.
Scrap and Koei's Real Escape Game is offering special presents for players of four of their Sengoku Jidai games. Details can be seen in the Special heading on the official website.
Users in Koei's fanclub can enter their dream teams, called Red Team and White Team, for a baseball game between historical figures of the Warring States period via a form on the event's website. Nobunaga will always be on first for the Red Team, but the user is free to choose the other positions from over 20 other names. A few of these figures include Tachibana Muneshige, Shimazu Yoshihiro, and Honda Tadakatsu. 50 participants may win 500 Web Money for their entries.
The Dynasty Warriors Online Ninja Gaiden collaboration campaign is taking place throughout this month for owners of the four year anniversary pack. Registered Playstation 3 players can input various serial codes to obtain Ryu or Ayane parts for their characters.
Consumers who purchase the repackaged set can use the serial codes to also obtain various bonuses. These bonuses include parts for their player characters, a set of automatically strengthened weapons, 50,000 gold at the start, storage facilities and other items.
A new update called Revolution 10 has been announced and will be effect in Japan next week. A few of the new additions include the Wolf Fang Club as a weapon, wolves as battle mounts, and a reputation building system within guilds. Other details for the update can be seen within the report.
A sequel to the fifth Haruka has been announced for the PlayStation Portable. Its title is Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 Kazahanaki and it will be on sale in spring next year. This title will include new characters and a possible story route for Sou Kiryu, who appeared in the first title but could not be saved from his fate in other scenarios.
The official website for the title is up for view. A new character named Rindou (voiced by Tooru Hachinohe) has a profile immediately viewable for interested fans.
Fans who purchase Miss Princess: Miss Puri! and the third volume of the game's comic have the chance to win various prizes. Interested consumers are eligible for entry once they complete the attached surveys within their purchases. The present campaign lasts until February 29th, 2012.
The official website has updated with new information, voice samples and event images.
Madoka Seizuki celebrated the successful finished game by posting sketches of the characters online. She is trying her best to put as many doodles she can for interested fans of the game/comic.
Various press reports regarding the guidebook for 100man-nin no Winning Post have announced original items for players who purchase it. However, these reports do not describe the exclusive items in detail. Three items are available for people who have a copy of the game and book.
December[]
4Gamer posted the final thoughts for this year from forty different game developers. This year the following Koei-Tecmo's producers participate: Ken Kitami, Kou Shibusawa, and Yousuke Hayashi. They reveal what personally impressed them in the game and entertainment industry with a parting message for fans.
CWS Brains and Koei's newest social game, 100man-nin no Hyper World Soccer!, is now available on GREE in Japan. Players can create and manage their own teams as they compete in leagues throughout the week.
Gust has revealed images for a new PS Vita title in this issue of Dengeki Playstation. Users can send in their thoughts about the mystery messages and information by logging into Dengeki Online's forum.
More details regarding the upcoming Sangokushi 12 have been released. This time cultivation and ordering subordinates have been introduced and the combat has been explored further to include the impact of strategies and unit types.
4Gamer conducted an interview with the game's producer, Ken Kitami. The first half of the interview covers his thoughts about the shift to a real-time battle system and other game features. The second half has him go into more detail about the game's online features. Unlike other Koei titles, the free online client that players can download is entirely independent of a user's personal save data for each session and lets players fight against one another. Sangokushi 12 is expected to hit Japan's stores sometime in spring 2012.
Amazon has Treasure Box details for the game. This edition will include an original soundtrack, an artbook, a cleaning cloth, 5 cards with downloadable serials for the online mode, and a Kou Shibusawa guidebook.
According to Koei-Tecmo, there are 5,000,000 subscribers for their various social games. Plans to incorporate these games into future titles and the online games are currently in progress.
PlayStation has announced the start of a new service in Japan called PlayStation Game Music. Players can download music and sound effects to their PlayStation consoles. Koei-Tecmo is one of the four companies taking part of the program, so far offering audio from the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series.
Tecmo-Koei is looking to hire a Localization Manager for their company's products. Details and other requirements needed for the position can be seen at CareerCross.
The climax of the Nobunaga no Yabou OnlineMasamune story arc will be available on December 21st. Players finally learn Masamune's true ambition after his victory at Sekigahara and the true identity of the "god who devours time". A special fantasy dungeon called the Passageway of Time is the stage for the final battle. A younger Masamune and what appears to be a possessed Masamune awaits.
A new Winning Post game has been announced in this week's Famitsu issue. The title is Winning Post 7 2012 and it will be available on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable on March 15, 2012.
The pachinko/pachislot maker, San Three, is creating a Dynasty Warriors pachinko. It will be available in pachinko parlors February 5th next year. Slow Star Blog has early specs and a teaser image for the machine.
Pachinko Vista has additional images and information available for the machine.
A promotional video featuring new music exclusive to the machine can be seen at Youtube.
Uncharted Waters Online has announced their Christmas live event. Christmas trees, snowmen, presents and Santa outfits will be available for registered players to enjoy.
Developers have revealed a few details for future events for the MMORPG. Aside from a News Years event, Panama is going to be introduced on January 17th. Another Nobunyaga no Yabou collaboration will take place (likely on Cat Day February 22nd) and two seven year anniversary events have been announced.
Bandai-Namco Live TV aired a Jump Festa 2012 themed episode on December 14th (JST). A lengthy introduction for the event and the Bandai-Namco Games booth was aired. Minor coverage for One Piece Kaizoku Musou was shown at the end of the program.
Famitsu is posting an interview they conducted with voice actors in the upcoming title Harukanaru Toki no Nakade 5 Kazahanaki. Based on the interview questions, Kazahanaki will feature a new story route for the returning cast like other spin-off/expansion titles in the Haruka series. The first part includes photographs and commentary from Tooru Hachinohe (new character Rindou), Hiro Shimono (Sou Kiryu), Takuma Terashima (Shun Kiryu), Kenichi Suzumura (Ryoma Sakamoto), and Atsushi Abe (Chinami).
The second part has the rest of the guardians. Nobuhiko Okamoto (Souji Okita), Shinnosuke Tachibana (Tatewaki Komatsu), Eiji Takemoto (Ouchi Fukuchi), Michael Shitanda (Ernest Satow), and Hiroki Yasumoto (Shinsaku Takasugi) answer the same questions found within the first part.
4Gamer posted a multi-paged interview with the main cast of male characters for the title. They provide different questions, photos, and commentary from the voice actors in this game.
Kazahanaki's official website has updated with a miniature gallery section and Tohko Mizuno's illustration for the new character, Rindou. Hiroki Yasumoto has also been confirmed to appear at the game's special corner during the Neoromance Starlight ♥ Christmas 2011 stage event.
Famitsu posted a photo report of the December 18th day showing. 4Gamer posted a first day photo report of the previous Haruka event.
Kazahanaki will be released February 23rd next year. A massive Tresure Box edition and a Twins Pack including the original game is planned. Users who purchase the product from Gamecity's shopping service will receive an original short story that is printed on two postcards. A Haruka 5 only Haruka Festival is also scheduled to take place next year on March 10th~11th.
Haruka 5 is going to have a Valentine's Day chocolate cake for sale. Consumers who purchase it can also receive a special CD containing recorded messages from Ernest, Shu, and Chinami. Fans can order it now and in January to receive it on February 14th.
The DVD recording of the second Haruka Festa 2011 event will be on sale February 2012. Fans can purchase it on January 11th if they use Gamceity's shopping service.
Dengeki has posted a photo report for interested fans.
Dynasty Warriors Online is going to have a Zhou Tai themed update this month. Players can use a stronger version of his sword and can collect parts of his outfit for their characters. Other outfits and items included in the update can be seen in the press report.
Players can collect ninja themed outfits and items for their characters on December 26th. The outfits are slightly different than the actual Ninja Gaiden character parts presented earlier this year.
A new expansion, Ryujin Ranbu, has been announced. It will be available in Japan on March 15th, 2012. A Treasure Box edition is planned.
Registered players can celebrate New Years Eve and the year 2012 in three special events.
On November 28th, 2011, Koei-Tecmo has effectively absorbed Gust Incorporated (best known for the Atelier series) as a subsidiary company. All of Gust's stocks and IPs will now be handled by Koei-Tecmo and, as of December 7th, Gust no longer exists. The transaction included a total of 495 stocks with an approximate value of 2,200,000,000 yen.
The widely used Japanese social game provider GREE has announced plans to go global with their success, ideally aiming to translate their products into English for western audiences. Several third-party developers have volunteered to be a part of their new global network. Koei-Tecmo plans to offer a Dynasty Warriors social game that is so far known under a tentative title.
Miss Princess Miss Puri! has updated its website with sample voices and event images. A separate page for the campaign regarding the third comic volume and game is up.
Nobunyaga no Yabou has updated to include 10 new kitty generals from Kansai. The news report shows two of them: Ashikaga Yoshiperu (Ashikaga Yoshiteru) and Manyase Dousan (Manase Dousan). New Twitter icons can be seen on the official website.
Akihiro Suzuki appeared in the PlayStation Awards 2011 ceremony to receive an User's Choice Prize and Gold Prize (product sold over 500,000 units in Japan) for Dynasty Warriors 7 on stage. The director for the game and the director of Koei-Tecmo's creative contents accompanied him for the Gold Prize award. During his acceptance speech, Suzuki remarked that he was happier that the game received the User's Choice since it meant fans supported the development team's creative decisions.
The social game company gumi has announced their intentions to begin a third-party share. Koei-Tecmo is one of the companies announced to be included with the 2,000,000,000 yen share.
Gamer has offered details regarding the upcoming expansion, Nobunaga no Yabou Online Houoh no Shou. Aside from visual and audio changes being made to the game, players can own and build their own castle towns and can use it to house their own retainers. Wars between players can now occur throughout the entire world server. A new story focusing on Hideyoshi's life is also being introduced.
The official page for the expansion is up. People who purchase the product through Gamecity's online shop can receive an original weapon for their avatar's usage.
The theatrical adaptation of Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2 is being revived this year in Japan on May 30th to June 3rd. A rehearsal is going to take place on May 29th. Three new actors are now part of the cast: Yoshihiko Narimatsu (Yoritada), Doi Kazumi (Katsuzane), and Tooru Hachinohe (Yasutsugu; who also voices Rindou in the upcoming Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 Kazahanaki). ODYSEEY's press release for it can be seen here with a teaser trailer.
Love Love ♥ Tenshin-sama Angelique has updated its website with information regarding the game's overall system. Clavis' alternate profile information and name are also available for viewing.
The second Neoromance message campaign is for White Day. Members of Koei's fanclub can sign in and pick their favorite five characters from the following games: Angelique étoile, Neo Angelique Special, Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 3, Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5, and 100man-nin no Kiniro no Corda. Once they have registered their purchase, consumers can log in to their My Gamecity account to hear their special audio messages.
A DVD recording of the Neoromance Starlight ♥ Christmas 2011 stage event is going to be on sale on March 21st. Gamecity shoppers can purchase it early on February 29th with a special case.
4Gamer posted a photo report of the game's stage presentation at Jisedai World Hobby Fair '12 Winter.
The Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 only stage event, Neoromance ♥ Festa ~ Haruka Festival 2012, has updated its official website with more details. Kazahanaki characters Rindou and Sou Kiryu will also participate in the event. An original story and characters will be the event's main theme.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is undergoing a campaign to celebrate the end of this expansion in preparation for the newer expansion in March. Aside from the standard final showdown between factions, players can log in to receive random presents and bonuses for the Houoh no Shou expansion.
Information regarding the world battle in February and the new retainer system in Houoh no Shou can be viewed for interested readers at Online Gamer.
CWS Brains and Koei's social game, Hyaku-mon nin no Hyper World Soccer!, is now available for every GREE user in Japan. Players can create and manage their own teams as they compete in leagues throughout the week.
The official website updated with details of the game's system and sub-characters in the character page. Downloadable character banners are also up for fans.
Gamer is posting another voice actor interview for interested fans. Part one includes photos and commentary for Sou Kiryu and the Heaven Guardians (Shun Kiryu, Chinami, Tatewaki Komatsu, and Ernest Satow).
New screenshots and images for Kazahanaki on its official website. A new character named Tadayoshi Oguri is available for viewing.
Information regarding duels and historical events in the game are up for viewing at Game Watch.
Consumers who purchase this game online from Gamecity can obtain an exclusive version of Xiahou Dun without his eye patch and a downloadable serial card for an item in the social game 100man-nin no Sangokushi.
Sign ups for a closed beta for the game's online mode is in progress. Interested fans can sign up by having a Gamecity account and be accessing the beta link through various Japanese news sites (such as Game Watch and Gamer). The online battles up for testing seem to be PvP card battles.
Dynasty Warriors Online is performing a Zhuge Liang themed update on January 19th. Players can use a revised version of his weapon and gather parts of his costume for their characters. A Chinese New Years quest will also let players gain access to a firecracker emote to celebrate.
The new "Ninja" garments can be obtained as a special drop item. These outfits are altered versions of Ryu and Ayane's costumes.
Gust's new mystery PS Vita title will have an unspecified connection with mobile devices according to this week's Dengeki Playstation issue.
Other small notes and hints have been pointed out in this week's issue. See the Dengeki Online article for details.
Idea Factory's Otome game adaptation of Gust's Atelier series, Elkrone Atelier ~Dear for Otomate~, has updated its official website with a promotional video and a handful of new character biographies for viewers to enjoy.
Trading cell phone straps for the Atelier series is now available in Gust's shop.
Gust's new mystery title is apparently called genomirai. Visitors who access the website can see a strange short video with the code "GM-0315" shown at the start. Region-locked users can see it on youtube. More data will be shown on January 26th.
The full name of Gust's new PS Vita game is revealed to be Ciel nosurge -surge concerto- ~Ushiwareta Hoshi he Sasugu Uta~, in this week's Dengeki PlayStation issue. The main protagonist is a girl named Ionasal Kukururu Prishiel (Ion for short) who is voiced by Ai Kakuma. The player supposedly helps her by scheduling her daily activities (such as sleeping, eating, and so on) in a real-life simulation style. Story details, online capabilities, and basic data are confirmed to be available. It is currently scheduled to be in Japan's stores on April 26th.
The seven year anniversary pack for Uncharted Waters Online will be available for purchase in Japan on February 21st. Its subtitle is Kaizoku Barbarossa no Hihou ("Pirate Barbarossa's Secret Treasure"). Pre-ordering the package allows players to use costume parts from the key NPCs in Tierra Americana: Justine, Albrecht von Wallenstein, and Lorenzo de' Medici. Players can see other details and bonuses in the press report.
Panama is a new location players can explore for new quests, recipes, skills, and so on. See the press report for details.
February[]
Interested users can now download the benckmark program for Winning Post 7 2012.
Consumers who purchase the game's guidebook can obtain a downloadable serial code for a "White Haired Directory".
Otome game fans can watch the night showing on the 19th live at Nico Nico. The live recording is the final performance of the event.
A drama and voice actor commentary CD for Love Love ♥ Tenshin-sama Angelique is going to be available for purchase on February 29th. Players who pre-order the CD can obtain a downloadable serial code to obtain an item for their avatars.
100man-nin no Daikoukai-jidai has a special Valentine's Day event planned for users. Players can buy cocoa for a limited time and may earn Anne d'Autriche for their crew. She was the Queen consort for King Louis XIII of France and was the first member of French royalty to be given chocolate from Spain.
Sangokushi 12's purchase date in Japan has been changed from March 2nd to March 30th. As small compensation for pushing back the date, developers have revealed that a crossover scenario with Nobunaga no Yabou can be unlocked and that players can use generals from its sister historical simulation series.
The closed beta test for Sangokushi 12 has been postponed. Players who have signed up for beta testing will receive emails concerning the new schedule and dates. In the meantime interested fans can download a wallpaper image of the game's main visual.
Dynasty Warriors Online's newest upcoming expansion, Ryujin Ranbu, has information regarding bonuses players obtain for reserving the title or by purchasing the Treasure Box edition. Pre-ordering the game allows players to gain a unique cowboy costume for their avatars, a random Level 4 weapon, 50,000 gold, and 10 other supplementary items for their characters. The Treasure Box edition adds more items, another costume option, a chart for keeping track of their characters' progress, a supplementary book, and a soundtrack CD featuring new songs in the game called "Echo of Ling Lun".
A Cao Pi themed update is going to be available for players on February 16th. A revised version of his weapon's moveset and parts of his model can be obtained by player characters. Other items and costumes are also mentioned within the linked press report.
Players who purchase Ryujin Ranbu from Amazon can obtain a downloadable code to obtain five colored mantles.
The second February 22nd (Nyan-nyan-nyan or Meow-meow-meow Day) collaboration event with Uncharted Waters Online and Nobunyaga no Yabouhas been announced. Unlike previous collaboration projects, Oda Nobunyaga finally has a custom 3D model within the game. Players of the MMORPG who complete the event can obtain the model as their avatar's pet. The special Date Masiamune treasure card is available a second time for social game users.
Koei-Tecmo's finances remain thriving in the black according to their third quarter report. The Warriors franchise titles and the 5,000,000,000 users of the company's social games have helped the company make a profit. Warriors Orochi 3 sold at least 350,000 units in Japan. A small loss in sales occurred for their Neoromance franchises and media. They have made an approximate 5,000,000,000 yen in operating profit, 6,500,000,000 yen in recurring profit, and 3,600,000,000 yen net profit.
Characters from Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 are being promoted for Koei's Valentine's Day and White Day merchandise. Consumers who purchase the desserts can obtain a character message CD featuring three characters: Sou Kiryu (Takuma Terashima), Chinami (Atsushi Abe), and Ernest Satow (Micheal Shitanda).
Shō Hayami, who is known by Neoromance fans for voicing Julious in the Angelique series, is going to appear at the Haruka 5 only event as one of the event's original characters. He is going to voice Masakado Taira (Taira no Masakado) live on stage.
The guidebook for Kazahanaki includes information regarding characters and their endings. Fans who purchase it can obtain a pin-up fold out of the game's cover image.
A two disc character image song collection for Kazahanaki will be available for purchase on March 21st. The CD's subtitle is called Awayuki no Kokorouta.
The second voice actor DVD recording will feature the cast from the fifth game. Hachiyou Ranman 2 will showcase a variety program for fans to enjoy hosted by the Eight Guardians in this installment. It can be bought on March 28th.
Net Entertainment Festa in Akihabara has been moved from February 21st to February 12th. Attendees can obtain various serial codes compatible with Koei's social and online games. These serial codes can help players obtain hard to get items.
Waitresses from the Akihabara Sengoku-jidai maid cafe, Mononopu, will also be catering to attendees of the event. They are even scheduled to appear on stage for fans.
Fans who are unable to attend the event in person can alternatively watch the stage events on a Niconico Douga live stream.
Daikoukai-jidai Online will have a special 7th Anniversary chapter on February 21st to end the current Tierra Americana chapter. One of the biggest changes to the game includes a different level cap for characters and their skills. A new expansion pack with the subtitle 2nd Age is scheduled to be available sometime this year. It lets players change the world's time era by tinkering with a "World Clock" feature –roughly explained as in-game time travel. Producer Tomokazu Takeda hopes that the development team can address fans' complaints and further strengthen the playing experience with the newest expansion.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online ~Houou no Shou~ will move past the Azuchi–Momoyama period with Nobunaga dead and Hideyoshi carrying on his will as the new protagonist character. New season changes will be available in the upcoming expansion pack. The producers gave a live demonstration of the vassal and town system, which is somewhat similar to Genghis Khan's village system. Players can interact and trade with one another through the communities they have built to obtain new equipment and items for their characters. Five attendees of the event worked together with the producer and Famitsu game writer, Kagekiyo, to defeat the first boss of the expansion.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online ~Ryujin no Ranbu~ lets players fight against the Four Gods or against one another in a new arena mode with a maximum of 25 participants. Players can randomly change into a Four God in the arena mode to attack their rivals. Rare items can be obtained in these battles; defeating the Azure Dragon can reward a dragon themed outfit for avatars. Legendary weapons, new costumes, and weapons are going to be included along with further customization options for the player's rest area. The new scenario for the expansion will be the Battle of Yiling. The producers then played against select audience members in the arena mode; the winner obtained a ticket for the Treasure Box edition of the game.
Downloadable serial codes for both social games appeared in Dengeki Appli Vol. 1.
Crane games featuring dolls as prizes will have Nobunyaga, Ogo-nyan, and Masiamune dolls starting April this year. Interested fans can win them in amusement parks throughout Japan.
Players of 100man-nin no Nobunaga no Yabou have a chance to earn the Houou no Shou versions of Hideyoshi and Nene in a Nobunaga no Yabou Online collaboration event.
This week's Famitsu issue has revealed more details about the PS Vita title. Players can interact with Ion by conversing with her and taking pictures of the area around them. If they're successful, they can go on virtual dates with her in real time sequences ala Love Love Plus. The goal of the game's story is to retrieve her lost memories and learn more about her world. Players can gain passwords to use in the game by transmitting data to their PlayStation 3 and by using an iPhone application named gemini Live.
Gust's Marie Atelier and Elie Atelier have been adapted into the social game genre for fans. Players can create their own apprentice alchemist and adventure into these segments of the Atelier canon to collect new items and experience new scenarios.
New characters have been revealed in Ciel nosurge. Their names are Tabou, Pram (Prime Ceodium), Cath (Casty Rianight), and Telefunken; their voice actors in respective character order are Momoko Oohara, Akemi Okata, Inori Minasaka, and Kana Akutsu. Players will need to pay for downloadable scenarios, but downloadable motions and voices will be free.
Tickets for the latest Gekidan Kishinogumi production are now on sale at Gamecity. This play is called Kurushunai, a story which takes place in the Edo period. Details about the play can be seen on the theatrical group's website.
Love Love ♥ Tenshin-sama Angelique has updated to have Luva, Randy, and Zephel as new celebrities in the game. Sample voices and additional Twitter icons and banners are now on the official website, along with Zephel's alternate profile information.
Profiles for Lumiale, Olivie, Timka, Sei-Lan, and Leonard are now available for viewing on the website.
Voice samples and Twitter icons for Charlie, Victor, and Clavis are up on the official site. The opening header for the site has changed to reflect the upcoming characters within the game.
Dynasty Warriors Online's expansion pack Ryujin Ranbu can be bought in Japan's stores. Registered users can participate in a special tournament or fulfill a quest to obtain new clothing for their characters. A Lu Meng themed update is also scheduled to take place on March 22nd. An updated version of his weapon's moveset can be obtained within the game. Further details and images can be seen in the press report.
Sangokushi 12's release date has been pushed back a second time. Instead of March 30th, the game and its online services are scheduled to be available in Japan on April 20th. The reason for the new date –like the first date change– is tweaks for quality control.
The Koei-Tecmo LIVE!introductory press event began with Keiko Erikawa explaining that the program will strive to report on various information regarding the IPs, events, merchandise, and so on from the company (including Tecmo and Gust).
Youichi Erikawa, chief director of FOST, presented three awards to three professors. The awards were given based on the professors' research for implementing digital games into education and their study regarding potential effects and benefits. The professors who were awarded have been honored as teachers or contributors who strive to use video games as entertaining and valid educational devices. Photos and additional commentary of the event can be seen at 4Gamer.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online's fifth expansion pack, Houou no Shou, has finally began its service and is available for purchase in Japan. Players can take part in the expansion's first Hideyoshi themed dungeon and can immediately create their custom towns. A campaign to celebrate the expansion allows players to obtain special event items.
A flower viewing event can be experienced in the MMORPG. Player avatars can visit Hideyoshi to obtain various rare items or gifts exclusive to the event. News regarding a "Virtual Pack" edition is also described within the press report.
Uncharted Waters Online is celebrating its seven year anniversary on March 13th. Players can celebrate the anniversary with a new spring event. Other details and bonuses for the campaign can be seen in the press report.
A Tower of Babel update has been announced. It starts on April 3rd on Japanese servers. Other news updates includes events to introduce the expansion pack, 2nd Age, by celebrating with 1st Age Memorial campaigns. Players can experience the old world a final time before it is changed by the expansion's time traveling features.
The event CD for Neoromance ♥ Festa ~ Haruka Festival 2012 has the series' first character image song sang by all of the Eight Guardians in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5. A character song for the Kazahanaki character Rindou is also included. Interested fans can hear samples of both songs on the event's website.
100man-nin no Daikoukai-jidai will include new pirate characters who can join the player's party. A few of them include Sinan Pasha, Aydin Reis, and Caterina Sforza.
Players can take part in a special Greek mythology themed event near Rome titled "Sirens' Secret Treasure". Four rare Greek characters can be earned during the event, one of which includes the "Wise Monarch" Odysseus.
West Africa is a new area for players to explore to obtain new treasure, gems, and so on. If they obtain one of the new treasures in the game, they will likely obtain one of the legendary pirates in the area. These characters are reputed figures of the Second Punic War, one of which includes Hannibal.
This week's issue of Dengeki Playstation has revealed a new character in Gust's Ciel nosurge -surge concerto- ~Ushiwareta Hoshi he Sasugu Uta~ called Kanon (voiced by Nana Inoue). Her full name is Kynol Cucururu Pricher (カノイール・ククルル・プリシェール). She is an assistant bishop to the throne and is considered a natural genius. Other details include introductions for the game's system. Players can photograph barcodes they see to change the in-game environment or to change the attributes of fairies called Sharl (シャール). Divisions for Sharl so far include flower, grass and stone types. As they raise and strengthen the fairies they have collected players can obtain Hymmnos Points, which can be used to customize the fairies' appearances. Players can interact with one another through wireless servers by using these fairies.
Japanese singer-songwriter Akiko Shikata will be performing a song for this title. Other vocalists are said to be included.
The first promotional video for the game can be seen at PlayStation Japan's PS Vita no GametenkokuYoutube channel.
Another trailer for Ciel nosurge was shown at the Game no Dengeki Kansha Matsuri Dengeki stage; people who attended in person could use the product code they received to view it online. The new title Gust has planned is another Atelier game for the PlayStation 3 with a tentative June release date. The official name and website for it will be revealed on March 29th. Visit Dengeki Online to see photos and other details revealed at the event.
Sample images for the game's Famitsu DX Pack is available for viewing online.
A new character for Ciel nosurge has been revealed in this week's video game magazines in Japan (Famitsu and Dengeki Playstation). Her name is Nei, which is short for Neiaflask (ネイアフラスク). She is voiced by Maaya Uchida. Other details regarding the game's system can be found within the issue.
The title of the newest Atelier game has also been revealed to be 3.jp/ayesha/ Atelier Ayesya ~Tasogare no Daichi no Renkinjutsushi~. The main protagonist is named Ayesya Arthur (アーシャ・アルトゥール; voiced by Marina Inoue) and her younger sister is named Nio (voiced by Mariya Ise). Both characters are the stars of this week's Dengeki Playstation cover. The game's character designer and illustrator is Hidari. Graphics will follow the style found in Atelier Meruru and the overall summary of the game suggests it will be played in a manner similar to previous titles. Consumers who pre-order the game can receive a drama CD. The game is currently scheduled to be available in Japan's stores on June 28th.
Cospatio has created a real-life priestess costume for the protagonist in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5. It's a limited edition outfit which is scheduled to be available for purchase in June. Photos of the costume can be seen at their official website.
A special merchandise campaign for the sequel Kazahanaki is available online at Gamecity Shopping. Buyers can obtain new printed images of the cast and rubber coasters. Purchasing Haruka 5 or Kazahanaki through the campaign page gives buyers two original mini-stories, a small tote bag, and an Amami message card.
Namco Bandai Global Gamers Day 2012 has announced the localized name for One Piece Kaizoku Musou and a tentative release date for Europe and North America. The Dengeki report lists other titles that were revealed or announced for localization.
Interested fans who want the artbook included in Sangokushi 12's Treasure Box edition can still obtain it without getting the special boxed set. It includes illustrations and descriptions for over 100 generals. The official website has updated its layout.
Sangokushi 12 was featured in the third Koei-Tecmo LIVE! broadcast with the game's producer as a guest. He personally played the game during his explanation of the game's features.
The game's completion meeting took place on April 11th, 14:15 (JST). Masaya Takatsuka and idol Kohinata Eri were introduced and asked to share their personal experiences with the series (both professed to be avid fans). Unlike his earlier presentation in the aforementioned web program, Ken Kitami showed Liu Bei in the year 200 (for the domestic stages) and Cao Cao in the year 195 (for the battle system). A strategy outside of battle was used in Cao Cao's attack on Lu Bu's army. A voiced event between Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu was also played briefly. The online versus mode can be downloaded on April 17th and service begins on April 20th. A Q-and-A session with the audience and Kitami concluded the meeting.
A tie-in campaign with the franchise's social game is taking place for the game. Similar to Samurai Warriors 3: Empires, player can earn codes as they play through Sangokushi 12. These codes can be used to obtain various bonuses in 100man-nin no Sangokushi. The reverse can be done in the social game to obtain new items for the PC game.
A card deck and post cards of the kitty generals are being manufactured. Fans who want to have their own say for Nobunyaga no Yabou merchandise can inform the producer at the official twitter.
100man-nin no Daikoukai-jidai is hosting an event to subjugate Barbarossa and his pirates. Players can sail to northern Africa and accept Queen consort Isabella's request to stop them. Rare pirates can be obtained from the event, including Barbarossa himself.
The social game has updated its services to be available for Mac users. Its update also includes a graphical, system, and character renewal for both versions of the game. Two new event cards can be obtained by players.
Dynasty Warriors Online is going to have a Zhao Yun themed update on April 12th. Players can obtain a strengthened version of his weapon and parts of his model for their avatars. Other items and campaigns are listed in the press report.
The online game is celebrating Golden Week (Japan's week of scattered holidays) with two events. One encourages players to fight in the game's arena section to obtain special items. The other allows players to obtain a spring themed outfit or a miniature panda for their avatars.
Japanese servers for Uncharted Waters Online will be hosting a spring friend campaign. Users can obtain bonus items and stats if six or more users log-in and board the same boat. A rare haori-hakama outfit can be obtained as well.
A memorial event for the "1st Age" of the online game is taking place on May 1st. Players can obtain exclusive items, partake in special quests, contests, and other campaigns to celebrate the end of the MMORPG's current world. One of the campaigns ties into the series social game, which allows players to obtain two characters from Online as super rare cards.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is undergoing an assist campaign for users of its latest expansion, Houoh no Shou. Players can learn and experience the town and retainer systems with Hideyoshi and Nene.
The event starring Ginchiyo and her white cat begins on April 18th. The official website summarizes the event for players. It is the first event which allows fans to hear her voice.
The first Gust stage event will take place on July 1st. Atelier and Ciel nosurge fans can see voice actors act out live dramas on stage. So far Rorona (Mai Kadowaki), Totori (Kaori Nazuka), and Meruru (Satomi Akesaka) have been announced to appear.
The director of Atelier Ayesha says he wants to present a new and revised version of the game's world to appeal to a wider audience. His further thoughts regarding the title can be seen in his interview with Famitsu.
A report of the Anime Expo Contents 2012 stage event can be seen at Dengeki.
Ciel nosurge's completion meeting took place on April 11th, 13:30 (JST). The game's opening movie was shown before Yoichi Erikawa, Kazuo Aoyagi (Gust's president), and Hiro Kouno (SCEI's president) expressed their gratitude for the people who helped made the game's completion possible and to thank the people who were present. Akira Tsuchira, the game's director, talked about the game as pre-recorded footage was played. The players can chat with the mysterious amnesic heroine, Ion, in a typical dating simulation-like fashion. Barcodes from whatever product the player has on hand can be registered into the game to generate fairies, or Sharl, within Ion's dream world. These fairies can be collected, customized, and used to help other players. Through these interactions, the player's in-game world is changed. This is required to restore Ion's memories and to unlock new sections of the game to enjoy. Three voice actors (Ai Kakuma, Inori Minase, Nana Inoue) commented about their respective characters for Ciel nosurge (Ion, Cathy, Kanon). A Q-and-A session with the audience and Tsuchiura concluded the meeting. Photos of the event can be seen in press reports.
Ciel nosurge also appeared on Famitsu Live later the same day. The first DLC outfit for Ion and other illustrations for her character were shown.
An interview with Ai Kakuma can be seen at Playcommu. The completion meeting also has its own post. Another journal log of a web designer's playthrough can be seen online, along with images of the Agent Pack edition. Ciel nosurge is also one of the titles that will be at SCEI's booth in the Nico Nico Super Meeting (April 28th~29th).
Detailed screenshots and renders of the two characters in Atelier Ayesha –who were introduced in Dengeki PlayStation and Famitsu early this month– are now available for viewing online. Ayesha and Nio are joined by Regina Curtis and Keithgrif Hazeldine.
A countdown page for Ciel nosurge has opened. Videos, illustrations, and commentary are available for visitors and will update each day until April 26th.
Gust Gala has updated its website to include more participants and information for the event. Interested fans can now purchase their tickts online at Gamecity or eplus.
A few early bird announcements for upcoming Neoromance related products were made public in this week's episode of Koei-Tecmo LIVE!.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is holding a nine year anniversary world event for players. The producer will introduce it and various figures in the next episode of Koei-Tecmo LIVE!.
Gemini has finished compiling 2011 sales ratings for Japanese video game companies. Viewers can see the rankings based on either Media Create or Weekly Famitsu reports for a total of 1,000 different titles.
Consumers who purchase Famitsu Mobage Vol. 5 can obtain an exclusive Horatio Nelson card for 100man-nin no Daikoku-jidai. Players can see the special version of him at Famitsu.
Uncharted Waters Online is going to have a live event on May 29th for the Japanese servers. The event is a part of the "1st Age Memorial" campaign, in which players enjoy the MMORPG's current world state before the upcoming 2nd Age expansion. Details and photos of the event are available for viewing at Online Gamer.
A Kin'iro no Corda summer sale is taking place at Gamecity Shopping. Fans can get discount prices on certain merchandise and versions of the games.
A challenge Twitter campaign is being held for Warriors fans regarding the new original character appearing in Musou Orochi 2: Special. If fans can correctly guess the character's identity in the campaign's Twitter link, they can win a prize. There are prizes available for people who guess correctly with no hint (3 person limit) and for those who are right once there is a hint (May 21st; 5 person limit). The new character's identity will be officially revealed to the public on June 7th.
Dynasty Warriors Online is having another Gan Ning themed update for the Ryujin Ranbu expansion on May 17th. Player avatars can tinker with his new weapon capabilities and can earn a green tinted version of his costume. Other events and images can be seen at OnlineGamer.
Koei-Tecmo's stocks are doing much better this year in March than they were in 2011. They have reached approximately 35,525,000,000 yen in gross sales, 5,758,000,000 yen operating profit, 7,472,000,000 yen recurring profit, and 4,640,000,000 yen beneficial earnings. The collaboration titles, downloadable content, and their social games have contributed to the increased profits. NINJA GAIDEN 3 has globally sold a total of 630,000 units during the month.
Neoromance ♥ Festa 13 is scheduled to take place on July 28th and 29th. For the first time, characters in the Neoromance franchises formally interact with Samurai Warriors characters on the same stage. More information regarding the cast for the event is available for viewing on the official website.
3.jp/ayesha/ Ayesha Atelier has updated its official website with the information reported during the third week of April from various video game magazines. Some tidbits include two new characters introduced to the cast.
More voice actors and guests have been scheduled to appear at Gust Gala.
Character voices and the opening movie for 3.jp/ayesha/ Ayesha Atelier is available for viewing. The gameplay footage of the game will be online sometime this month.
The two new characters who were introduced in video game magazines in the first week of May now have screenshots online.
June[]
Koei-Tecmo is sponsoring a Japanese qualification test for Oda Nobunaga's history which is scheduled to take place February 2013. It is called "Nobunaga of the Warring States History Test". People who pass the exam will be recognized as a Nobunaga expert by various Japanese companies.
Dynasty Warriors Online is going to host another Xiahou Dun themed event on its Japanese servers starting on June 21st. Players can earn a revised version of his moveset and parts of his model for their characters. Parts for the new cowboy design and other details with the late month update can be seen at 4Gamer.
Daikoku-Jidai Online is hosting a limited time adjutant campaign for users. Players who obtain the military appointment earn 50% extra benefits for 10 days. The campaign begins on Japanese servers on June 19th and ends on July 3rd.
The expansion pack 2nd Age is going to be available for purchase in Japan on September 20th, 2012. 2nd Age will allow players to tinker with their "World Clock", a feature which can switch between two different time eras. A few of the new events included with 2nd Age are new treasure hunts, a sea fight with a famed pirate called Ganador, and a chance to support a Roman emperor's accession to power.
A promotional site for the Kiniro no Corda 3 CD box set is up for viewing. The CD's artwork is done by Poporucha, the same illustrator for LoveφSummit. It will be available for purchase on July 25th.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is moving onwards from Okehazama to Nagashino in July. Interested fans can see the details of the update on the official site.
A page to celebrate the online game's upcoming ten year anniversary is up for viewing. It encourages registered players to interact with one another for gifts and prizes.
E3 2012 is taking place the beginning of this month. Tecmo Koei America's official site for the event can be seen here. The new trailers for the event are posted on the European youtube channel.
3.jp/ayesha/ Atelier Ayesha has updated its official website with another gameplay video. Interested fans can also read the Gust interview for the game at Animate.
4Gamer has posted an introductory play report of the game, including various new screenshots. They summarize the game as one which is made to appeal to a wide audience, perhaps easier to draw in Totori and Meruru fans with its new world and characters. Additional gameplay footage can be seen at Play.Community.
CDs for this game will be available for purchase online Gamecity. This includes a character image CD for the Ayesha cast.
The three characters introduced in video game publications for Ayesha Atelier last week can now be viewed online. One of the characters is voiced by Kenji Nojima.
3.jp/ayesha/countdown/ A countdown site is up for viewing. It includes video commentary, illustrations, and other tidbits for fans to enjoy before the game's release in Japan.
A press event for the game's completion will be broadcast live on Nico Nico Live. The presentation will include live gameplay footage and two voice actors as special guests. A report of the event can be seen at Dengeki.
July[]
A brief sneak peek of Ruby Party's newest Neoromance title has been revealed in a press event to celebrate 100man-nin no Harukanaru Toki no Naka de. The second teaser movie will be put online in August and its identity will be first revealed to fans attending the double Neoromance event. Its official catchphrase is "A shinobi will not hesitate, gladly soaring into the arms of chaos"; the diction implies that the title's setting is the Warring States period.
Yome Collection has updated to include Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5 characters. Japanese fans can proudly proclaim Shun Kiryu or Ryoma Sakamoto as their "wife" with audio clips, photo ops, and other features on their cellphone.
Hiroki Yasumoto (Shinsaku Takasugi in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 5) and Makoto Yasumura (Yousuke Fudoh in 100man-nin no Kin'iro no Corda) will appear as guests for the event.
Two special campaigns with Neoromance ❤ Festa 13 is being held. Inquiring fans have a chance to win seatings at the live event. Alternatively, fans who attend the stage event in person automatically receive a serial code for an item in the social game.
Two new characters in the social game have been revealed in a celebratory press event. Their names are Youko (Fox Specter) and Mamedamuki (Bean Raccoon Dog). Other photos of the event can be seen at Gamer.
Neoromance ❤ Festa 13 merchandise is up for viewing. The Gamecity Shopping page has also updated with more items. The event exclusive CD has a track list and a miniature interview available.
Koei-Tecmo has issued an official apology for consumers who bought the recently discounted version of Sangokushi VIII. The UMD inside their copies accidentally has Sangokushi VII inside of it. The company is offering those who have purchased the faulty copy the opportunity to redeem their purchase. Other copies of the game have been recalled to fix the mistake.
4Gamer conducted an interview with Tomokazu Takeda and Takahiro Kibe, the producer and director for 2nd Age, the upcoming Japanese expansion for Daikoku-jidai Online. The interview covers the game's time travel theme, the new merchant system, and so forth.
The official site for the expansion includes a Prologue and a few images available as a preview.
Players can preview events and other features of the September expansion by logging in for the 2nd Age themed event.
An easy-to-follow overview of the World Clock system is up for viewing on the expansion's official website.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is performing a collaboration with the Warring States period snack, Ace Kamon. Details and a matching mini game can be seen on the official collaboration page.
A live broadcast of the Nagashino update will shown online on July 6th, 20:00 (JST). Katsura from Koei-Tecmo Live! is the main host while Tomohiro Watanabe (producer) and Ichita Imamura (director) are his guests.
New items and a retainer campaign for the Nagashino update have been announced and can be viewed at Game Watch.
A summer vacation campaign is being held for registered players. They can enjoy a fireworks display with a special summer outfit.
Several new updates for Ryujin Ranbu have been announced. A few of the updates include the implementation of Suzaku, a new Serpent Sword, and a Lu Meng themed event. Images and other details can be seen at Online Gamer or Game Watch.
An international interview with the producer for the Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage sequel is being held July 3rd. A small Q&A session of fan submitted questions will be asked towards the end of it. Interested individuals can post their queries about the game here.
August[]
Gintama no Sugoroku's parody of the Warriors logo, music, and catchphrase is a one-time gig. This was confirmed by developers in Bandai-Namco Games in this week's issue of Shounen Jump, where it was stated that executives from Koei-Tecmo were apparently offended by the resemblance. Gintama often parodies or cynically lampoons topics in Japan's popular culture, so the stunt is common for the franchise.
The first ever Neoromance celebration for Halloween will take place this year. The one day event's teaser page is up for viewing.
Neoromance ♥ Festa Harukanaru Toki no Naka de & La Corda d'oro will have a special Tohko Mizuno and Yuki Kure exhibition. The two artists are the character designers/character illustrators of the two franchises. Three campaigns for the series's social games will be available exclusively at the event.
Fans who purchase the character image CD for the game can obtain an item serial for their purchase.
Ciel nosurge's director, Akira Tsuchiura, is one of the three game creators who talked about the PS Vita's 3G system. The second part of the interview is here.
Two specially illustrated cards of Ion will be available for fans who purchase Dengeki's PlayStation magazine. The offer is open until the end of August. Another summer Dengeki special for fans has been hinted within the report.
Akira Tsuchiura (director) and Ryousuke Nara (voice actor for DLC character Shirotaka) will be MCs in a live stream for Ciel nosurage called Ciel nosurge ~Shukudai~. Fans are invited to watch and send their questions to them live to celebrate the tail end of their summer vacation.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu will revisit Cao Cao's weapon on August 16th. Players can tinker with the revamped version of his weapon and collect his costume for their avatars. Other future updates include Xiao Qiao's costume and other items.
2nd Age, the newest expansion for Daikoku-jidai Online, is going to be released in Japan on August 7th. The MMORPG is conducting two events to celebrate the expansion and six other campaigns have been announced for the expansion.
Another new announcement for 2nd Age is the town of Frankfurt. Within this town, players can explore the MMORPG's new feature of electing a new Holy Roman Emperor. A render of Holy Roman Emperor Karl V and other details with the update can be seen in the press report.
2nd Age will include a new enemy NPC type for naval battles called ganadores. These expert sailors are the NPC types for Álvaro de Bazán or Francis Drake. Once a ganador battle is initiated, both forces may down their ships unlimited times within a time limit; the one who sunk the most ships wins. Details and images are in the press report.
Players who download the trial version of 2nd Age can obtain rewards for answering a survey and logging in to their account.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is celebrating its annual fireworks festival. Details and images can be seen within the press report.
The game's my GAMECITY community hosted a survey asking players to name their favorite figure of its historical setting. The poll ended on August 1st, and the results were announced on the official Facebook page.
Developers have revealed an incoming update which allows an avatar's retainers to accompany them into dungeons from previous expansions. The third chapter of the MMORPG and seasonal changes will also take place in autumn.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu will have a special fifth year anniversary edition available for purchase in Japan on November 29th. Consumers who purchase this version can obtain two exclusive edit parts of Himiko and Hanbei for their avatars. Other goodies include new furniture, special edit parts, different items, and a new "heavy gauntlet" weapon set.
A group of cosplayers dressed as the Sima family from Dynasty Warriors 7 and went on stage for Cure's Cosplay Collection Night. Cosplayers who dressed as the Xiahou family in the same game can be seen in 4Gamer's report.
Hisashi Koinuma revealed a new Omega Force developed IP during the SCEJ PlayStation Conference. It is a quasi-fantasy history title called Toukiden (討鬼伝). It is a PlayStation Vita and PlayStation Portable title. It will be available for purchase sometime in 2013.
In a follow up Famitsu interview, Koinuma commented that Toukiden will strive to be a new action title that doesn't hope to borrow ideas from existing franchises made by the company. The concept was devised with SCEJ PlayStation president, Hiroshi Kawano. Kawano was the one who pushed the title to be on the PS Vita.
Two Neoromance live events have been announced. One is Neoromance Festa ♥ Kiniro no Corda featuring Jinan Koutou. It features the two popular characters who appear in Kiniro no Corda 3, Chiaki Tohgane and Housei Toki. The second event is a Starlight ♥ Christmas one in December.
The title of the new Neoromance IP is Geten no Hana which will be available for the PlayStation Portable in 2013. The game is being targeted towards an adult audience and the game's protagonist is a kunoichi in the Warring States period. Nobunaga and Mitsuhide can be romanced. It was revealed to fans who attended Neoromance Festa ♥ Harukanaru Tokinonakade & Kiniro no Corda. Another promotional video will be shown at Tokyo Game Show.
Koei-Tecmo's Sengoku Jidai titles are all having special collaborations with the upcoming live action film, Nobou no Shiro. Players can enjoy having the protagonist of the film, Nagachika Narita, act as the star of Oshi Castle within the games. The press report lists and shows the participating titles.
A Xiao Qiao themed update will be available in Dynasty Warriors Online's servers on September 20th. Players can obtain a revised version of her moveset and parts of her outfit for their avatars. Other items and updates can be seen in the press report.
The entire list of voice actors appearing in the event is now on the official website.
Daikoku-Jidai Online 2nd Age (Uncharted Waters Online 2nd Age) has announced several updates which will go live on September 20th. A few of the updates include new sails, a redesign of users' main menu options in town, and a log-in option for smartphone users.
The promotional video for 2nd Age can be seen on the company's Youtube channel.
my GAMECITY users can participate in an illustration contest for 2nd Age. They can also obtain special cards just by logging in to the online game. Details and other campaigns can be seen in the press report.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online has updated its developers' schedule for new events and items for this month. Many of them include an additional multiplayer option or the ability to add retainers to previously solo events.
Koei-Tecmo's website for this year's Tokyo Game Show is up for viewing. This year's line up and scheduled events are listed for interested fans.
The countdown site is a teaser for Shin Sangoku Musou 7 (Dynasty Warriors 8) with Yue Jin as a playable character. It will be released in Japan for the PlayStation 3 in Spring 2013.
A Geten no Hana press report shows concept artwork for the protagonist and a handful of the game's characters online, all of which were previously shown to fans at this month's Neoromance event.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu is scheduled to have a Zhang Fei update on the 18th this month. Player avatars can receive an updated version of his weapon moveset or parts of his costume in a special event. New items and a new costume called "Armored Warrior" are additionally included with the update.
The autumn themed update for the MMORPG allows players to obtain "Beautiful" parts for their avatars with new hair, face, and voice options.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is having a live event dedicated to the live action film, Nobou no Shiro, on October 13th. The film's protagonist, Nagachika Narita, and the film version of Kaihime make cameos as quest givers. Players who purchase a ticket for the film or complete their quests can receive a banner of the film's name for their avatar.
The ten year anniversary box set will be available for purchase on January 24th, 2013. It will include several goodies for registered players.
Additional features for the PlayStation 3/WiiU editions of Sangokushi 12 are revealed in this press report.
Daikoukai Jidai Online 2nd Age will be hosting its annual beer festival in Frankfurt. Every player can also complete three adventure themed challenge missions to obtain a special item. These events and the MMORPG's Halloween event begin near the end of this month.
Images and details for this year's Halloween event are up for viewing in the press report.
November[]
Details regarding the newest update for Nobunyaga no Yabou can be seen at Gamer. Players can experience a new "Cat Chronicles" event and can obtain new navy/pirate themed kitty cards for their army.
Japan Otome ♥ Festival 3, the third Neoromance, Otomate and B's-LOG franchise crossover event, has been announced and is scheduled for February next year. A cast list of voice actors shall appear on the website in December.
100man-nin no Harukanaru Toki no Naka de is holding three tie-in campaigns for players. Mobage users can obtain coins and rare Tomoasa voice clip card. Fans attending Neoromance Starlight ♥ Christmas 2012 can obtain a free premium ticket for the social game's lottery.
Announcements and images for the Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu Revolution 12 update are up for viewing. Some of the new additions include a Sun Ce themed scenario, Byakko and clothes designed in its image, and the "heavy gauntlet" weapon.
Another design contest is up for interested players, this time a free themed contest for the emblems on a ship's sails. Registered my GAMECITY users can register their designs in the MMORPG's official community topic for various in-game prizes. Winners obtain rare items and artist credit for the emblems once they appear in the game.
Details regarding new techniques for the Battle of Yamazaki Nobunaga no Yabou Online update are up for viewing in a press report. To celebrate Nobou no Shiro's high sales, the MMORPG's collaboration event with the film has been extended.
4Gamer asked several game creators their thoughts for the entertainment world this year. Six different developers at Koei-Tecmo answered with their reply. This year's creators are Keinichi Ogasawara, Ken Kitami, Tomokazu Takeda, Yousuke Hayashi, Hidehisa Yamaguchi, and Tomohiro Watanabe.
Kou Shibusawa announced a new social game, AKB48 no Yabou. It combines photos and trivia of the popular Japanese idol group with basic elements from Nobunaga's Ambition. AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, has always been a fan of the game franchise and Kou Shibusawa has been a fan of the idol group since 2010, even referencing them in a previous title. The game's setting is a fictional world called Le Chant; the idols are portrayed as singing priestesses or other fictional figures within it. According to Minami Takahashi, it is not a romance or dating title. AKB48 no Yabou is free to play and is scheduled to appear in Japan sometime in January next year.
The new images which were revealed in this month's B's Log are up for viewing on the official website.
This game is the focus title of the Neoromance Alamode stage revival event, Alamode 5 with Geten no Hana. It will take place March 9th~10th as an early celebration for White Day.
White Day is also the scheduled date for its availability in stores. The news for the game's Treasure Box is up online.
Winning Post 7 2013, the latest edition of the series's seventh title, will be available for the PC, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable next year in spring. Details and release dates can be viewed on the official website.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online ~Ryujin Ranbu~ has announced its revised Sun Quan themed event and its Christmas campaigns for this month.
Items, outfits, and other special offers for celebrating the new year are up for viewing.
Koei-Tecmo received a reward and thanks from the Red Feather Community Chest, a fund-raising organization which seeks to help refugees and businesses recover from the natural disasters which struck the Tohoku region last year in March. Red Feather have recognized Koei-Tecmo's accumulative 100 million yen donations and its non-profit support for the volunteer group, Community FM Broadcasting System, to have been a "contribution and accomplishment for society".
Upcoming updates for Nobunaga no Yabou Online include celebrating the MMORPG's ten year anniversary in December and January.
A page for the ten year anniversary events is up for viewing. Two campaigns are being held for its my GAMECITY community. One rewards players for inviting my GAMECITY users to return or join the game. The other asks players of all levels to share their fondest memories playing the MMORPG. Entries will be compiled into a memorial album for the game. Three contestants can receive the ten year anniversary box for free.
The Christmas themed update for Daikoukai Jidai Online 2nd Age has been announced with events and screenshots. Players who participate in this year's events can obtain various presents and different santa suits than years prior.
Previews for the second big update, Griffon's Wings, is up for viewing online. Japanese players can experience it themselves in January 2013.
Six net cafe campaigns in Japan are taking place the second half of this month until late January next year. Next year's new year present is up for viewing.
A limited version of the Power Up Kit expansion of Nobunaga no Yabou Tendou is scheduled for Japan's stores on White Day. It is being released to celebrate the series's 30th year anniversary.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu's upcoming updates include a new weapon, another chance to collect the Himiko and Hanbei character parts, and a fireworks event to celebrate the Chinese new year. These changes and more will go live on Japan's servers January 17th.
A Power Up Kit expansion for the PC version of Sangokushi 12 is scheduled for Japan's stores in March this year. It includes the new additions found in home console versions and the new ability to make edit characters who were considered a different ethnic group than Han Chinese. Consumers who pre-order the title can obtain an additional disc containing special edit character data for both the game's scenarios and the online modes.
Details regarding the special edit character CD has been announced. It will also include ten rare online character cards for players.
The first update for Nobunaga no Yabou Online this year is a harder version of the Nagashino dungeon.
A lottery event is being held to celebrate the online game's tenth year anniversary.
An official video digest of the media event announcing AKB48 no Yabou is up on the idol group's Youtube channel. Players who preregister for the social game's service can obtain rare character cards for their deck once they start playing.
The personages for participating members and other details regarding the game's setting is up for viewing on the renovated official website.
Services for the social began in Japan on January 30th.
Shin Sangoku Musou SLASH is free to download and play at iTunes App Store and Google Play for smartphone users. Players who play within the first week of the game's release (January 8th) can obtain ten "my Meatbuns", items which can restore the player character's energy. Consumers who purchase Smartphone GameR can obtain super rare items.
Koei-Tecmo is celebrating Winning Post's twentieth year anniversary with a present campaign. my GAMECITY users who purchase Winning Post 7 2013 can enter their product code for a chance to win tickets to horse races, autographs of famous Japanese jockeys, and/or horse racing merchandise.
This year's Neoromance White Day character messages changes depending on the type of chocolate. Normal chocolates are standard, but a favorable chocolate (honmei choco) offers a unique quote and character visual. Each purchase for the White Day campaign offers four normal messages and one favorable one; only registered my GAMECITY users can receive these messages.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu is having a Guan Yu themed update on its Japanese servers on February 21st. Players can collect a revised version of his weapon and obtain parts of his outfit for their avatars. Other events and campaigns are also mentioned within the press report.
Players can submit their characters ideas to the developers in the game's new title contest. The theme is open, so any idea which follows the contest's proper guidelines will be accepted for viewing. The winning ideas will be implemented into the game in the summer.
The newest update scheduled for Nobunaga no Yabou Online is Shizugatake, the fourth chapter in the Hideyoshi centric story arc. Various upgrades to the vassal system are also planned.
Koei-Tecmo's net profits are currently 3.3 times higher than they were last year, an 12.9% increase over than the company's predictions. Four analysts have judged the company's stocks to be moderate and 5.4％ higher than average.
Like last year, Keiko Erikawa spoke during the opening ceremonies for the 18th AMD Awards. She gave her personal congratulations to attendants and a plug for the thirtieth year anniversary for the Nobunaga's Ambition series. She also passed out one of the final awards near the end of the program for IDPB. 2012's grand prize winner is Studio Chizu for their animated film, Ookami-kodomo no Ame to Yuki.
There are two scheduled updates for Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu this month. The one on March 21st adds Genbu as a boss, a new tea brewing option for cooking, a new set of clothes, and additional options for the player's home area. The March 28th update adds a new weapon called the Dragon Fang Hook for players.
Tsuyoshi Takishita, the voice actor of Sima Yi from the Dynasty Warriors series, died in an accident when he was returning to his home in the early morning hours on March 10th. His death was made public to the media a day after.
Kou Shibusawa hosted the sixth FOST awards ceremony. FOST is an acronym for the Foundation for the Fusion of Science and Technology, a charity organization which was founded by him in 1994. It promotes any social or educational contributions provided by the results of dedicated researchers and digital entertainment. Winners received trophies and a grant for their research.
More details for the events celebrating Daikoukai Jidai Online's eighth year anniversary are up for viewing on its dedicated update page. Registered players with my GAMECITY accounts can complete additional mini-missions and earn original cards for Card Collection.
One of the many collaborations to celebrate Nobunaga's Ambition's thirtieth anniversary is a live sword display at Gifu Castle. The event is called Nobunaga no Yabou Nihontou no Sekaiten. Visitors can view the country's prized swords and learn about their associated trivia or legends with famous historical figures of the Warring States period. Both the online MMORPG and the series's social game have in-game events to rewards players for attending the display in person.
The MMORPG is conducting a Facebook poll asking players to identify who they believe is the strongest warrior of the age. More details for the March 13th Shizugatake update, such as a new dungeon for vassals and new clothes, are up for viewing online.
Two books for the series are planned to be published. One of them celebrates the different portraits and stats for the historical figures who have appeared in the series. The other is a ten year anniversary book for the online game which includes serial codes for registered players.
The my GAMECITY community for the online game is currently conducting a poll for the update. It asks fans to name their favorite conflict in the Warring States period. The most popular one so far is Okehazama.
A miniature site dedicated to a handful of the series's anniversary events has been posted on GAMECITY.
AKB48 no Yabou is having its first world battle event. Players compete to earn high rankings and rare cards.
Players who log-in can obtain super rare card of AKB48 member who appear in the social game's commercials. The first character in the lineup is Faust (portrayed by Haruka Shimazaki). Other campaigns and updates for this month can be seen in the press report.
April[]
Inside-Games has posted their in-depth March interview with Nobuhisa Hiroshige, the producer of AKB48 no Yabou. He explains how this crossover spin-off of the Yabou series came into being with a different perspective than Kou Shibusawa.
Daikoukai Jidai Online 2nd Age is initiating its third crossover with Samurai Cats. Players of the MMORPG can participate in a limited time event to help stranded kitty soldiers. The social game reward for completing the quest is a Treasure card of the Tenshō embassy as cats; MMORPG players can earn Date Masiamune as their in-game pet. The miniature quiz on the official page determines the taker's similarities to a kitty general; completing it rewards a serial code for a begging cat statue in Daikoukai Jidai Online.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu will have a Pang Tong themed update on April 11th. Players can use a revised version of his weapon moveset and participate in events for avatar parts of his costume. Other items and events planned for the update can be seen in the press report at 4Gamer.
Net Entertainment Festa 2013 continues to bring the latest information and future updates straight from the mouths of developers for Koei's three active MMORPGs: Nobunaga no Yabou Online, Uncharted Waters Online, and Dynasty Warriors Online. It is scheduled to take place April 21st, 14:00 ~ 17:15 (JST). Niconico Douga users can watch these presentations live through the official website link.
Viewers and attendees who watched the program can enter "clark" (クラーク) within the event's mail address to win randomized merchandise from the three MMORPGs. Three watchers can win a single copy of the current expansions autographed by the two MCs for the program, Masaya Onosaka and Eiji Takemoto.
Kazuhiro Watanabe, the producer of Nobunaga no Yabou Online, presented the prizes and winners for the my GAMECITY manor contest held back in February through mid March after an in-game presentation of the mansion. Tenka Mugen no Shou, the newest expansion which will be live July 10th for PC and PlayStation 3 servers, is based within a fantasy world in which Nobunaga lives past Honnōji. The director briefly summarized several changes planned for this update: a real time co-op option for battles, a new player ability to summon ancient gods and spirits, a higher level cap at 77, an entirely revised world map, an option to form groups regardless of the players' respective servers, and a "warriors' dojo" for easier community gatherings. Azuchi Castle will become a key location for players to meet.
Tomokazu Takeda, the current producer of Uncharted Waters Online, and Takemoto logged into the game to showcase the general game. Players within the vicinity immediately recognized Takemoto's "Porto Takemoto" avatar and joined him for a live event at sea. Second Age will have a Chapter 4 update which includes the Swedish Empire, the Thirty Years' War, and the option for players to host their own personal bazaar into the game. These events and other changes are planned to be live in July.
Kazuhiro Echigoya, the current producer of Dynasty Warriors Online, instructed Takemoto and Onosaka how to play in a beginners' battle royal with twenty-two other players. The newest expansion pack is simply Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z (Zetto); it will finally update the game with Dynasty Warriors 7 characters, visuals, and graphics. Player characters can wield two weapons and can further alter their moveset with personal skills. A cellphone log-in ala Uncharted Waters Online is also in the works for this MMORPG. Z will be active on Japan's servers on July 18th.
Winning Post 7 2013 has been announced for the PS Vita. Its analog or downloadable version can be purchased on June 20th.
Koei-Tecmo's fiscal report has been revised since last month. Their traditional full-year operating income, 7 billion yen, has dropped to 5.8 billion yen. Turnover was 39 billion yen and was lowered to 34 billion, a 4.3% drop. The public reason for the changes has been stated due to home console games failing to reach predicted sale numbers. This has caused a revision and postponement for the company's unnamed social game projects. The company's budget is expected to improve thanks to their non-profit efforts and financial revisions regarding its income.
A voice actor event commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Kiniro no Corda series will be held at the Pacifico Yokohama convention center in July 27th to 28th. Ticket sales are available from May 24th to June 3rd. Traveling plans to the event are also offered until May 22nd.
The media event to reveal the title additionally mentioned a cohesive boxset which includes previous titles, soundtracks, and artworks of the series for Windows users; it is scheduled for purchase on September 20th this year. Collaboration projects to celebrate the series's 30th year anniversary during the summer have been revealed as well.
my GAMECITY users can answer a survey to state their favorite title in the series. One user may receive a book autographed by Kou Shibusawa. Every participant can receive a specific ticket for drawing Nobunaga's Ambition cards in Card Collection.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu will include Da Ji's weapon for players' usage on May 16th. A new set of clothes and other miniature events for items can be seen within the press report.
A brief introduction for the new story scenario in Shin Sanogku Musou Online Z is up for viewing. Players can now side with factions representing the latter half of the Three Kingdoms era.
Details for the Treasure Box bonuses and other pre-order bonuses for Z are online.
The opening movie for Z and voice credits for new character tones are online for viewing.
A spectator historical event showing the beginnings of the Amsterdam Stock Exchange is planned for Japanese servers in June.
Koei-Tecmo has publicly released their financial report for March 2013. Profits are overall higher than they were last year –despite the report from last month stating that the company failed to reach predictions they made earlier in the year– and are expected to keep rising for the fourth quarter. Although the file is not specific about the changes to project funding mentioned last month, a statement encourages consumers to continue expecting "quality and satisfaction" in their products. This roughly echoes Kou Shibusawa's words in his interview with Nikkei Trendy.
Daikoukai Jidai Online 2nd Age will have its Chapter 4 update, Northern Lion, live on servers July 2nd. The update features Gustav II Adolf as the historical star and focus. Other events and changes for the update are available for viewing on its new informational site.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Ryujin Ranbu will be featuring a Sun Shangxiang themed update on June 20th. Players will be able to use a revised version of her weapon moveset and participate in special events for avatar parts based on her costume. Other items and events planned for the update can be seen in the press report at Gpara.
Winning Post 7 2013 will be available for purchase on June 20th for the PS Vita. Sample gameplay footage can be seen at Youtube.
This year marks the 20th year anniversary for the Winning Post series. Koei-Tecmo is holding another collaboration with Tokyo City Keiba to celebrate. The event will have the latest Winning Post game present and serial codes for its social game adaptation.
A few of the summer collaborations to celebrate Nobunaga's Ambition's thirtieth year anniversary have been revealed and updated on its official website. Midway results of the questionnaire for fans' favorite title in the series have been posted.
Visitors can be recommended a title which roughly fits their personal tastes by answering a short three question quiz.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is celebrating its ten years of service with a battle royal across its servers. For this massive PVP event, players can join factions which represent every major story arc or special event created in the MMORPG. NPCs from previous expansions return for the one-time campaign. The event lasts until the end of June in order to prepare for Tenka Mugen no Shou's service.
Details regarding Tenka Mugen no Shou's features will gradually be updated on its official website throughout this month to prepare players for the update on July 10th. The first update roughly outlined Honnouji, the first major scenario of the expansion, and revealed Mitsuhide's revised appearance. The second update bullet points the new "summoning" feature and mentions a higher level cap.
July[]
Koei-Tecmo is having its second Real Escape Game collaboration with SCRAP. This event is called Aru Keibajou kara no Dasshu, a Winning Post themed puzzle game. Serial codes for the series's social game will be available for participants.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z will be live on Japan's servers on July 18th. A report about the initial changes, events, and an interview with the producer (Kazuhiro Echigoya) can be seen at Online Gamer.
A Niconico Live broadcast is scheduled for June 17th, 22:00 (JST). Special guests join Junichi Yanagisawa (a developer for Online') for a live showcase of the new expansion's features.
Koei-Tecmo posted several job openings at Indeed.com.
The company plans to make a comeback in the Japanese arcade market. It'll be a collaboration project with Sega to place machines into 800 shops and game centers by the end of the year. The likely candidate for this plan is Tecmo's DEAD OR ALIVE series, which was in arcades years before but ceased before the company merger.
A screenshot contest is being held with "summer" or "innovations of the new age" as the main themes. Players who have their screenshot chosen win special items exclusive to the contest.
Developers have laid out their road map for the next two months.
More details for Nobunaga's Ambition summer celebration for its 30th year anniversary are up for viewing on its official website. This update features bonuses seen within the series's online MMORPG and social games which will occur later this month.
Email Koei-Tecmo the name Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou for a chance to win various prizes.
A Premium box for both the 3DS Nobunaga's Ambition and Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been revealed. Both games will be available for purchase in Japan on September 19th.
New features for the aforementioned 3DS ports can be seen at Gamer.
Three collaborations with the live action film adaptation of Time Scoop Hunter have been announced and revealed. Registered players can obtain rare items which reference the film or its protagonist. The main protagonist's glasses will be in a limited time event in Tenka Mugen no Shou.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online held a special Niconico Live broadcast for its ten year anniversary on July 7th, 14:00 (JST). The producer (Tomohiro Watanabe) and director (Yutaka Kawamata) were present to introduce the latest information for the MMORPG's newest expansion, which the producer says has been improved greatly due to input from beta testers.
Special guests for the event were Kagekiyo (long time beta tester from MMORPG's initial service) and Mikako (history idol). Kenji Kawai has been confirmed to return for music in Tenka Mugen no Shou; this time, he says he wants to have a rock fusion theme in the game's music. The second major update is scheduled to take place in November. After introducing the rough schedule of the expansion's updates and reminiscing about the first company document with the online adaptation's prototype name, the majority of the program was spent on Q & A. Watanabe (and occasionally Kawamata) were drilled from either Kagekiyo, Mikako, or Niconico users with concerns about the game's servers, battles, classes, and other gameplay features. Additional coverage for the event can be read and seen at GAMEWATCH and 4Gamer.
August[]
Niconico users can tune into a live broadcast celebrating Kiniro no Corda's ten year anniversary on September 2nd (JST). Regular Neoromance MC, Hajime Kuon, hosts with Kentarō Itō (Tsuchiura and Yagisawa) and Yuuya Uchida (Kira and Daichi) as guests.
Kou Shibusawa is one of the guests scheduled to be a part of the Manatsu no Time Scoop Hunter no Matsuri, a Niconico Live broadcast to hype the TV show's first upcoming film adaptation which opens in Japan's theaters on August 30th, Azuchi-jo Saigo no Ichinichi. His appearance is a part of Koei-Tecmo's long running collaboration with the film. The film's plot has the time-traveling journalists of the show trying to learn the "true history" of Azuchi Castle by following the normal people who lived near in 1576 and during the castle's fall.
Koei-Tecmo has licensed an online adaptation of Sangokushi Sousouden tentatively titled, Sangokushi Sousouden Online. It will be published by NEXON and is currently revealed to be a Free-To-Play game with monetary fees for certain items. Players residing in Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau can expect to play it sometime in the future. The game is roughly described as a war simulation in which players can raise and strengthen their armies during one of the game's scenarios.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z has announced its planned events and campaigns for the rest of August. Details and screenshots can be seen within the press report.
Details for Aru Keibajou kara no Dasshu, a Real Escape Game version of 100man-nin no Winning Post, are up for viewing on the official website. The serial code bonuses for participants now have visuals.
Nintendo Direct featured gameplay footage and the new additions for the upcoming Nobunaga no Yabou 3DS port. Satoru Iwata was dressed in a short traditional Japanese vest lent to him by Koei-Tecmo and waved a war baton at the end of his presentation for the game.
The home console versions of Sangokushi 12 with PK now has details regarding their exclusive scenario and strategist only feature available for viewing on the official website.
The Nintendo 3DS adaptations of Nobunaga no Yabou and Sangokushi have updated their websites with more details and screenshots for each game's additions.
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou is scheduled to be out in Japan's stores on November 14th. More details about the game's layout and battle sequences are now up for viewing at Famitsu.
Daikoukai Jidai Online 2nd Age is celebrating summer with its annual fireworks festival, a new set of mission challenges, and a special campaign for new characters.
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou has updated its official website with a general outline of the game's 3D layout and system.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Tenka Mugen no Shou's first update of the month is a new dungeon. Players can work together with local deities to exterminate various monstrosities. New divine generals can be used by players starting with this update.
Details for the MMORPG's annual fireworks festival is up for viewing. Japanese players can enjoy the spectacle in the game which they can't currently enjoy in real life.
September[]
Koei-Tecmo has announced a new social game called Mogitate Bishoujo Yakyu! Pretty Nine, an idol baseball game. Nico Nico users can watch the media event revealing details and producer credits live on October 1st, 14:20 (JST) at Nico Nico Live.
Sangokushi 12 Taisenban, a free to play cross network version of the online versus mode from Sangokushi 12, has finished its beta stages and is scheduled for public download on the PlayStation Network on September 26th. Various video game magazines were invited to a mass media play test and tournament hosted by the game's producer, Ken Kitami.
Koei-Tecmo is starting autumn with a special giveaway for Nobunaga's Ambition fans in October. A classical concert for the series has been moved to winter on December 19th. Select players of the series's social games can receive serial codes if they attend the performance. Oda Nobunyaga is additionally scheduled to appear at Gifu Nobunaga Matsuri as a part of a collaboration project.
The official website for the Kiniro no Corda 3 Another Sky titles has updated to include rough story outlines and character introductions. Players can view the romanceable characters and which characters from the original game will appear in each individual port.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z will feature a weapon update for the Spiral Lance, Deng Ai's EX weapon, on September 19th. Other updates include a new outfit for player avatar, a chance to collect Xingcai's outfit parts, and a limited time garden event.
During SCEJA Press Conference 2013, a short teaser confirmed that Sengoku Musou 4 –a title which was teased over a year ago on the producer's Twitter to be out in 2014– will be on the PlayStation Vita. This was the only new detail which was revealed for the title.
The developer's road map for Nobunaga no Yabou Online has updated with events and changes planned for this month. Players can participate in the Nobunaga side of an original Nobunaga vs. Ieyasu conflict. Army formations are being altered with a higher level cap and more special abilities.
Details and images for this year's moon viewing festival are up online. Players can take part on September 11th.
New screenshots and details for the battle system, historical events, and scenarios in the upcoming Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou are up for viewing at Famitsu.
Snippets of Souzou's cinematics and gameplay footage were shown in a collage video for the PlayStation 3 lineup in SCEJA Press Conference 2013.
Serial code tie-ins with other Nobunaga no Yabou IPs have been revealed on the official website.
Details for this year's Harvest Moon event in Daikoukai Jidai Online 2nd Age are up for viewing. Other updates planned for this month include a Shangri-la themed treasure hunt and Hawaiian pirates. my GAMECITY users can enter a contest to decide a new profession in the MMORPG by joining its official community and submitting their entry.
The October "Autumn Festivals" update has been revealed. Screenshots and a few notes for this year's Beer Festival and Halloween events are up. October signals another change in the World Clock, which is explained to players by the MMORPG's two mascot apprentices Meme and Lisa.
The sixth expansion pack, Gran Atlas, has been announced to be in service by December this year.
It is nearly the twentieth year anniversary for Koei's Neoromance series, and the company intends to celebrate with a stage event called Neoromance 20th Anniversary Eve. The teaser states that attendees will be the first to see a new surprise reveal specially planned for the event.
Koei's seasonal Neoromance with Musou Premium Shop at Marui Annex is reviving in November. Fans who visit the shops and use their Epos card can receive a special autograph from Kenyu Horiuchi of Angelique fame.
The first major update for Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z will be live on Japan's servers November 21st. It is called "Rising 1".
Nobunaga no Yabou Tenka Mugen no Shou has revealed the planned events and updates for this month starting October 9th. Character classes have been altered, another dungeon is in the works, and new godly generals can be collected and summoned. Advanced players can log-in and enjoy an autumn harvest event.
Details for Daikoukai Jidai Online 2nd Age annual Beer Fest are up. Regular players can trade in their Voyager Points –points they receive naturally for logging-in– with their guild master to obtain several items.
The thirtieth year anniversary for Nobunaga's Ambition continues with its "Autumn Troop". It begins with an October only contests. Interested fans can show their love by either submitting an illustration, writing an essay sharing their experience with the series, or by creating poetry. One grand prize winner will receive the Gamecity version of the 30th anniversary collection.
Ayaka Hirahara, the singer for Souzou's image song, will additionally appear as a general within the title. She has her own unique officer ability.
The latest promotional video and sample images for Souzou's Treasure Box set are up for viewing online.
Kiniro no Corda is continuing its celebration of its tenth anniversary with three memorial campaigns. Fans can either submit their fanart, a cosplay photo of any character, or share their own personal story with the games. The deadline for submissions is December 1st; prizes have yet to be announced.
Koei-Tecmo has announced a new social game called Mogitate Bijo Yakyu! Pretty Nine, an idol baseball game. Nico Nico users could watch the media event revealing details and producer credits live on October 1st, 14:20 (JST) at Nico Nico Live.
November[]
Koei-Tecmo's official website for this year's Jump Festa is up for viewing.
Daikoukai Jidai Online ~Gran Atlas~, the latest expansion pack for the MMORPG, will be live on Japan's servers on December 3rd. Early play impressions and screenshots for the expansion's features can be seen on various Japanese newsites such as Gamer and 4Gamer.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z is preparing to celebrate six years of consecutive service with various presents available for players who simply log-in to their accounts. It ties into the first major update planned for the expansion, Rising 1.
The latest entry for the Winning Post series is going to be Winning Post 8 scheduled to be on the PlayStation 3 and PSVita. It will be available for purchase in Japan next year on March 27th. The PC version will be out on February 28th. The game now begins with their player's character birth to detail their lives as horse raisers; players can then raise their children or grandchildren in a heavily revised, all 3D horse raising system.
100man-nin no Winning Post is holding a collaboration event with renowned Japanese horse breeder Takao Tsuda. Players can raise their horses for his avatar's personal judgment during the limited time event.
On November 29th (JST), Neoromance fans could watch a special NicoNico Live broadcast before the 20th anniversary stage event. Show Hayami and Ryotaro Okiayu will be present with Kuon serving as the MC.
The celebration of 30 years of Nobunaga's Ambition continues with a collaboration with the Kiku Masamune Brewery. Alcohol enthusiasts can purchase two bottles of a Nobunaga's Ambition blend for the brewery's December lineup. One is dedicated to the series, while the either is made in the fourteenth title's honor.
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou has finished its development and is celebrating with a media event. This is being broadcast live to NicoNico Live on November 12th, 14:00 (JST).
Another live broadcast held with the game's producer, Kenichi Ogasawara, and other figures will be held on NicoNico Live on December 1st, (JST). Eiji Takemoto will be serving as the main host.
Zakzak's article on Mogitate Bijo Yakyu! Pretty Nine informs readers that it was created with the intents of increasing interest in baseball. Kou Shibusawa nervously comments that he was surprised by the initial pitch; he approved it in spite of his initial impressions because the developers were gung-ho for its creation.
December[]
Winning Post 8's official website has updated with more details and options available for the upcoming entry.
Koei-Tecmo's three MMORPGs are celebrating the end of the year and the new year with a present campaign for registered players.
The December 18th Nintendo Direct announced Zelda Musou, or the tentatively titled Hyrule Warriors for the Western ports, as the latest collaboration title with Nintendo and Koei-Tecmo. It is scheduled for a summer 2014 release for the Wii U.
A press conference for my GAMECITY revealed the latest entry for the Uncharted Waters series, Daikoukai Jidai V. It can so far only be played by registered users of the official community. Users who play this title can additionally receive a bonus item in Daikoukai Jidai Online ~Gran Atlas~.
4Gamer has an interview with Tomokazu Takeda regarding the fifth title to elaborate on the creative reasons for making it a browser game.
One of the big announcements at Neoromance 20th Anniversary Eve was a full remake of the very first Angelique. It is being made to celebrate the 20th year anniversary of the Neoromance series with the motive of appealing to new fans and Angeliquers from previous entries.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Tenka Mugen no Shou has announced its December and Christmas updates. Details and screenshots can be viewed within the press report.
A PlayStation 4 port is scheduled to be in Japan's stores on March 19th, 2014. Perks for purchasing the packaged version are up on the official website.
my GAMECITY users can take part in a social game themed giveaway to celebrate the holidays. Players who exchange for GC Coins (digital currency) get a 1.5 bonus with their purchase, or they may retweet the mayor's post on Twitter for a chance to win 10,000 GC Coins. Any user can log-in to the community's social games to receive a Christmas present, which changes if they have used at least 3,000 GC Coins in a title.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z is scheduled to have a Sun Shang Xiang themed update on December 19th. Other additions and events are mentioned within the press report.
Koei-Tecmo has set a billing limit for minors. Players within a particular age range in Japan can only spend a limited number of funds for any online purchase of their products. The decision was done in response to consumer protection laws put into place to protect minors from dangerous overspending in online and social gaming.
A PlayStation 4 port is scheduled to be in Japan's stores on February 22nd, 2014, making it one of the PS4 launch titles in Japan. Details for its specs and other changes are up on the official website.
January[]
Daikoukai Jidai Online Gran Atlas is going to update with a series of events and changes dubbed Extreme North Sea on February 4th. A Valentine's Day event to help a local pastry chef is scheduled for players to enjoy on the same day. Details for both events can be found on the official website.
100man-nin no Winning Post has reached 1 million registered users. New and old registered players can receive their copies of the rare colt Dancepartner from either the mobile or the Special PC browser version to celebrate.
Winning Post 8 is up for sale on Gamecity. Details for a 20th Anniversary boxset and the Gamecity exclusive set are now up for viewing.
The PC release date has been changed to match the PlayStation ports on March 27th.
Shin Sangoku Musou Z is offering a Daqiao renewal update on January 16th. Players can collect the revised version of her fans and outfit. Other rewards and simultaneous events are included within the press report.
Aside from Yome Colle, cellphone users can collect Corda 3 bromides from Lawson's Pridas service.
Residents in Japan can enter their information in an online Famitsu giveaway for a chance to win one of three free copies of Another Sky.
Ruby Party is hosting a Twitter campaign to celebrate the completion and publication of Another Sky. Fans who participate may be rewarded with a present from one of five romanceable characters.
Misako Yasuda is the fourth Japanese celebrity to have her presence grace 100man-nin no Winning Post. Registered players can race to earn the horse and other items she personally picked to have in the social game; the rarest item for the collaboration is earning her persona for an instructor.
Guntama ~Gunshi no Tamashii~, a puzzle game based on the Warring States era, will be released for mobile phones in March. Music is composed by Masashi Hamauzu. Players who pre-register will receive Yoshihiro Shimazu as their character card.
Additional information for the delayed Nobunaga no Yabou 30th Year Anniversary Memorial Concert is up for those interested. One audience member can win the PlayStation 4 version of Souzou if they have the winning serial number.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z will have a Zhong Hui themed update on its Japanese servers on February 20th. Details and other events planned are included in the press report.
The PS3 client is now free to download and play. A revised bonus pack for newcomers is available for either the PC or PS3 versions.
On March 19th, the MMORPG will have its Ransei no Kizuna update and feature a new world Ransei. This is a realm in which every player who accesses it starts from level 0 and gain extensive leveling bonuses while working themselves from scratch; many items used for doing so are exclusive to this world.
Players who pre-register for Daikoukai Jidai V can obtain a scroll and Katalina Elanzo, one of the protagonists of the second Uncharted Waters, as a pirate for their crew. Interested players can sign the form if they have a my GAMECITY account.
A Niconico Live broadcast to celebrate the three Corda projects being released this time of this year will show March 28, 20:00 (JST). It is being hosted by Kentaro Ito (Tsuchiura and Yagisawa) and Daisuke Kishio (Yunoki and Arata). Stage event data will be presented during its run.
Famitsu has revealed details for Winning Post 8 online. Distinguishing articles and downlodable content appear in all three ports.
Denjin Gecha had Yamagauchi as a guest for its program on March 28, 20:00 (JST).
Guntama ~Gunshi no Tamashi~ has a play movie available for viewing on its official website. Preregistered players can participate in a Twitter campaign and receive a free raffle ticket for obtaining rare cards.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Tenka Mugen no Shou's Ransei no Kizuna update will be live on Japan's servers on March 19th. Details for a new dungeon and new summoning scrolls are available for viewing on the official website.
CR Nobunaga no Yabou Tenka Sousei ~Nii no Jin~ is Newgin's second attempt to distribute a Nobunaga's Ambition gambling machine. The first machine was a pachislot and was pulled parlors in November 2013 due to receiving complaints of its numerous bugs and dispensing problems. Nii no Jin is a pachinko and will feature eight character image songs made by Koei-Tecmo.
Kou Shibusawa hosted and handed out awards for this year's FOST (foundation for the Fusion Of Science and Technology) ceremony. The FOST award went to Professor Yukio Hirose for his support of using video games as viable edutainment. The Rookie Award went to Yashima Takaaki; Professor Akira Onishi received his award in his stead due to scheduling conflicts. Bandai-Namco Games President Norio Ishikawa was honored with the FOST Social Contribution Award for "giving new business opportunities in the video game industry through education and contributing greatly to the improved social acceptance and social evaluation of the game industry".
GAMECITY Shopping is having a sales campaign this month. Twenty people who shop through their service have a random chance of winning 2,000 Gamecity Coins with their purchase.
Its big update, Rising 2, will be live on its Japanese servers on March 20th. A few of the headliners include a revised Mt. Dingjun scenario, a revamped Zhuge Liang event and a guild feature.
Daikoukai Jidai V has updated its website with information regarding its game system and characters.
Players who have been playing Daikoukai Jidai Online ~Gran Atlas~ can receive various gifts in honor of the MMORPG's ninth anniversary. New players can purchase the ninth anniversary passport this month to receive exclusive items.
The first 33,333 players of Daikoukai Jidai V can receive three main bonuses after completing the tutorial in a special start up campaign. They can receive the game currency equivalent to 300 yen, Alvero Sarmiento from Online fame –who appears as a rare sailor in the browser game, and the ability to completely play Uncharted Waters free from the my GAMECITY Classic Games menu (a 500 yen price tag outside of campaign).
According to Famitsu, Koei-Tecmo was the third most successful Japanese video game manufacturer for consoles in March 2014. The news report states that it was a result of Sengoku Musou 4's release and the company's overall growing sales over the course of nine months.
Corda fans who missed last month's Niconico Live broadcast can watch the recording on Youtube. Viewer comments from the stream are absent, but the voice actors' messages and live drama sequences can be seen publicly and for free until April 28th.
A Winning Post 8Niconico Live broadcast is scheduled to show on April 11, 20:00 (JST). Winning Post fans can view it for latest series information and news regarding its social game and Tecmo's Gallop Racer. The broadcast aims to celebrate the sport before the grand race for this year's Ouka Award.
Moba-nobu Nobunaga no Yabou is the latest social game for the Nobunaga's Ambition series which is scheduled for a May 15th public download at App Store and Google Play. Unlike its predecessor, this game emphasizes speedy battles and larger decks for PvP confrontations so players can "achieve unification in five minutes". Interested fans can preregister now and before its initial release date for a rare Dokuganryu Masamune card. my GAMECITY is scheduled to host a PC version on May 29th. Gamer has conclusive coverage of the press event announcing the collaboration.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online players are being asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding their experience. Questions for open criticism and suggestions are also available.
At least 30,000 people have preregistered for Moba-nobu in three days according to MarkeZine's report.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z will update on April 17 with a Zhang Liao themed update. Avatars can earn parts for his Dynasty Warriors 7 outfit and weapon for themselves.
Kou Shibusawa was interviewed with Hisato Komatsu, the current president of Mouse Computer, by GameWatch to state their thoughts on the decade anniversaries for their respective products (Nobunaga's Ambition for Koei and G-Tune for Mouse Computer). Koei-Tecmo has held several collaborations with the company in the past, mainly by promoting several of their computer builds with their Internet games and MMORPGs. Both presidents share their thoughts for their company's projects and their opinions for the future of computers.
The international company name change to KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD. will be in effect on July 1st.
Koei-Tecmo is hosting a Game Music Creator Contest for music which could be used in future Warriors or Neoromance titles until July 31, 2014. Every entry must follow one of the four genres and must be a song which can have lyrics attached to it. Anyone from any level of expertise is invited to enter, and a maximum of three songs can be entered per applicant. Entries will be judged by sound producers of Koei's Sound Team.
Kou Shibusawa hinted that overseas collaborations might be in the works. He believes the results will be open to the public in 2~3 years. Next year will be the 30th anniversary of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The rest of his recent Nikkei Trendy interview entails his personal commentary for Koei-Tecmo's 2013~2014 projects.
Hamarepo visited the main Koei building. Interested readers can view photos and read their commentary in the report.
Quiz Battle Toukiden has begun its preregistration phase. Players have now (May 8th) until the game launches to sign up and receive the rare Otohime Mitama as a starting bonus. The simultaneous Twitter campaign rewards players five Treasure Gacha if 10,000 people Tweet about their favorite Mitama.
Companions for the protagonist have been introduced in a press report.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z is scheduled to have a Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huang themed update on May 15th. Other rewards and campaigns can be read within the press report.
June[]
Registered my GAMECITY users have a chance to win several prizes. Users who wish to participate must log-in, purchase GC Coins (digital currency), or play social games on the my GAMECITY server to earn exchange points. Ten exchange points can be used for one lottery spin. Prizes vary from GC coins, Nintendo 3DS, a PlayStation 4, several gizmos, or a Koei-Tecmo game of the winner's choosing.
100-man nin no Hyper World Soccer! is launching a campaign to cheer for Japan in Brazil. Registered my GAMECITY players can receive various presents just for logging in during key dates in June.
The company's latest horse racing collaboration with Tokyo City Keiba is for the Teioh (Japan I) race for 2014. Fans can make their predictions for the winning horse on Twitter or visit Koei-Tecmo's PR booth on race day to receive to special Winning Post 8 (Koei) or Gallop Racer (Tecmo) movies or merchandise. Players of the Winning Post social game can partake in the dream Teioh race to celebrate.
Yahoo!Japan Mobage users can participate in a crossover campaign with Hyakuman-nin no Winning Post Special and Bandai-Namco's Mahjong Royale. Players who register with both games can earn special gacha tickets and/or horses for fusing in the Winning Post social game.
Famitsu coverage of the Teioh race can be seen online.
Registered players of Koei's three current MMORPGs can obtain bonus items in their games if they log-in and play at specific net café in their area.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z is conducting a limited time collaboration with Road to Dragons. Players can earn Chrono and Mayu parts for their Online avatars if they register with both games and complete specific missions.
A Sun Quan update is planned to begin on June 19th. Players can complete certain quests to obtain his EX weapon and parts of his costume for their avatars. Other additions included with the update can be read in the press report.
CR Sengoku Musou is the latest pachinko machine distributed by SanThree and another collaboration project to celebrate the series's tenth anniversary. Nico Nico users can watch its press conference live on July 28, 19:00 (JST). Rin, the same vocalist for Bladestorm's commercial song, will perform its main theme song. The official promotional video can be viewed on Youtube.
A Bladestorm remake and sequel title has been announced. It is called Bladestorm: Nightmare. The Bladestorm part is the remake; the Nightmare subtitle is for the new content. The producer stated that several new features for the vanilla title has been implemented but didn't comment on Nightmare. Famitsu is currently hosting open requests and commentary for the sequel until July 25, 23:59 (JST).
Pre-registration for Shin Sangoku Musou Blast is available throughout July. The social game is a portable Warriors adaptation which includes exclusive character stories and limited time events for new character cards/visuals. Pre-registering rewards serial codes for Xushi and Sun Yi; my GAMECITY members additionally receive Sima Hui.
Konami gave the license and distributing rights of its mobile game, Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆, to Koei-Tecmo. The company's kiwi (Konami) services for it will be canceled July 22nd for the transition.
A live broadcast is scheduled for Nico Nico users on August 1, 21:00 (JST). Hajime Kuon, Tsuyoshi Katsura, Daisuke Kishio (Shinnosuke Otowa), and Takuya Eguchi (Tooru Kanzaki) are scheduled to appear.
Registered my GAMECITY users can join the official community and participate in a poll for the "Love Message" on stage from one of four situational setups.
Daikoukai Jidai Online ~Gran Atlas~ has started hosting its pirate hunt Live Event. Registered my GAMECITY users are encouraged to think of proper name for the upcoming "Memorial World", a realm which will include events and locations from the MMORPG's launch to commemorate its upcoming tenth anniversary. The winning name will receive community recognition, and the winner will be given various in-game items for their account.
A Wild West campaign is in the works for Japanese servers. It will add San Fransisco with a town sheriff title for player avatars in the game.
August[]
Hisashi Koinuma commented that the titles shown at SCEJA Press Conference 2014 will probably be the rest of the new games for Koei this year. The Neoromance series announced their future transition to the PS Vita with an unnamed title; they are catching up with the other big names in the Otome game market. A Warriors adaptation of Square-Enix's Dragon Quest series is scheduled for the PS3 and PS4 in 2015; the presidents of both companies went on stage to voice their opinions for the dream collaboration. Dragon Quest regulars (Yuji Horii, Akira Toriyama, and Kouchiro Sugiyama) have done their part in this Dragon Quest Heroes entry.
One Piece Kaizoku Musou 3 is currently in development for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 4. A promotional video for the game is scheduled to be displayed at Bandai-Namco Game's Tokyo Game Show booth.
Capcom is suing Koei-Tecmo for copyright infringement. The lawsuit was filed on August 26. The Capcom statement claims that the Samurai Warriors series has heavily plagiarized characters, ideas, and scenarios from the Sengoku BASARA series; they also claim to have patented the Warring States concept and system before Omega Force developed it in 2002. The legal representative states that the "act of plagiarism has contributed greatly to [Koei-Tecmo]'s profits". Capcom issued an approximate 9 million yen compensation fee for intellectual property damage. Koei-Tecmo has so far rejected the notions, issuing a comment of their innocence and their drive to defend themselves legally to the press.
Capcom's legal issue has been clarified from initial reports. The particular patent in question occurred earlier in 1994 and 1996 for an unnamed series concept. It would have allegedly used a gimmick similar to the Import option found in several Koei games, first used in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends. According to Patent Law Article 66, the original patent will expire twenty years after it is first issued (December 9, 2014 for Capcom). The lawsuit of patent infringement is directed to any title which had been relying on Import until the patent's expiration date (49 titles according to initial reports). A poignant flaw in Capcom's allegation mentioned by the Japanese media is that a similar concept was already conceived by Koei's preexisting Power Up Kit expansions for Koei's historical simulation games and Winning Post series. Konami had also preceded Capcom's claims. Koei continues to insist on its do-or-die resistance to the lawsuit.
Merchandise for the Corda live event, Neoromance Festa ♥ Seiso Gakuin Festival 4, is up for viewing. Hello Kitty Tsukimori and Tsuchiura keychains, AnotherSky inspired keychains, and confectioneries are amongst the items.
Seiso Gakuin Festival 4 revealed to audiences that an Amane Gakuen exclusive stage event (scheduled December 13) and a Seiso Academy one (December 14) were in the works. Details regarding the Pacifico Yokohama spectacles were promised at a later date.
Newgin is planning to have Pachislot Sangokushi in pachinko parlors in October. The promotional video for the machine has been posted onto their Youtube channel.
Attendees may choose to compete in a cosplay contest in the lobby before the shows. The winner wins front row tickets to any future Neoromance event.
Internet radio show Tsukai☆Otome Game Tsushin is planning a Neoromance special centering on Haruka 3~Haruka 5 and the Corda series on September 6, 23:30 (JST). The program's special guests will be people involved with image song production for both IPs and Rin project staff, Takamitsu Shimazaki (producer) and Mami Suenaga ("Rin", vocalist). Information regarding the upcoming theatrical production is also scheduled for the program. Interested listeners can send messages and/or questions until August 17; instructions and contact information are provided within the link.
CR Sengoku Musou has updated its website with specs and visuals for online public viewing. A sample of its theme song, Kokou no Akashi, automatically plays for new visitors. The same song is scheduled to be on air during Rin's radio program.
Start playingDaikoukai Jidai V with a Yahoo!Japan account for a chance to receive 100 or 1,000 Mobage Coins. Offer ends September 1.
September[]
Koei-Tecmo Holdings has publicly updated its finances. According to their records, their ordinary income has surpassed its projected 3.5 billion yen to 5.4 billion yen due to second quarter sales. The annual ordinary income projection has been altered to 11 billion yen as a result. Reasons for the modifications include a growing trust in a broader global market and reducing costs for operation production for any service they seek to provide. They expect sales to keep rising in the third quarter.
my GAMECITY users can receive various goodies for finishing the tutorials, logging-in, or Tweeting about Koei's social games during Tokyo Game Show 2014.
The new title reveal at Tokyo Game Show is another Romance of the Three Kingdoms entry to celebrate its 30th year anniversary. Kou Shibusawa did not refer to it with a specific name or provide too many details but promised that he and the developers have been hard at work to create it.
100man-nin no Winning Post is doing another collaboration with horse racing critic Takao Suda. Players can earn items Suda personally recommends for his ideal horse and see his in-game avatar September 5~11.
Internet radio show Tsukai☆Otome Game Tsushin is planning a Neoromance special centering on Haruka 3~Haruka 5 and the Corda series on September 6, 23:30 (JST). The program's special guests will be people involved with image song production for both IPs and Rin project staff, Takamitsu Shimazaki (producer) and Mami Suenaga ("Rin", vocalist). Information regarding the upcoming theatrical production is also scheduled for the program.
Four question voice actor interviews for the feat. Amane Gakuen main cast are up for online viewing. Leftover merchandise from the last Corda stage event can still be purchased at Gamecity Shopping.
Hisashi Koinuma commented that the titles shown at SCEJA Press Conference 2014 will probably be the rest of the new games for Koei this year. The Neoromance series announced their future transition to the PS Vita with an unnamed title; they are catching up with the other big names in the Otome game market. According to supplemental news reports, there are two games in the works.
A Warriors adaptation of Square-Enix's Dragon Quest series is scheduled for the PS3 and PS4 in spring 2015; the presidents of both companies went on stage to voice their opinions for the dream collaboration. Dragon Quest regulars (Yuji Horii, Akira Toriyama, and Kouchi Sugiyama) have done their part in this Dragon Quest Heroes entry.
One Piece Kaizoku Musou 3 is currently in development for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 4; it is planned to be the first PS4 One Piece game in 2015. Its general concept is to cover the series's narrative with scenes from its beginnings to current arcs. A promotional video for the game is scheduled to be displayed at Bandai-Namco Game's Tokyo Game Show Jump stage event.
Capcom is suing Koei-Tecmo for patent infringement for an approximate 9 million, 8 hundred thousand yen. The lawsuit was filed on August 26. The particular patent in question occurred in 1994 and 1996 for an unnamed series concept. It would have allegedly used a gimmick similar to the Import option found in several Koei games, first used in Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends. According to Patent Law Article 66, the original patent will expire twenty years after it is first issued (December 9, 2014 for Capcom). The lawsuit is directed to any game which had been relying on Import until the patent's expiration date (49 titles according to initial reports). Earlier reports stated the lawsuit was due to specific plagiarism. Koei intends to defend their innocence within the court.
October[]
A recent Weekly Famitsu interview has given some oversight regarding the Gust merger and future plans for the Gust team. Koei, Tecmo, and Gust developers have been unified to work on various Koei-Tecmo projects. Gust will keep its individual credits for their team's titles. Numerous members of the company personnel are fans of Gust's products so work relations are good. The Plus expansions will be a trend as long as developers believe an Atelier title can benefit from it. Atelier Musou does not seem likely but other Warriors collaborations are foreseeable. Another Atelier title is currently in the works.
Koei-Tecmo's has released the consolidated monthly results of its second fiscal quarter. Sales are an approximate 16.1 billion 11 million yen, operating income is 3.2 billion 93 million yen, ordinary income is 6.1 billion 6600 million, and net profit was 4.2 billion 05 million. The boost is attributed to the success of console video games such as the global shipping for Hyrule Warriors and the multimedia project created for Zero ~Nuregarasu no Miko~.
Designers who are not currently represented by a company or organization can enter Koei-Tecmo's Graphic Design Competition. Designers can either enter for logo design or graphic design for marketing. The first branch asks contestants to invent a new logo for one of the following IPs: Nobunaga's Ambition, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Samurai Warriors, Dragon & Princess, or Hoi Hoi. The latter asks for three examples of posters, flyers, and web designs. Entries will be accepted until December 20 (JST).
Merchandise details for Koei-Tecmo's booth at Animate Girls Festival 2014 is scheduled to be revealed later this month.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z is hosting a Xu Huang and Halloween update starting October 16. Player avatar parts and other event goods can be earned by completing mission objectives.
Gust has merged into Koei-Tecmo. To celebrate, a tie-in campaign between the two official fanclubs/social communities will be held throughout October. Users can log-in to my GAMECITY with their My Gust ID and earn several bonuses in Gust IPs.
100man-nin no Winning Post and its PC browser port (Special) are hosting a collaboration event using Mai Oshima's persona. Players can meet her game avatar, earn items she picked for the game, and compete in a Oshima themed race until October 15.
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou with Power Up Kit has renewed its website with detailed changes for the expansion. Visitors can either read or watch explanatory movies for the new features.
Daikoukai Jidai Online will have its Pacific Ocean update on Japanese servers October 7. my GAMECITY members can vote on their choice avatar outfit to be included with the update. The memorial world Khronos, which contains ten years of the MMORPG's expansions, will close on March 31, 2015.
November[]
Net Corporation is creating a sequel to their 2002 pachislot collaboration with Koei-Tecmo under the title Shin Mogumogu Fuurin Kazan 2. Takeda Shinmogu and other characters from previous Mogumogu machines will be present for the revived collaboration. The sequel is scheduled to be in pachinko parlors in 2015.
Next year will be the fifteen year anniversary for the Haruka series. The standard live stage event to commemorate is planned to take place February 14~15, 2015. Attendees can be the first to learn new information for the upcoming sixth title.
Net cafe collaborations for several of Koei's online titles have updated with a limited time campaign. Players can earn various items by logging into their account for a certain number of hours at one of the many participating stores.
Both versions of 100man-nin no Winning Post have two limited time collaborations with Japanese reporting service Daily Sports. Starting November 14, players can enter a cup within the game and log-in daily to receive Daily Sports in-game items. The Daily Sports newspaper will simultaneously publish parts of a special keyword until November 19. If players enter the finished word within the game, they have a chance to win several horse racing merchandise.
Shu Matsumoto, the producer of the social game, put up his predictions for winning horses for the collaboration race, a Daily Hai Nisai S simulation.
Additional details for the Version 6 update are up for viewing.
Registered my GAMECITY users can decide the name for the mayor's new feline secretary. The user who writes the winning name receives 100,000 GC Coins as a reward. All participants receive 10 GC Coins for their input. The deadline for the campaign is November 27.
Dengeki PlayStation is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is hosting an online voting campaign for interested readers to decide which two video game characters should represent their special recognition for "All Time Memorial Character". Out of the characters who have previously appeared on the magazine's front covers, the following are Koei-Tecmo related: Karula (Zill O'll), Zhao Yun and Lu Bu (Dynasty Warriors), Nobunaga Oda (Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou), Millennia (Kagero: Deception II), Kasumi and Ayane (Dead or Alive), the Amakura Twins (Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly), Ion (Ciel nosurge), and several main protagonists in the Atelier series (Marie, Elie, Rorona, Totori, Meruru, Ayesha, Escha, Shallie). Voters can also write in one preferred character not included in the list for their vote. The campaign's deadline is December 24.
Daikoukai Jidai Online players can participate in optional missions starting November 18 and ending December 16. Missions are given at set intervals and reward items, avatar parts, and/or ship parts for completion. my GAMECITY users can see the results of the previous screenshot contest and write in their favorite city spot to hang out in the MMORPG until December 2.
Interested players can play the MMORPG free November 22~24 in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday.
News for the Chapter 4 update has arrived for players. A few changes include Babylon, the ability to automatically track other players/NPCs, and an upgraded battle system.
Information regarding the war between the east and the west is drawing near in Nobunaga no Yabou Online. Players can participate in the second preparation campaign until December 10. After the war ends, players will have to prepare for the next expansion Kakusei no Shou (December 17).
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou with Power Up Kit has renewed its website with detailed changes for the expansion. Visitors can either read or watch explanatory movies for the new features.
An officer countdown to celebrate the Power Up Kit expansion is underway. Visitors can see revised Power Up Kit portraits for several characters and Tweet their predictions for the next character based on the hints given.
Internet radio show Tsukai☆Otome Game Tsushin is planning an episode for the theatrical adaptation of Haruka 5 on December 6, 23:30 (JST). The program's special guests will be the director Toshihiro Kitamura, Ryohei Shioguchi (Ryouma Sakamoto), and Mirai Suzuki (Souji Okita). New information for the upcoming sixth title will also be presented during the program. Interested listeners can send messages and/or questions until November 16; instructions and contact information are provided within the link.
2015 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series. Kou Shibusawa went on stage at Tokyo Game Show to announce the development of the thirteenth main installment to celebrate it.
December[]
4Gamer's annual year end creator commentary collection is up. Koei-Tecmo developers who spoke for this year's commentary are Kenichi Ogasawara, Keisuke Kikuchi, Makoto Shibata, Kou Shibusawa, and Takashi Morinaka.
Voice actor interviews for the main characters in Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6 are gradually being posted online at Famitsu. Interested readers can learn actor impressions and sneak peeks of each character's story.
The latest promotional video teases character stories, lists Treasure Box merchandise, and announces Tohko Mizuno's comic adaptation.
my GAMECITY is hosting several campaigns for registered users (my GC, Gust, Facebook) starting December 10 and ending February 3, 2015. Users can play social games on my GAMECITY servers to earn GC Coins, get GC Coin discounts for Gamecity Shopping, or earn campaign points for a chance to receive multiple prizes. Each campaign has specific deadlines for participation and redeeming.
Five people who Retweet about the new expansion have a chance to win their choice of a PS4 or the limited Gamecity set packaged version of the game with a replica gun. Details can be read in the news post.
This year's PlayStation Awards will have a Youtube and Niconico Live online stream available for people living outside of the Japanese video game industry and press. It is scheduled to start December 3, 16:30 (JST).
Purchase the December 11~18, December 18, and December 25 Weekly Famitsu issues to see enlarged versions of autographs from a variety of video game developers thanking the PlayStation for being in stores for twenty years.
Daikoukai Jidai Online 2nd Age has launched its Chapter 4 Babylon themed update Ancient Glory. Players who log-in to the update within the first two weeks can receive various bonuses. The Khronos realm now has Tierra Americana on its servers and another Daikoukai Jidai V collaboration.
Players can play the memoriam world Khronos for free during the last two weeks of December. Deadline for the limited offer lasts as long as the New Year's events (January 4, 2015).
Winning Post 8 2015 will be coming to the PlayStation 3, Playstation Vita, and PC March 12, 2015. Players can expect to experience a 2016 starting point with new story events, new characters, and new horses to raise for every known race scheduled to take place in 2015. Ranch members can appear as 3D models.
Horse racing fans can enjoy the game's simulation of this year's Arima Kinen race.
An officer countdown to celebrate the Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou with Power Up Kit expansion is underway. Visitors can see revised Power Up Kit portraits for several characters and Tweet their predictions for the next character based on the hints given.
The four major scenarios being added to the vanilla game have been revealed. A movie to explain character centric what-if side stories, the reveal of the opening movie, and several collaborations were made public at the game's completion conference.
Registered Niconico users can watch its live broadcast December 9, 20:00 (JST). Producer Kenichi Ogasawara and director Hiroyuki Oyama will present and explain the expansion's additions for viewers.
Dengeki PlayStation is celebrating its 20th anniversary and is hosting an online voting campaign for interested readers to decide which two video game characters should represent their special recognition for "All Time Memorial Character". Out of the characters who have previously appeared on the magazine's front covers, the following are Koei-Tecmo related: Karula (Zill O'll), Zhao Yun and Lu Bu (Dynasty Warriors), Nobunaga Oda (Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou), Millennia (Kagero: Deception II), Kasumi and Ayane (Dead or Alive), the Amakura Twins (Fatal Frame: Deep Crimson Butterfly), Ion (Ciel nosurge), and several main protagonists in the Atelier series (Marie, Elie, Rorona, Totori, Meruru, Ayesha, Escha, Shallie). Voters can also write in one preferred character not included in the list for their vote. The campaign's deadline is December 24.
Next year will be the fifteen year anniversary for the Haruka series. The standard live stage event to commemorate is planned to take place February 14~15, 2015. Attendees can be the first to learn new information for the upcoming sixth title.
Consumers who purchase the February 2015 B's Log issue (for sale December 20) can participate in a limited time giveaway to receive a free ticket to the event. Haruka 6 Cast interviews, the package visual, and one of Kohaku's event stills will also be revealed in the same issue.
The mobile and PC browser editions of 100man-nin no Winning Post is hosting a Katsumi Ando themed event until February 5. Players can compete in his in-game challenges to win two versions of his jockey ticket and rare stallions as prizes.
Yokohama City Transportation Bureau is collaborating with Koei for the Romantic ♥ Game Festival, an Otome game themed stamp rally scheduled to take place February and March. Participants can ride Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆, Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6, and/or Kiniro no Corda 3 decorated trains to receive original Haruka 6 character merchandise at specially marked stations. The February route will include limited accommodations for the upcoming anniversary event.
Hiroki Yamazaki's comic Yushun no Mon shall have a collaboration with the PS3 and PS Vita ports of Winning Post 8 2015. Details and visuals for pre-order bonuses are up for viewing on the game site.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online has revealed their general development plan for this year. Kakusei no Shou treasures players can earn through building relations with certain historical figures has updated.
Daikoukai Jidai Online's Khronos realm, the fusion world of previous expansions, is reviving the Mehmed the Conqueror event from 2013. Additional information and bonuses included with the 10th Anniversary Boxed Set are up for viewing.
This year marks the fifteen year anniversary for the Haruka series. The standard live stage event to commemorate is planned to take place February 14~15, 2015. Attendees can be the first to learn new information for the upcoming sixth title.
my GAMECITY is hosting several campaigns for registered users (my GC, Gust, Facebook). Users can play social games on my GAMECITY servers to earn GC Coins, get GC Coin discounts for Gamecity Shopping, or earn campaign points for a chance to receive multiple prizes. Each campaign has specific deadlines for participation and redeeming.
February[]
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou with Power Up Kit is going to be ported to the PS Vita May 28, 2015. Interested players can vote for five figures they want to receive revised portraits in this edition. The deadline for voting is March 30, Nobunaga's Ambition day.
My GAMECITY users can take part in a ten day tie-in challenge. Players who play and succeed the challenges before March 4 can win valuable in-game prizes for the seven participating games.
Kiniro no Corda Project ff is scheduled to have four CD sets out this spring. Each set will include dramas and character duets for three featured characters; purchase all four to bridge together a single narrative. The specific character combinations for the CDs are: Tsukimori, Ousaki, Yousuke (1); Tsuchiura, Kaji, Kira (2); Shimizu, Etou, Shouma (3); Hihara, Yunoki, Kanazawa (4).
Pre-registration for Nobunaga no Yabou 201X has begun. The website has updated with additional details for its setting, collaborations, and teaser images for the social game. Interested readers can also follow the new Twitter account for it.
The last new revelation from this month's Haruka event is the upcoming Neoromance 20th Anniversary Concert, a celebration of Neoromance melodies performed by a live orchestra. It is scheduled to be held May 23, 2015 at Yokohama Kenmill Hall.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z will have a Taishi Ci update that goes live February 19. Players can additionally earn Nobunaga no Yabou Online character parts as a part of the ongoing MMORPG collaboration campaign.
The comic adaptation of Angelique Retour has a set of web only side stories available for reading called Secret Side. Its first story is about a 17 year old Oscar meeting his first love. The second half will be made public March 5 and readers can enjoy it for free until April 4.
Koei's three MMORPGS are hosting a series of spring collaboration campaigns amongst themselves. Details for the campaigns are listed on the page.
The mobile and PC browser editions of 100man-nin no Winning Post is hosting a Katsumi Ando themed event until February 5. Players can compete in his in-game challenges to win two versions of his jockey ticket and rare stallions as prizes.
The social game is having another collaboration with the Daily Sports newspaper. The in-game campaigns and user/reader gift giveaway will last until February 17.
Yokohama City Transportation Bureau is collaborating with Koei for the Romantic ♥ Game Festival, an Otome game themed stamp rally scheduled to take place February and March. Participants can ride Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆, Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6, and/or Kiniro no Corda 3 decorated trains to receive original Haruka 6 character merchandise at specially marked stations. The February route will include limited accommodations for the upcoming anniversary event.
March will be the start of the Atlantis episode, a ten year anniversary event dedicated to fantasy and legends.
March[]
Koei Tecmo Japan has issued a public warning against a phishing email discovered in late March for their GAMECITY services. The company has included a sample of the email's contents and a warning to not click on the email's link. People who have fallen for it can change their ID and personal info through the company support link provided within their news posting.
March 30 is Nobunaga's Ambition Day, a day to celebrate the anniversary of the company's flagship series. Koei-Tecmo has created a special portal site to notify visitors of the many campaigns they have planned to celebrate its thirty-second year.
Guruguru Dungeon Nobunyaga and Nobunaga no Yabou 201X are scheduled to be featured on the show Appli no Seminaaar!March 23, 20:00 (JST). Producers Hiroshige and Takeda and Oda Nobunyaga shall be guests.
Gamespark conducted an interview with Akihiro Suzuki and Takashi Morinaka (Toukiden Kiwami) regarding their impressions for China and its PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita launch. They are both optimistic in their attempts to appeal to a global market, Suzuki being hopeful that the Dynasty Warriors title will be accepted by the Chinese and Morinaka being excited. Efforts to localize a Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Genghis Khan, or Bandit Kings of Ancient China title were mentioned for possible future projects in China.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Kakusei no Shou will begin its spring campaigns March 18. Players can try to earn their preferred set of gifts and weapons for their avatars.
Logging-in on Nobunaga's Ambition Day (March 30) rewards dozens of goodies that were previously limited to the premium edition of the game.
Hidehisa Yamaguchi, the producer of Winning Post 8 2015, appeared on PlayStation Japan's show Play CafeMarch 11, 20:00 (JST). Interested readers can watch the live broadcast on the program's Nico Nico Live or Ustream channels.
The 8th FOST Awards Ceremony took place on March 5. Youichi Erikawa was present again to hand awards to the winners: Kazue Tamada, Genki Ichinose, Akira Onishi, and Seki Hiroharu. Each award recipient contributed to the academic research for using simulations or video games as significant educational or social tools.
Pre-registration for Guruguru Dungeon Nobunyaga has begun. The website has updated with additional details for its setting, characters, and screenshots. Short animated videos to promote the game are also available for viewing on the official website.
Pre-registration for Nobunaga no Yabou 201X has begun. The website has updated with additional details for its setting, collaborations, and teaser images for the social game. Interested readers can also follow the new Twitter account for it.
My GAMECITY users can take part in a ten day tie-in challenge. Players who play and succeed the challenges before March 4 can win valuable in-game prizes for the seven participating games.
Daikoukai Jidai Online's Atlantis episode, a ten year anniversary event dedicated to fantasy and legends, is scheduled for this month. The 10th Anniversary Boxed Edition can be purchased this month.
Purchase the G-Tune model created for the MMORPG to receive new sail emblems and other goods with the purchase.
A special portal dedicated to the MMORPG's tenth anniversary is up. The live event for the tenth anniversary is on Japan's servers March 16.
Khronos world players can participate in a limited time pirate event. Players cooperate or compete with one another to bombard the sea with cannon fire.
April[]
Koei-Tecmo Japan is currently hosting a donation relief fund to help victims of the 2015 Nepal Earthquake. Their goal is to send an equivalent to one million yen to the Japanese Red Cross, one of the organizations involved with relief efforts. Company employees and executives have reportedly pitched in for the cause. People who are interested in sending their donations can use the company's specified contacts until May 19.
Two back-to-back Neoromance stage events are scheduled for July. They are called Neoromance ♥ Festa Kiniro no Corda Jinnan Koukou Op.2 —a reprisal of the Jinnan High School only event from 2012— and Neoromance ♥ Festa Angelique Memoire 2015 —the latest Angelique only event with the newest information for Angelique Retour promised as a presentation. They are scheduled to take place July 25 (Corda) and July 26 (Ange).
The license agreement for Shin Sangoku Musou SLASH has been signed for China. It shall be localized and distributed by Shanghai Tianxi Network Technology Co., Ltd. (TCI) at a later date.
Koei Tecmo has publicly announced their renewed financial report. Sales have dropped from their projected numbers, but operating profits have increased 34% over the previous period. Net income is expected to continue increasing after a change in management and reduced operating costs are made.
Pre-registration for Nobunaga no Yabou 201X shall end soon. The website has updated with additional details for its setting, collaborations, and teaser images for the social game. Interested readers can also follow the new Twitter account for it.
Sengoku Royale players can participate in a Nobunaga no Yabou 201X collaboration event starting April 30. Players can fight UMA to earn Nobunaga, Mitsuhide, and other characters in the Koei game.
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou with Power Up Kit is going to be ported to the PS Vita May 28, 2015. The latest promotional video showcasing the new features has been uploaded onto Youtube.
A special portal dedicated to Daikoukai Jidai Online's tenth anniversary is up.
Players can receive special goods if they take part in the Test of World History Knowledge (Sekaken) collaboration event starting April 21. The in game event quizzes participants with one question a day; the ones whom earn the most correct answers receive greater rewards. Alternatively, players can take part in the related sea battle.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z is scheduled to have a Xiahou Dun themed update on its Japanese servers April 16. Images and other campaign details can be read within the press release.
The comic adaptation of Angelique Retour has a set of web only side stories available for reading called Secret Side. Its second story stars Julious and his nearly life-long friendship with Clavis, starting from their childhood years. The second half will be free for reading May 7.
The latest entry of the series will be out in Japan this month. The social game is celebrating the fifteen year anniversary of the series with limited edition avatar sets of Eight Guardians from other titles. Gamecity Shoppers can partake in the shopping campaign dedicated to merchandise sold at the previous anniversary event.
myGAMECITY is hosting a new users campaign. Register sometime during the second half of May and play the pictured social games for a chance to win GC Coins and rare items.
Developers from Gust and Tecmo are banding together to create a new action role-playing game called Yoru no Nai Kuni. It is scheduled to be on sale for the PS Vita, PS3, and PS4 in Japan August 27, 2015. The story is about two girls –one a saint, and the other a half-supernatural familiar tamer– and their quest to seal the "Night Master". Tadanobu Inoue is the general producer, and Keisuke Kikuchi is the development producer. Character designs are done by Yoshiku.
Newgin has announced another pachinko machine adaptation of the series titled CR Sangokushi ~Eiyuu Shuuketsu~. It is currently scheduled to be available in pachinko parlors June 8.
Sangokushi Sousou Den Online is now a smartphone social game that shall be distributed to Japan and Korea. The first promotional video can be seen on Youtube.
Sangokushi 13 shall be out in Japan for Windows, PS3, and PS4 on December 10. Kou Shibusawa is the general producer while Akihiro Suzuki is producer. Its general concept is to represent a setting filled with "hundreds of heroes", allowing players to control individuals rather than a singular ruling warlord.
The thirtieth anniversary press conference for the series announced that a new Dynasty Warriors title is in the works. A recording of said conference can be viewed on Koei-Tecmo's Youtube channel.
Kodansha and Koei shall host an autumn Sangokushi Fair. Many guests for the festival have had previous work history or collaborations with Koei's IPs.
May 18 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Uncharted Waters series. Daikoukai Jidai Online and Daikoukai Jidai V players are being offered various campaigns to commemorate the occasion.
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou with Power Up Kit is going to be ported to the PS Vita May 28, 2015. The latest promotional video showcasing the new features has been uploaded onto Youtube.
New officer portraits and CG director commentary are being featured for this title's countdown celebration.
Director Hiroyuki Oyama shall showcase this port on PlayCommu Cafe May 27, 20:00 (JST).
Koei's three MMORPGS are hosting a series of spring collaboration campaigns amongst themselves. Details for the multiple campaigns are listed on the page.
Two back-to-back Neoromance stage events are scheduled for July. They are called Neoromance ♥ Festa Kiniro no Corda Jinnan Koukou Op.2 —a reprisal of the Jinnan High School only event from 2012— and Neoromance ♥ Festa Angelique Memoire 2015 —the latest Angelique only event with the newest information for Angelique Retour promised as a presentation. They are scheduled to take place July 25 (Corda) and July 26 (Ange).
The comic adaptation of Angelique Retour has a set of web only side stories available for reading called Secret Side. Its third story stars Olivie and his dilemma to be a designer or fulfill his duty as Sacred Guardian. The first half will be free for reading June 5.
Koei stated that its employees work under a "brother system" over Twitter. The system is summarized to have senior employees mentor their juniors in training. These exchanges extend into their private lives for the hopes of promoting lifelong friendships. Women employees refer to each other as "brothers" too with Takarazuka Revue-like flair. Japanese netizens have mixed reactions to the revelation.
A promotional video for both 3DS games is up for viewing on Youtube.
100man-nin no Winning Post is holding a racing idol campaign on their mixi servers. This one stars Minami Matsunaka. Players are encouraged to talk with Matsunaka in the idol communication program Kimidake LIVE on June 25 to supplement their experience for the collaboration.
A competition between mobile and PC servers is taking place with players. The winning side receives several rare bonuses.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Kakusei no Shou has announced a series of rewards for its PlayStation users. Additional presents are given if the players signs up for PlayStation Plus.
Koei-Tecmo Japan is posting their programs' compatibility ratings with the Windows 10 update. The list only includes recent games and PC browser games. Additional updates are expected to take place.
Tomohiro Watanabe (director) and Yutaka Kawamata (producer) of Nobunaga no Yabou Online are scheduled to appear in a Nico Nico Live stream showcasing the MMORPG's latest retainers update on July 22, 20:00 (JST).
myGAMECITY users can write their Tanabata wishes to developers within the official community post until July 21. Players who participate may win rare items when they log-in.
The second season update shall introduce the revised Date clan into the MMORPG. Masamune Date and Megohime have new models and new dungeons are going to be added. Players can experience teasers for the update during the annual Azuchi summer festival.
A summer myGAMECITY campaign is offering rewards for active users July 22 ~ August 16. Users who participate have a chance of receiving rare items or GC Coins.
Gamecity Shopping is hosting a Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors shopping lottery. Purchase an item from its campaign page for a chance to win a ticket to the Dynasty Warriors voice actor event or an original tapestry. Ordering a single item gifts 100 digital currency (koku or orbs) for Shoot and BLAST players. The lottery ends July 26.
This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Uncharted Waters series. Daikoukai Jidai Online and Daikoukai Jidai V players are being offered various campaigns to commemorate the occasion.
Players can purchase the PlayStation 4 virtual pack and log-in to its servers on September 15. Game bonuses and other miscellaneous features can be read in the PlayStation server hub.
Japanese Uncharted Waters fans can be eligible for a trip with STWorld, a worldwide travel program that aims to cover each region's culture and historical landmarks. Available courses are scheduled to appear on the campaign page at a later date.
The Neoromance Twitter is celebrating its 30,000 followers with a gift giveaway. Retweet the giveaway Tweets that appear each week for a chance to win special merchandise.
Two back-to-back Neoromance stage events are scheduled for July. They are called Neoromance ♥ Festa Kiniro no Corda Jinnan Koukou Op.2 —a reprisal of the Jinnan High School only event from 2012— and Neoromance ♥ Festa Angelique Memoire 2015 —the latest Angelique only event with the newest information for Angelique Retour promised as a presentation. They are scheduled to take place July 25 (Corda) and July 26 (Ange).
Images for the merchandise that can be purchased with ticket reservations are up for viewing on Gamecity Shopping.
La Corda d'oro Blue♪Sky, the animated adaptation of Kiniro no Corda 3 and its subseries, shall be adapted into a live theatrical production September 4~13. The director and screenplay writer is Koutaro Yoshitani. A live voice actor event for the same IP including all schools is scheduled October 25.
B's-Log is holding a character outfit design contest for the Corda 3 cast. The winning designs will be used in the continuity's upcoming sequel Kiniro no Corda 4. Interested fans have until August 27 to submit their ideas.
This year marks the fifteen year anniversary for the Haruka series. Fans can see voice actors perform Haruka character image songs live at Neoromance ♥ Live Haruka Matsuri 2015. It scheduled to take place September 12~13. Fans can request which character songs will be sung on stage until early August.
Purchase the limited edition fifteenth anniversary wine for new illustrations, a metal charm and an original story.
Pianist Ryu Hirabayashi, who has a prolific work history with Corda character image songs, is the guest of the 27th episode of Tsukai☆Otome Game Tsushin. Fans can send him questions and other messages until August 16. Contact information is included on the web radio's official blog post.
This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the Dynasty Warriors series, specifically the Shin Sangoku Musou series in Japan which does not include the first game. A commemorative website has been posted online to thank its fans and tease its upcoming project.
Fans can send their regards towards the series on the website. It may be presented live during the Tokyo Game Show series's anniversary stage event. Deadline for comments is August 31. The stage event will take place September 20 (JST).
A summer myGAMECITY campaign is offering rewards for active users July 22 ~ August 16. Users who participate have a chance of receiving rare items or GC Coins.
The Neoromance Twitter is celebrating its 30,000 followers with a gift giveaway. Retweet the giveaway Tweets that appear each week for a chance to win special merchandise.
B's-Log is holding a character outfit design contest for the Corda 3 cast. The winning designs will be used in the continuity's upcoming sequel Kiniro no Corda 4. Interested fans have until August 27 to submit their ideas. The official Twitter for Corda 4 is up.
This year marks the fifteen year anniversary for the Haruka series. Fans can see voice actors perform Haruka character image songs live at Neoromance ♥ Live Haruka Matsuri 2015. It is scheduled to take place September 12~13. Fans can request which character songs will be sung on stage until early August.
September[]
This year's Niconico Live hub is up for people who wish to see the online live feed for Koei Tecmo's Tokyo Game Show stage events. Streams will be updated each day with Tsuyoshi Katsura in-between narration and follow up interviews with developers.
my GAMECITY campaigns for the event are up for people who visit the booth in person or watch the Niconico Live streams.
Akihiro Suzuki said during the Shin Sangoku Musou 15th Anniversary Talk Show that he wants to take their time with Shin Sangoku Musou 8 (Dynasty Warriors 9) so there will likely not be any news about it any time soon. He said there are two other projects being worked on during the wait.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online's second season update shall introduce the revised Date clan into the MMORPG September 9. Masamune Date and Megohime have new models and new dungeons are going to be added.
Players can purchase the PlayStation 4 virtual pack and log-in to its servers on September 15. Game bonuses and other miscellaneous features can be read in the PlayStation server hub. Images for the bonuses found in the Japanese Treasure Box edition are online.
Details and images for this year's Harvest Moon live event are up. The event will start September 15.
Another Famitsu open questionnaire asks readers to state what type of Warriors (Musou) third-party collaboration they would prefer to see next. Ten people can receive 1,000 metallic gavas (point system in Famitsu's services) for their opinion, and certain answers may be published into a weekly issue. The offer ends October 20, 23:59 (JST).
Famitsu has posted their interview with Hidehisa Yamaguchi, the producer for the upcoming Winning Post 8 2016. A few details Yamaguchi promised were new and improved Super Bosses, improved graphics for the PS4 port and broader range of breeding options. Wishes and critiques can be sent to the developers through the open questionnaire attached to the end of the interview. Feedback can be sent until October 26, 23:59 (JST).
Humble Store is offering a Koei Tecmo weekend sale for Steam users. The offer ends October 12.
Revisions to Koei-Tecmo's second quarter financial forecast were made. Operating income remains high despite an expected 4.5% decrease in sales due to downloadable sales and royalty revenues. As a result, the projections for operating income have been raised from 1.7 billion yen to 2.1 billion yen.
A 40-year-old part-time worker was arrested in Kurashiki on October 8. He is charged of sending intimidating death threats directed towards the president of Koei-Tecmo on the company's official forum. According to early investigation reports, the apprehended suspect is the culprit who allegedly made the outburst after experiencing a bug in one of their online games.
This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Uncharted Waters series. Daikoukai Jidai Online and Daikoukai Jidai V players are being offered various campaigns to commemorate the occasion.
Another sneak peek for the MMORPG's Atlantic Ocean update is up for viewing on the developer road map.
The annual Halloween live event is scheduled to take place October 20 on Japanese servers.
Sangokushi 13 is scheduled to appear in Kobe's annual Sangoukushi Matsuri October 12.
Famitsu shall assist public awareness for the series's quirks with Sangokushi School, a reworked Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2 that allows for player customizable battle maps and characters. Players are encouraged to upload and share their works online. Famitsu interviewed Suzuki for his additional thoughts on the title.
Ruby Party is reviving the Halloween Neoromance stage event this year on October 18.
Ten people living in Japan could win a chance to attend the event for free if they enter the Gamer Present giveaway.
Hiroki Takahashi (Rayne) teased the audience about a major project for Neo Angelique at Neoromance ♥ Halloween Party 2015. More information is expected to be revealed at the year end Finale event.
The La Corda d'oro Blue♪Sky live voice actor event is scheduled October 25. A selection of actors from the live theatrical production shall appear as guests.
Another free ticket Gamer Present giveaway for this event is being held until October 18.
This year marks the fifteen year anniversary for the Haruka series. Fans can celebrate with a series of Haruka 3 drama and vocal CD sets. The second one shall be on sale October 28.
November[]
The December 17 issue of Weekly Famitsu reveals additional details for the upcoming Winning Post 8 2016, currently scheduled to be up for sale on PC, PS3, PS Vita, and PS4 March 24, 2016. Players can set up clubs again and new parameters have been given to horses. Siblings of rival characters and additional super boss horses have been introduced.
Results from Famitsu's most wanted Warriors collaboration questionnaire were published in its December 3, 2015 issue; the top results are from over 7,000 replies. Touken Ranbu topped the video game category while Pretty Cure was the forerunner for the anime category. Hisashi Koinuma expressed his interest for a fantasy Warriors game that can be played from PC browsers or smartphones. He thinks there are already Warriors IPs that cater to the female market and that the cover art would be difficult to create.
To commemorate eight years of service, a Dead or Alive 5 Last Round collaboration will start November 26. Players can purchase Marie Rose and Zack avatar sets. Other campaigns and events can be viewed on the eighth anniversary campaign page.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Kakusei no Shou has progressed into the second phase of its Oshu update. Players can help the god Idaten and a maiden from the moon slay demons in order to break the supernatural seal placed around the region.
This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Uncharted Waters series. Daikoukai Jidai Online and Daikoukai Jidai V players are being offered various campaigns to commemorate the occasion.
Japanese Uncharted Waters fans can be eligible for a trip with STWorld, a worldwide travel program that aims to cover each region's culture and historical landmarks, by becoming a PR ambassador for the series. Winners shall be selected by the fans and are expected to harp about their love for the series with an overseas vacation. Entries are done by completing a form or emailing Koei-Tecmo directly with an appeal for their qualifications. The deadline for entries is November 27.
Japanese servers are hosting a series of collaboration events themed to Yokohama Zoological Gardens's Zoorasian Brass band. The first event is a music quiz split into three levels of difficulty; complete every set of questions to receive avatar parts themed to the band and sails with the band's logo. It begins November 17.
Atlantis is going to be added to Japanese servers on December 1.
Character visuals from this game are being used in posters to promote respectful public etiquette in certain streets in Yokohama. The character messages were user submitted and approved by city officials. A mobile stamp rally for each poster can reward participants with character posters. Keiko Erikawa commented that the company wanted to give back to the community and expressed hopes that their efforts are helpful.
A thirty year anniversary orchestra concert shall be held April 16, 2016 at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall. 1,000 attendees who have purchased Sangokushi 13 or have completed predetermined conditions in either version of 100man-nin no Sangokushi will be eligible for a special lottery.
Famitsu shall assist public awareness for the series's quirks with Sangokushi School, a reworked Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2 that allows for player customizable battle maps and characters. Players are encouraged to upload and share their works online. Famitsu interviewed Suzuki for his additional thoughts on the title.
Sangokushi Sousou Den Online is a smartphone social game that shall be distributed to Japan and Korea. The first promotional video can be seen on YouTube. A playable demo was presented at G-Star 2015 and a live demonstration by QooApp can be viewed on YouTube. Famitsu posted their interview with the game's director.
Kodansha and Koei shall host an autumn Sangokushi Fair. Many guests for the festival have had previous work history or collaborations with Koei's IPs.
The twentieth anniversary for the Neoromance series concludes this year with another stage event called Neoromance 20th Anniversary ♥ Finale. It will take place December 5~6 at Pacifico Yokohama. Ruby Party has teased that a big announcement will be made at the event.
At the start of the event, a montage movie will play of various people congratulating the twentieth anniversary. Fans can apply to appear within it by sending in their head shot and alias to the contact e-mail. The application deadline is November 29.
Gamecity members who shop from Gamecity have a chance to win random merchandise from two previous events: Neoromance ♥ Festa Kiniro no Corda Jinnan Koukou Op.2 and Neoromance ♥ Live Haruka Matsuri 2015. Purchase any item within the campaign pages to be eligible for the lottery campaigns. The Corda campaign ends November 23 while the Haruka one ends December 7.
Koei's social games are hosting a special set of Christmas campaigns for users who complete objectives or come back after a period of absence. 100 Yahoo!Japan Mobage users can potentially win 5,000 Mobage Coins by consecutively logging in three days to participating Koei social games.
Sangokushi 13 will be the first title in the series to have a third party tie-in song. A teaser of the song can be heard online.
A thirty year anniversary orchestra concert shall be held April 16, 2016 at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall. 1,000 attendees who have purchased Sangokushi 13 or have completed predetermined conditions in either version of 100man-nin no Sangokushi will be eligible for a special lottery.
Sangokushi Tkool (Romance of the Three Kingdoms Maker), a reworked Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2 that allows for player customizable battle maps and characters, shall be available for Steam users on December 10 (Romance of the Three Kingdoms Day). There will be paid and free versions up for download.
Purchase select merchandise from Neoromance 20th Anniversary ♥ Finale to receive a random postcard sold from the event. The offer ends December 24.
Select Haruka character image song CDs are up for sale in Amazon Japan's digital PlayStation Game Music sale.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Kakusei no Shou is hosting a Masayuki Sanada event on January 13. Players can witness his and his son's first meeting with the Sanada Ten Braves and earn Sanada themed treasures.
The 2016 Annual Lucky Bag New Year campaigns have commenced for Koei's social games and MMORPGs. Log-in to participating Koei games for a chance to receive rare items for the new year.
Sangokushi 13 will be up for sale in Japan on January 28. Kou Shibusawa is the general producer while Akihiro Suzuki is producer. Its general concept is to represent a setting filled with "hundreds of heroes", allowing players to control individuals rather than a singular ruling warlord.
Interested players can watch the completion press conference live stream on NicoNico Live January 21, 13:00 (JST). Kou Shibusawa, Hisashi Koinuma and Akihiro Suzuki will be present; image song performer Koji Kikkawa and Sony Entertainment Japan-Asia President Atsuyou Morita will be their guests.
Dengeki Online will do a series of live playthroughs of the game on their YouTube channel starting January 23 (JST). Their goal is to keep playing until they have achieved unification.
4Gamer posted Danshoku Dino's interview with producer Akihiro Suzuki and director Tessho Toshikawa. They discuss the game's mechanics and their creative focuses for the title.
Details for the annual Valentine's Day event in Daikoukai Jidai Online Gran Atlas are up for viewing.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Kakusei no Shou is hyping Hayate Dokuganryu, its third major update for this season. An altered reenactment of Momotaro's adventure shall take place this month.
Arte Piazza announced Opoona LINE stamps over Twitter. They will be available sometime in 2016.
Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou Sengoku Risshiden shall be available for the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita on March 24. It includes over 2,000 characters and a scenario dedicated to this year's Taiga drama Sanadamaru. Two key concepts for the title are to play as any general and the Osaka Campaign. The second promotional video is up on YouTube and the guidebook can be reserved at Gamecity Shopping.
Winning Post 8 2016 is currently scheduled to be up for sale on PC, PS3, PS Vita, and PS4 in March 31. Players can set up clubs again and new parameters have been given to horses. Siblings of rival characters and additional super boss horses have been introduced.
nekeiba has decided on the fans' dream team of horses set to appear in Winning Post 8 2016 as special super bosses. Details of the winning choices are listed on their collaboration page.
A Romance of the Three Kingdoms thirty year anniversary orchestra concert shall be held April 16, 2016 at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall. 1,000 attendees who have purchased Sangokushi 13 or have completed predetermined conditions in either version of 100man-nin no Sangokushi will be eligible for a special lottery.
Kou Shibusawa hosted this year's FOST awards. The social contribution awards were given to Hiroaki Shirai and Masami Ido. Shirai founded the Yokohama Business Game project, which challenges enrolled students to invent business games that could realistically simulate the end of global poverty; Ido founded a gaming and simulation lab that has been recently recognized to have helped university students learn Ancient Japanese history.
Gamecity Shopping is offering a series of limited prints of select IPs dubbed Digital Art Collection. Interested buyers have until March 10 to purchase them.
The eleven year anniversary event for Daikoukai Jidai Online shall begin March 15 on Japanese servers.
The next expansion pack Age of Revolution will be live on Japanese servers April 19, 2016.
Nobunaga's Ambition Day is March 30. The series's social games shall host several campaigns to celebrate.
The 1.04 Update for Romance of the Three Kingdoms 13 addresses balancing issues, the choice of issuing alliances after battles and other changes.
Purchase a Neoromance game in March at participating Japanese outlets for a chance to receive two random Neoromance White Day postcards.
Three Neoromance card designs will be used in Koei's collaboration with Espos cards. Based on the artist credits within the copyrights, the skins will borrow visuals from Angelique Retour, Haruka and Corda.
Three Haruka events will commence throughout March and April to celebrate its fifteen year anniversary. These events are being made in thanks to fans and hopes to reach the twentieth.
An exhibition to celebrate fifteen years of illustrations will take place May 5~8; details will be posted at a later date with teasers posted on its Twitter account.
A continuation of Haruka 6 was announced at this year's Haruka Festival.
Mitsunari 11, a special exhibition centered on the historical character, will be releasing Samurai Warriors 4 goods for pre-sale starting on April 25. The event is being held at the Yume-Kyobashi Akarikan.
Starting on April 1, the Entertainment Division will be restructured. The five band development groups (Kou Shibusawa, Omega Force, Team NINJA, Gust and Ruby Party) will be assigned executive heads, and the online game and mobile game developing sectors will be revitalized under distinct brand names. The statement claims these changes are being done to better allocate company resources.
Koei is using this game, Youkai Sangokushi, Dynasty Warriors, and Hiromu Arakawa's Sangokushi Spirits for a printed Three Kingdoms collaboration with Shukan Georgia and comedian Ichiro Yatsui; Yatsui revived his Zhuge Liang Yatsui persona for the articles. An interview with Akihiro Suzuki will be included. Readers can track their features this month here and here.
Winning Post 8 2016 developers posted a digital simulation movie to predict the results of the Kashiwa Kinen race on May 5. The movie and campaign page can be seen at Rakuten.
100man-nin no Winning Post is conducting three collaboration campaigns with the comic Speedy Wonder. Players can compete in a event race for a chance to obtain an in-game version of the comic's protagonist and his horse. They have until May 25 to win a free copy of a comic volume.
My GAMECITY is hosting multiple Golden Week campaigns. Log-in to games on their servers and complete missions for a random chance to win 1,000,000 GC Coins.
Thirteen year anniversary campaigns continue until June 1. Players who log-in after an extended period of absence this month will be rewarded several goods.
On the same date, a Zhenji weapon event is being held. Players will be able to obtain her and Cao Pi's outfits.
Campaigns to celebrate the first year anniversary for Z include various presents, costumes, and strengthening opportunities for players.
Koei-Tecmo's financial projections for March 2017 are higher than they are for this year. The power point regarding the development of future projects indicates interest for a Nintendo DX title, new smartphone games, and broader multimedia presence of Koei-Tecmo's IPs.
Koei-Tecmo's cheering squad Infini is set to commemorate their first album with a live performance on May 5. Fans can watch their countdown videos and rehearsals on YouTube or Twitter.
Tohko Mizuno's artwork shall be on display for the Haruka Exhibition May 5~8. Voice actor talk shows and original merchandise shall be present for attendees.
A Tanabata campaign is being held from June 30 to July 13. Players can obtain yukata outfits to celebrate the occasion.
A new MMORPG based on Daikoukai Jidai IV will be developed by TCI for release in China.
Dynasty Warriors Mobile, a new spin-off title developed by Perfect World, is being developed for iOS and Android devices. A hands-on preview of the game will be available at E3 2016.
A Tsuyoshi Nagano art exhibition will take place June 17~19 at Ginza. Nagano will appear for the last two days of the exhibition for a live painting of Nobunaga.
July[]
A new mobile game for the Toukiden series has been announced and will be released some time in 2016.
Daikoukai Jidai Online will be starting the second chapter of its Age of Revolution expansion on July 29. The event will be broadcast in Niconico Live the day before its release.
Koei has recently released the latest patch for the Sengoku Risshiden expansion of Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence. It includes multiple bug fixes, a new revolt command, and a scenario editor.
Niconico Live will be broadcasting the latest version of Nobunaga no Yabou Online on July 12 with voice actor Megumi Toda as a guest MC for the event.
Nexon Korea will be working with Koei and XPEC Entertainment to develop Project Dynasty Warriors, a mobile game based on Dynasty Warriors 8. It will be released for the iOS and Android some time in late 2016.
Neoromance BRAND NEW SUMMER is a voice actor event that is scheduled for July 31. The official website shall be posted this month.
August[]
Daikoukai Jidai V is releasing a new update called "Magnificent Buccaneers". Players will be able to face pirates at the Caribbean and acquire previous Halloween-themed character cards.
The third Geten no Hana only stage event, Hoshimi no Utage, will take place August 21. This will occur the day after the Haruka 2 voice actor event.
September[]
Koei has released a teaser site for its newest crossover title Musou ☆ Stars. The game is said to feature several key characters from the company's various IPs including those from Team NINJA and Gust.
Daikoukai Jidai Online is holding a time-limited event where players must repel ghost ships found throughout the Northern Sea. Rewards include special equipment and treasures.
Ruby Party is setting up an exhibition at this year's Animate Girls Festival starting on November 5. Neoromance goods and other Koei-related merchandise will be available for purchase.
100man-nin no Winning Post is celebrating its 5th anniversary by holding a lottery promo featuring various horse racing goods including autographed goggles signed by Japan's famous jockeys.
AKB48 no Yabou is holding a special event where players can support their favorite faction through video views counts. The faction with the highest amount will be highlighted in the game's upcoming gacha lottery.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Kakusei no Shou has begun its own Halloween-themed event for the month.
Details for the annual Halloween event in Daikoukai Jidai Online Age of Revolution are available for viewing.
A site commemorating Koei's 35th anniversary has been opened. It states that a new Nobunaga's Ambition title is being developed. A live presentation was held on October 27.
The developers of Sangokushi 13 with Power-Up Kit have announced the winners of their scenario writing contest: one from Japan and another from Asia. Their entries will become available as free DLC once the game is released.
Shin Sangoku Musou SLASH PLUS will be starting a joint service with the Yamanote Line on December. Registered players who check in with any of the line's 29 stations will receive original items for their game.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Kakusei no Shou has begun the second chapter of its current story arc.
This year's Christmas event allows players to receive special gifts from Santa Daikokuten.
The game is holding a collaboration event with the comic series Sanada Taiheiki. By correctly answering various quizzes, players can obtain special items related to the comic.
My GAMECITY is holding a membership survey for account users. Twenty random participants will be given a chance of winning 500 GC Coins.
Koei will be broadcasting its current line-up live on December 17.
Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z is beginning its Christmas campaign for the year. Bonuses include costumes based on the King and Queen of Hearts as well as Christmas-related furniture.
This month's update provides players with new Christmas costumes for their avatars.
Gamecity will be hosting a Christmas party event for the mobile title Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100-nin no Oujisama. The party is scheduled to begin on December 24.
The 2017 edition of Winning Post 8 has been revealed.
According to a press conference by Nintendo, Koei will be releasing several titles for the Switch console. One of them is a new Warriors game based on the Fire Emblem series.
The beta for Dynasty Warriors: Unleashed was released on January 12, 2017. Participants could pre-register before January 11 to test the game on Android phones.
Koei is holding a survey to determine which three characters from Dynasty Warriors 8 will be made the focus of future merchandise. The poll lasts until January 6, 2017 and only Gamecity members can vote.
To commemorate the release of Sangokushi 13 with Power Up Kit, players will be able to spend half the price for online points used in Sangokushi 12 Taisenban until March 1.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is holding its annual Valentine's Day event from February 1 to 15. Players can give chocolate sugar to their favorite officer for the chance to receive rare items.
Starting on February 15, the game will be celebrating Japan's Cat Day (February 22) with a special event.
A special campaign for Valentine's Day will be held from February 7 to 21.
The collaboration with the comic Kaioh no Dante continues into its second phase this month. This event is a request from the English navy to capture Dante.
As part of their plan to promote the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, Koei is seeking two individuals to serve as PR ambassadors for the IP. Those chosen will be given the privilege of traveling to historic sites like Chibi from March 11 to 15 under the supervision of Professor Yoshihiro Watanabe, the executive director of Waseda University's Sangokushi Association. Entries are limited to Japanese residents and have already ended on February 6.
A party featuring the cast of the third Kiniro no Corda Blue♪Sky play will be taking place on February 5, 2017. Guests may choose to come for the matinee (lunch) or soiree (dinner).
A stage production of the Dynasty Warriors series is showing February 11~19, 2017. The venue will take place at the Zenrosai Hall in Shibuya.
Koei has trademarked the following titles: Nyangokushi and Wangokushi.
Marui One is hosting a Neoromance merchandise fair February 15~28.
March[]
March 30 is Nobunaga's Ambition Day. Players can receive various gifts if they log-in to one of the celebrating Nobunaga's Ambition titles.
100man-nin no Winning Post will be undergoing its third revival. To celebrate this and make predictions for the GI Osaka Hai race, Koei is hosting a livestream on March 31. Horse racing critic Takao Suda and horse-racing talent Maaya Morinaga will appear as special guests.
Winning Post 8 2017 is available to purchase March 2. Members of the horse racing site netkaiba can register their account to obtain Takao Suda in their game; premium members of the same site can gain additional collaboration bonuses. Players of this game or the series's social game can participate in a Kou Shibusawa 35th anniversary Twitter giveaway.
Producer Ryota Aomi and director Tomohiko Sho will demonstrate Dragon Quest Heroes I - II for a live stream on March 1. They will highlight the new additions being put into the Nintendo Switch port.
To commemorate the release of Sangokushi 13 with Power Up Kit, players will be able to spend half the price for online points used in Sangokushi 12 Taisenban until March 1.
To celebrate thirty-five years of the Kou Shibusawa brand, DDT Pro-Wrestling will include a Nobunaga no Yabou Oretachi no Sengoku themed match during their twenty year anniversary tournament. The match will take place on March 20.
A collaboration event with Musou ☆ Stars is being held until April 20. Players will be able to obtain furniture based on the original characters from the game.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is hosting a Hideyoshi themed player challenge for the routine Mononofu Toubatsu-roku event on March 1.
A new Neo Angelique game that doubles as an Otomate collaboration is the last upcoming Neoromance project announced on stage last year and this year receive new coverage this year. More information is scheduled to be announced to the public at the Neo Angelique Party March 26, 2017.
April[]
Winning Post 8 2017's simulation of this year's Oka Sho has been posted on Twitter shortly after the race.
Shintaro Kobayashi, senior director of Koei-Tecmo, has announced his retirement for June this year. Other senior managers have announced their retirement at the same time. Changes for the subsidiaries will occur on April 1.
Another announcement made on March 13 was the establishment of midas.
Projections for company performance has declined 7.3% due to non-profit operations and loss exceeding earlier expectations. The reasons were cited due to project delays and a decrease in sales for products in early March 2017.
The PS Vita port of Sangokushi 13 with Power Up Kit will hit Japan and Taiwan's stores on May 25. This port will include touchscreen features for gameplay, a camera function for original characters, and cross-saving with the PS3 and PS4 ports.
April 11 is "Mononofu Day". Players can log-in to receive special bonuses for this day. The day after will be launch day for the second season update.
Daikoku Jidai Online Age of Revolution's April event schedule has been posted online. The first live event will be the annual Easter egg hunt which will start on April 4.
Another update called Spring Impact 2017 was announced this month. The fifteenth Jin-Wu Conflict is later this month with prizes being given to the top players.
Koei-Tecmo has filed a trademark for Seiken Musou. Currently, it's unknown if this is a new original Warriors IP or a potential collaboration title with Square Enix's Seiken Densetsu series or Warner Brother's King Arthur.
Pachinko maker EXCITE has announced their pachislot Nobunaga no Yabou Souzou -Z- for their 2017 lineup. It will be in pachinko parlors by April 2017.
Hideki Sakamoto, Toukiden's series composer, will be performing live at Tokyo Gametakt 2017 on May 6. He'll be performing Tokiwo no Orochi's battle music from Toukiden 2.
100-man nin no Winning Post is having a series of collaboration campaigns with horse-racing magazine Shuukan Gallop. The first campaign will have the social game host a Gallop race while the magazine will begin to a series of articles related to the game, asking players to name their strongest jockey and race horse combination.
Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi, the latest and fifteenth main installment for the Nobunaga's Ambition's series, has been announced for the PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch with a tentative winter release date. The game will be localized with Chinese subtitles in Taiwan for the PC and PS4. Kou Shibusawa is general producer, Kouichi Oyama is producer, and Kouji Kimata is director. This title will have a "will" mechanic that joins generals and improves their performance in battle. Other promises include a better AI, even more historical figures, and pauses for the battle command menus.
4Gamer interviewed Oyama and Kimata regarding their experience with the Nobunaga's Ambition series and their thoughts regarding the development of this title.
Developers invite fans to celebrate the time era and their series's firsts with a Nico Nico livestream on May 1, 21:00 (JST). They did the same with Game no Shukudai's Nico Nico livestream for Nobunaga's Ambition: Rise to Power on May 2.
The PS Vita port of Sangokushi 13 with Power Up Kit will hit Japan and Taiwan's stores on May 25. This port will include touchscreen features for gameplay, a camera function for original characters, and cross-saving with the PS3 and PS4 ports.
Koei is holding its second Game Music Creators Contest. Judges include pro music creators and selections will be done by the Koei's sound producers. Excellent entries will lead to a professional contact with the applicant and possible job opportunities with the company. The deadline for entries is May 31 (JST).
The sixth PlayStation Live Nioh livestream will feature the upcoming "Dragon of Tohoku" DLC bundle and the PvP duel update which are both scheduled to be available on May 2. Streaming will start May 1, 22:00 (JST).
My GAMECITY users can participate in Nyabraham's Golden Week campaigns for limited time deals and chances to win free GC Coins. Purchase a game title from Gamecity Shopping that is listed in its Golden Week sale to receive a Nyabraham pin.
G Cluster is holding a Golden Week sale for the cloud versions of Romance of the Three Kingdoms 12 and Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence.
Daikokai Jidai Online Age of Revolution's Golden Week campaign gifts players with various presents and offers two options within the Delfin Shop.
The hotels within walking distance of Pacifico Yokohama are offering their Neoromance travel plans for my GAMECITY members. Reservations will be accepted until May 8.
June[]
In an effort to promote the upcoming movie Shinobi no Kuni, the following Koei titles will be holding collaboration events containing new content based on the titular film.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Yuushi no Shou is featuring a campaign where players are tasked with helping the Iga fend off the Oda army.
Nobunaga no Yabou 201X enables players to acquire the protagonist Mumon and his wife Okuni as party members for a limited time. Mumon's twin blades can also be obtained during the event.
Samurai Cats includes a card of Mumon in cat form (Mumon-nyan).
Nobunaga no Yabou ~Oretachi no Sengoku~ is holding a special battle event centered on Mumon. It includes rare login bonuses for participants.
Moba-nobu gives players the opportunity to draw Mumon, Okuni, and Daizen Heki as gacha rewards.
Toukiden Mononofu is including a time limited event where players can help Mumon slay demons.
Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆ users have a chance to acquire recipes and furniture inspired by the film.
Kou Shibusawa made an appearance on the TBS radio program Ijūin Hikaru to Rajioto.
As part of the Kou Shibusawa 35th anniversary, the Winning Post developers are holding a dream race to decide which horse will be made the strongest in Winning Post 8 2017. Those who bet on the winning horse will receive bonus prizes.
To commemorate Father's Day, the developers of Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi held a poll where fans could decide which officer was their most ideal father. The survey lasted from June 16 to 18.
Koei will be releasing Winning Post 2017 and Champion Jockey Special simultaneously for the Nintendo Switch on September 4. Players can transfer data between the two games and unlock bonus content.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Yuushi no Shou is having a collaboration event with Nobunaga no Yabou 201X during June 7 to 21. Players can obtain items and accessories based on the browser title.
Koei has unveiled its new VR Sense prototype for the annual Japan Amusement Expo. This virtual machine can simulate movement, wind, temperature, and aroma to give participants a unique arcade experience. Three games will be used to demonstrate its features: Horror Sense, GI Jockey Sense, and Ultra Dynasty Warriors.
Starting on late June, Dead or Alive Extreme Sense and Super Sengoku Coaster have been added to the game roster.
Koei-Tecmo has formed a collaboration with restaurant operator AndMowa to open its first permanent cafe called "Koei Tecmo Cafe & Dining". Located at Ikebukuro, the venue will feature goods from their various divisions as well as a menu inspired from various IPs.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is holding a special event where players can challenge themselves by facing strong opponents for superior rewards.
A poll is being held for fans to decide which version of Hanbei they would like to see in Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi. The choices include the subject as a commander, a strategist, or a noble warrior. Participants have time to decide until August 21.
Another survey at the game's official site has fans decide their favorite officer.
The latest update of Nobunaga no Yabou Online now features animal companions for players to deploy in battle. Each one provides unique buffs and advantages.
The latest expansion for Daikoku Jidai Online has been announced. Given the title Order of the Prince, it will replace the previous expansion on August 29.
A collaboration campaign with the Atelier series will be held from July 18 to August 8. During that period, players can win Totori and Logy's outfits by clearing the related event quest.
The newest patch for Age of Revolution has streamlined custom shipbuilding into one convenient option while tweaking minor ship parameters. Three new ship types are also included.
Koei will be holding a booth at Comiket 92 from August 11 to 13. Available products will mostly be based on Gust titles like the Atelier series, Augmented Reality Girls Trinary, and much more.
Comic Ran will be publishing the final chapter of Nobunaga no Yabou~n, a parody manga authored by Nobuyuki Hori, on late August.
A dinner party featuring the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 6 Gentou Rondo stage actors will be held at the 27th floor of the Yokohama Sky Building on September 16. Tickets to attend the daytime party or the evening banquet will be sold on August 3, though My GAMECITY users can reserve a spot via lottery which lasts from July 6 to 18.
Koei is collaborating with the live-action film Sekigahara that is directed by Masato Harada. Kou Shibusawa supervised 3D maps that appear in Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence, Sanadamaru, and Samurai Warriors: Spirit of Sanada will be used in the film. Tsuyoshi Nagano, frequent Nobunaga's Ambition illustrator, has also illustrated one of the film's promotional posters. The film is scheduled to start screening on August 26. This month saw the release of several collaboration events for players.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Yuushi no Shou features new items and collectibles inspired by the movie.
Nobunaga no Yabou 201X has the movie appear as a collaboration sponsor. Joining the special event will earn players rare items including Hatsume no Tsubone as a party member.
Samurai Cats includes Hatsume-nyan as a rare prize for players to collect.
Nobunaga no Yabou ~Oretachi no Sengoku~ is holding a special battle event where players can acquire the movie's version of Mitsunari.
Moba-nobu is holding a special campaign based on the movie's events.
My GAMECITY is promoting the original novel that inspired the movie. Buyers will be able to purchase the novel in digital format.
September[]
To commemorate the upcoming release of Harukanaru Toki no Naka de Ultimate, comic publisher Aria will be re-releasing all four volumes of the original game's comic adaptation in digital format. Viewers can read samples of each volume or purchase them online.
100man-nin no Winning Post players have a chance to receive various prizes by joining a special lottery held in Twitter. Winners will also be given a unique gift autographed by gravure idol Yuka Kuramochi.
Koei Tecmo has recently published its projection for the second quarter of 2017. Although sales slightly dropped, the company was able to exceed their predicted profits thanks to new collaboration titles and mobile games released worldwide.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is holding a Halloween campaign in collaboration with Shin Sangoku Musou Online Z. Not only will players be able to obtain Halloween-themed items that produce unique effects, they can also collect costume parts of Lu Bu and Diaochan as well as various weapons taken from the game.
A live demonstration of Attack on Titan 2 will be broadcasted on October 24. Guests include Hisashi Koinuma, Hideo Suzuki, and Shiori Mikami.
Daikoku Jidai Online ~Order of the Prince~ will be starting its annual Halloween event on October 17. Players can participate in quests to defeat ghost ships and obtain new Halloween-inspired costumes.
November[]
Nioh was one of the recipients of the Users' Choice and Gold Prize awards at this year's PlayStation Awards.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online will be starting its annual Fall event on November 15. Players will be tasked with finding food-related items for the event's time-limited mission.
Players will be able to visit foreign ships and play casino games for prizes. A new dungeon is added in the form of a ghost ship.
Koei's civil lawsuit against Beijing Sanding has ended in their favor by the court. For enabling 3DM to pirate five of the company's IPs, Beijing Sanding must pay Koei 1.62 million yuan as compensation and prevent said titles from being distributed on their service system.
Daikoku Jidai Online ~Order of the Prince~ is featuring a special campaign involving the sudden appearance of Atlantis; the event ends on November 21. A bonus quest for shipbuilders will be included as well.
The newest update allows players to acquire additional mantles to change their avatar's appearance as well as Lu Lingqi's weapon.
To celebrate Omega Force's 20th anniversary, the development team will be releasing a metallic paperweight embossed with the logo of the Dynasty Warriors series. The offer lasts until November 13.
Symphonic Gamers 2, an orchestral performance by the Japan Game Music Orchestra, will be playing select tracks from Nobunaga's Ambition. The performance was shown on November 12 by NHK.
Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆ is currently collaborating with Sanrio to promote their DREAM FESTIVAL in Sanrio Puroland event. Visitors can watch scheduled performances and purchase various merchandise featuring the idols of 3 Majesty and X.I.P. together with Sanrio mascots like Hello Kitty, Pompompurin, and Cinnamoroll.
As part of the Kou Shibusawa 35th anniversary, a memorial book featuring Koei's past simulation titles will be released on November 8 by Loppi HMV.
Koei's Sparkling Silver and Sparkling Blue models of their VR Sense shall be available in Japan on December 21, 2017. Sparkling Silver includes Dynasty Warriors, GI Jockey, and Dead or Alive VR experiences. Sparkling Blue includes VR replications of a Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆ concert, an original horror story, and a Warring States themed walking tour.
A press conference to commemorate the VR Sense with Keiko Erikawa, Kazuyoshi Sakaguchi, and Kou Shibusawa is scheduled for December 19. Interested parties can watch it when it occurs on YouTube.
Koei's social games are undergoing their annual Christmas campaigns. Special bonuses will be awarded if players link their accounts.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Yuushi no Shou has launched its Arrival of the Barbarian season update on December 13. A livestream to celebrate the season was held on December 11.
Daikoukai Jidai Online Order of the Prince shall have its annual Christmas event December 19~26. This year's event has the players help with solve a conflict taking place with the world's many Santas.
Horizon, the Chapter 2 January update, continues the expansion's main narrative with a new town and ship model.
The second God of War, Zhao Yun campaign can reward players who complete a set of missions with Heaven Sword, one of Cao Cao's fictional swords from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and a Byakko statue. Within the drama, Heaven Sword is one of two swords that Zhao Yun wields throughout the narrative.
Capcom scored a partial victory on their patent lawsuit that was first issued back on July 4, 2014. The claims of infringement was divided into two parts, one case was concerning the transfer of characters from an expansion disc by citing the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series as their key examples (case A); the other was concerning controller vibration during key scenes in the Fatal Frame series (case B). Judge Takei Takamatsu noted similarities in both cases, but dismissed the claims made by Capcom in case A. Koei-Tecmo was ordered to compensate an approximate 5.17 million yen to Capcom regarding case B. Koei-Tecmo's official press statement about the lawsuit has them accept the results as a relative victory. They state that they will resolve any unfairness that may arise towards any future IPs.
Sangokushi 2017, a mobile remake of Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI developed by TCI Shanghai for the Chinese market, will be released in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau under the new title Shin Sangokushi Tebataban. Japanese voice options will be included for the game at a later date.
January[]
Koei Tecmo Holdings experienced a slight sales decline during its third quarter. Operating profits have increased 62% (5,688 million yen) due to collaboration IPs, royalties, and the VR SENSE rollout.
Senganen, a Shimazu owned garden and tourist attraction, will feature Dynasty Warriors 9 and Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi displays during the last two weeks of January. Dynasty Warriors visuals include QR codes for a mobile wallpaper and Nobunaga's Ambition panels will be dedicated to the Kyushu landscape during the Warring States period.
NHK's cool japan shall feature samurai from the Warring States period for its January 28 episode with collaboration footage from Koei.
The January 25 issue of Weekly Famitsu includes interviews from various Koei Tecmo creators in its 2018 expectations article. Fumihiko Yasuda (director of Nioh) is one of the developers featured in a bonus highlight with other game developers born in 1982.
my Gamecity's annual year end campaigns started on December 21. Members can partake in in-game presents exclusive to the my Gamecity servers, a daily survey for prizes, GC Coin discounts, and a chance to receive bonus GC Coins after purchasing the smartphone version of Nobunaga no Yabou Bushou Fuunroku. Six idols and two video game journalists are tied to the promotion of this year's events, the idols being promoted across video game news sites. Celebrations end on January 21.
Dengeki PlayStation is continuing Koei-Tecmo's challenge to play every Nobunaga's Ambition title from last year to commemorate Taishi. This week's Udon no Yabou FULL THROTTLE episode has Dengeki PlayStation staff play as Katsunaga Mōri (Toyotomi) in the Osaka Campaign of Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence - Ascension.
Gamecity Shoppers have a chance to pre-order the 60 CD soundtrack collection, w-Force 20th Anniversary Complete CD Box, early. Music up to Warriors All-Stars is included, along with any tracks that debuted in expansions, spin-offs, and DLC for Warriors IPs. Consumers can purchase it normally starting February 28, 2018.
The end of the year Net Cafe Festival will end on January 17, 2018. Players can earn special bonuses if they play in marked net cafes for participating games.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Yuushi no Shou is celebrating its annual New Years events.
This month's Mononofu Day is New Years themed with a lion dance at Azuchi Castle. Players can participate in it on this day.
Daikoukai Jidai Online Order of the Prince shall have its Chapter 2 Horizon update on January 16, which continues the expansion's main narrative with a new town and ship model. Information regarding the new quests have been teased.
Japanese servers will host a collaboration giveaway with the digital distribution of the comic, Arte. Download the comic on Manga Hotto to receive a serial code that can redeemed in the online game.
Four Haruka character image song CD compilations shall be sold March 28 and April 25 this year for songs that have lyrics written by Mami Takubo, the main Haruka character image song lyricist for the first four installments in the series. Ruby Party is hosting a Twitter campaign for fans to guess the final track of the first CD set, Zetsubou no Shou. Whoever guesses the correct track will receive a special character message. The first campaign ends February 17. Short questions addressed to Takubo can be submitted until February 17.
A complete box set containing the 55 Haruka 5 and Haruka 6 character image songs will include two new songs. It can be pre-ordered at Gamecity Shopping before its April 4 sales date.
Gamecity Shoppers have a chance to pre-order the 60 CD soundtrack collection, w-Force 20th Anniversary Complete CD Box, early. Music up to Warriors All-Stars is included, along with any tracks that debuted in expansions, spin-offs, and DLC for Warriors IPs. Consumers can purchase it normally starting March 7, 2018.
Haruka characters have been added to the Ruby Party LINE. Users can receive Valentine's Day messages from characters this year.
Select event merchandise from Harukanaru Tokinonakade 6 Fan Kansha Matsuri can be ordered from Gamecity Shopping until March 25.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Yuushi no Shou is celebrating its Valentine's Day event with Nene as the main quest giver. This month's Mononofu Day event is a "hot-blooded training" dungeon that speeds up level grinding for players of all levels.
Experienced players can tackle the "Ghost Ship" dungeon starting February 22. Monsters from around the world challenge players with powered up "advance mode" states.
Daikoukai Jidai Online Order of the Prince is hosting a collaboration giveaway with the digital distribution of the comic, Arte on its Japanese servers. Download the comic on Manga Hotto to receive a serial code that can be redeemed in the online game.
The Valentine's Day bar girls event has been revised to include more figures and different gifts received from a player's visit.
GAME SYMPHONY JAPAN PREMIUM CONCERT~Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆ is an orchestral concert of the social game's music taking place February 3 at Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall. A collaboration cafe menu with this IP will also be a part of GAME SYMPHONY JAPAN PREMIUM WEEK Vol.3's programing on February 28.
Video game music lovers can now listen and purchase the entire Haruka 6 soundtrack at various online outlets to commemorate the event.
March[]
Keiko Erikawa returned as one of the executives to hand out awards at this year's AMD Awards, which celebrated various entertainment media in Japan from 2017.
This year's FOST award ceremony celebrated innovative university professors who used hybrid simulations and smartphone apps for furthering the advancement of technology, research, and education.
Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi shall have its second major update in March. It will include the new "Development" command and tweaks to the "Agriculture" command. Dengeki PlayStation is scheduled to have a livestream with the game's producer, Hiroyuki Koyama, regarding the update on March 5.
Winning Post 8 2018 is scheduled to be available in Japan's stores on March 15, 2018 for the PS4, PS Vita, PC, and Nintendo Switch. First print buyers will receive a new secretary.
Planned recorded promotions for this game are listed with an interview with the producer, Hidehisa Yamaguchi, on the official website.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online Yuushi no Shou has a "Ghost Ship" dungeon that ends on March 7. Monsters from around the world challenge players with powered up "advance mode" states.
This month's Mononofu Day campaign is lets players gain huge amounts of experience by having their character(s) practice their sword swings. Free play time and 300 "Nobunaga Coins" are given to players who log-in on the 11th.
Players can earn new panda and penguin pets and face Suzaku in the renewed Four Gods Tower starting March 14. Suzaku's challenge ends on March 28.
A time-limited Hanami event is being held from March 28 to April 11. Bonuses include spring-related items for players and their animal companions.
Daikoukai Jidai Online Order of the Prince is hosting a limited time Atlantis event that lasts until March 6. Players can purchase exclusive materials and investigate the "Sun Ship".
Select event merchandise from Harukanaru Tokinonakade 6 Fan Kansha Matsuri can be ordered from Gamecity Shopping until March 25.
Four Haruka character image song CD compilations shall be sold March 28 and April 25 this year for songs that have lyrics written by Mami Takubo, the main Haruka character image song lyricist for the first four installments in the series. The website updated with previews of Takubo's commentary for select songs.
A complete box set containing the 55 Haruka 5 and Haruka 6 character image songs will include two new songs. It can be pre-ordered at Gamecity Shopping before its April 4 sales date.
Gamecity Shoppers have a chance to pre-order the 60 CD soundtrack collection, w-Force 20th Anniversary Complete CD Box, early. Music up to Warriors All-Stars is included, along with any tracks that debuted in expansions, spin-offs, and DLC for Warriors IPs. Consumers can purchase it normally starting March 28, 2018.
webpon is offering limited edition Kiniro no Corda Blue Sky merchandise online that includes international delivery options. Final deadline for orders is March 2; orders will be delivered until May 2.
Kou Shibusawa will be a guest judge for the GFF Award 2018 ceremony on March 18. Attendees can play the trial versions of Dynasty Warriors 9 and Attack on Titan 2. Shibusawa and Akihiro Hino, CEO of Level 5, are scheduled to have a talk show together before the awards are handed to winners.
Omega Force 20th Anniversary Seiyuu Musou is a voice actor stage event that is a collaboration between the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series. It will occur on March 18, 2018 at Toyosu Pit. Whoever purchases the "Ultimate Seat" will receive a deluxe pamphlet, priority tickets for buying drinks and merchandise, merchandise autographed by the voice actors, and an original accessory personally handed to them by Masaya Onosaka (Zhao Yun) and Takeshi Kusao (Yukimura Sanada).
April[]
The Hakone Senior Pro Golf Tournament handed its first Nobunaga no Yabou Award (worth one million yen) to Taiwanese golfer Wang Ter-chang. Kou Shibusawa personally presented the prize during the award ceremony.
A vocal box for the fifth and sixth installments of the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de series is now available for purchase. It includes previous character image songs from both games as well as two new ones.
Daikoukai Jidai Online Order of the Prince will be releasing its third chapter "Honor" on April 17. Aside from function improvements and added commands, players can now rescue NPC ships from natural disasters and earn letters of appreciation from them.
Web radio program RADIO MIRACLE 6 aired its last episode. Interested fans can listen to it for a limited time on YouTube. CD recordings of the web radio program will be compiled for each group with additional commentary and available for sale on April 25.
Imai Sōkyū is free DLC for Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi. His visual replicates Hikomaro, the actor-comedian playing him.
May[]
Daikoukai Jidai Online Order of the Prince is bringing back the Oporto Fisherman Festival for its monthly update. Rewards are given based on the number of fishes players catch.
The newest spin-off title of the Samurai Cats series, Nobunyaga no Yabou Nyapuri!, has been announced. Players can pre-register to obtain numerous rewards based on the number of people sharing news of the game.
This month's update of Daikoukai Jidai Online Order of the Prince includes a new story that revolves around the two supporting characters Josée and Enrique. Bonus effects will be provided to adventurers for easier exploring.
Nobunaga no Yabou 201X will be celebrating its 3rd anniversary from May 22 to June 19 by holding various campaigns to earn in-game items. Players can log in to secure special tickets used for obtaining Oume Sanada as a party member.
Rare officers will be handed out to new players who successfully clear the game's tutorial.
Soundtracks for various Koei titles are now available at Japan's Spotify. From March 23 to May 6, users can nominate their favorite soundtrack for the upcoming PlayStation Game Music Awards. The winner will be revealed on June 15.
July[]
A smartphone port of Romance of the Three Kingdoms V is now available for purchase. Buying the game during the commemorative sale (from July 25 to August 1) will earn players Liu Bang as a playable officer.
Daikoukai Jidai Online Order of the Prince is holding a summer festival campaign where players can receive items from a group of Oriental travelers visiting Seville.
Services for the PlayStation 3 port will end on August 28. Players can transfer their old save file to the PlayStation 4 version through their GAMECITY citizen ID.
Koei Tecmo has revealed its latest title Warriors Orochi 4 at the Omega Force 20th Anniversary live show. The game will be released some time in 2018.
Various mobile titles for the Nobunaga's Ambition series are collaborating with historical comic Yukibana no Tora this month. Players are given the opportunity to acquire cards featuring characters from the story.
Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi with Power-Up Kit has been announced. The game's official site is now open.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is offering a 14-day free trial as part of its summer campaign event.
Daikoukai Jidai Online will be starting its latest expansion Lost Memories on August 28.
Koei-Tecmo is currently inviting cosplayers to participate in their cosplay contest for this year's Tokyo Game Show. Applications have been open since August 1 and will close at the end of the month.
Ticket sales for the Neoromance Season Party Halloween are available until September 18. The venue will be taking place in Ivy Hall on October 27 with two separate showings for day and night attendees.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is starting its autumn food festival where players are tasked with hunting for ingredients. Depending on the quality of ingredients obtained, they may receive a unique fan and other rare rewards for their journey.
100man-nin no Winning Post has begun a collaboration event with race queen Aya Kawasaki in which players can enjoy her support as a secretary or trained jockey.
Daikoukai Jidai Online Lost Memories will be holding a special campaign for returning players. Throughout the campaign, the game will be free to play.
To commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Kiniro no Corda series, two special events are being planned for September 2018. An orchestra concert will be held at the Ichikawa City Cultural Hall on September 1 while the annual Neoromance Festa will take place at the Pacifico Yokohama Hall from September 15 to 16. More details on those two events will be revealed on May 31.
Koei-Tecmo has released a financial report of their current state for the fiscal year. The company aims to expand their current IPs (both consolde and mobile) worldwide.
Daikoukai Jidai Online is holding a time-limited Halloween event from October 16 to November 6. In exchange for helping deliver trick or treat sweets to children in different towns, players are rewarded with unique costume parts fitting for the holiday season.
This month's update includes new quests and discoveries as well as the ability to discover hidden items within sunken ships.
The latest Harukanaru Toki no Naka de live event will be taking place on December 16 at Pacifico Yokohama. Ticket sales are available starting on October 22.
The Power-Up Kit expansion of Nobunaga's Ambition Taishi has been delayed, changing its release date from November 19 to February 14, 2019.
A reading recital done by the cast of Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 3 and Angelique will be held on November 17 and 18 respectively at Setagaya City Hall. Attendees will also be given pamphlets illustrated by artist Junko Taguchi. will also be distributed to attendees.
A teaser site for the Corda ☆ Songs live event is now up. Fans can apply for tickets starting on November 8. The event is expected to begin on February 23, 2019.
The Nintendo Switch port of Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends will be sold at a 10% discount for one week starting on December 27. This only applies to the downloadable version.
Daikoukai Jidai Online Lost Memories recently held their annual Christmas event from December 4 to 26. The server is also selling long-term passports that allow players to continue playing the game for at least one whole year.
Gamecity has opened a teaser site for an unknown IP. The mystery title will be revealed on December 6.
A two-part live event for the Neoromance series shall be held on December 15 at Hotel Azur Takeshiba. The first part of the event is the Neoromance ♥ Season Party Christmas which takes place in the morning. The second half of the day celebrates the 10th anniversary of Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4. Tickets will be sold between November 29 to December 9.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online is holding its annual winter event where players have the opportunity to enjoy various holiday events like Halloween. New equipment is made available for character avatars and animal companions alike. The event ends on December 26.
Butai Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 3, a stage play based on Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 3, shall commemorate the tenth anniversary of Haruka theatrical adaptations. It shall take place in December 2018 at Tokyo and Osaka.
A mobile port of Daikoukai Jidai IV will be made available for purchase on December 12.
A winter campaign is being held for residents in Japan. By entering a serial number gained from purchasing certain titles, participants have a chance of winning gift cards and various gaming consoles.
January[]
DMM Games will be offering Nobunaga no Yabou: Reppuuden and Sangokushi Eiketsuden as part of their new game line-up.
Nobunaga no Yabou 201X has launched a new campaign event featuring a decisive match between the eight famous swordsman of the Sengoku Jidai. Players will be able to choose their favorite swordsman and help them win by accumulating participation points that further rise when deploying certain sword-wielding officers to battle. The event lasts until January 8, 2019.
My GAMECITY is holding a seasonal lottery from December 26 to January 10. Lucky winners will be able to receive GC Coin discounts (up to 100,000) and a sum of WebMoney points (10,000).
The server has also included several MMORPGs developed by X-LEGEND GAMES as part of their repertoite of third party games.
Nobunaga no Yabou Online ~Tenrou no Shou~ has unveiled its new skill system which provides more than 120 new abilities for existing avatar classes. The update will also feature a new dungeon where players can band together to take down otherworldly deities.
A live stream for the latest chapter will be broadcasted on January 15 with the director of the game appearing as one of the guests.
12 Koei titles for the Nintendo Switch are being sold at a 20~40% discount in the Nintendo eShop until January 7, 2019.
Ticket pre-orders for the 5th anniversary tour of Tokimeki Restaurant☆☆☆ have been made available at Lawson on December 28. The live concert will be held at the DMM VR Theater in Yokohama from March 9 to March 31 next year. A merchandise section will also be set up right next to the venue.
Koei will be holding a special event called Musou Festival 2019 to commemorate their main Warriors titles. The event is to be held at the Ichikawa City Cultural Center and will feature select voice actors as guests. Visitors may also be handed free serial codes for DLC from Warriors Orochi 4.
April[]
The latest update of Daikoukai Jidai Online: Lost Memories gives players a chance to encounter the fabled beast Leviathan. Defeating it yields various cosmetic parts for ships. New quests and discoveries have also been added.
The winners of the Nobunaga no Yabou Taishi with Power-Up Kitshowdown video contest have been announced. The top four participants are rewarded with original luxury goods and a poster signed by Kou Shibusawa.
Tickets for Neoromance ♥ Festa Geten no Hana Gonen no En are available for purchase via e-plus. The event starts on April 28 at the Katsushika Symphony Hills cultural center.
