https://automaton-media.com/en/author/akira-sada/ AUTOMATON is a website that covers the Japanese gaming world. We bring you the news on video games from Osaka and Tokyo. Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:24:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-automaton-sitelogo-120x120-1-32x32.png https://automaton-media.com/en/author/akira-sada/ 32 32 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/nintendo-offers-free-hardware-repairs-to-people-affected-by-the-kumamoto-earthquake/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/nintendo-offers-free-hardware-repairs-to-people-affected-by-the-kumamoto-earthquake/#respond Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:24:45 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=70727 Following the recent earthquake in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture, Nintendo has issued a statement pledging to provide free hardware repair services for its products, whether warranty-covered or not. The offer began on July 28 and will remain in place until February 1, 2027. The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto prefecture on July 28, leading to large-scale destruction in the region and leaving a death toll of at least 38 people, with over 8,200 people in evacuation shelters as of this writing. The repair services will be available to residents in areas officially designated under Japan’s Disaster Relief Act, and any Nintendo products damaged by the earthquake are eligible for repair. Affected products may be sent directly to Nintendo Service […]]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/nintendo-offers-free-hardware-repairs-to-people-affected-by-the-kumamoto-earthquake/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/hyouka-authors-mystery-novel-series-turned-into-a-vn-by-urban-myth-dissolution-center-and-schrodingers-call-publisher-shueisha-games/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/hyouka-authors-mystery-novel-series-turned-into-a-vn-by-urban-myth-dissolution-center-and-schrodingers-call-publisher-shueisha-games/#respond Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:47:58 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=70545 Game publisher Shueisha unveils Seasons of Books and Keys, their newest visual novel adaptation of Honobu Yonezawa's famous novel series.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/hyouka-authors-mystery-novel-series-turned-into-a-vn-by-urban-myth-dissolution-center-and-schrodingers-call-publisher-shueisha-games/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-bishojo-visual-novel-purgatoryblue-launches-new-crowdfunding-project-to-recoup-part-of-withheld-funds-from-last-fundraiser/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-bishojo-visual-novel-purgatoryblue-launches-new-crowdfunding-project-to-recoup-part-of-withheld-funds-from-last-fundraiser/#respond Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=70337 ENDLESS SUMMER Studio’s announce a new crowdfunding project for Purgatory: Blue, following complications with the last platform.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-bishojo-visual-novel-purgatoryblue-launches-new-crowdfunding-project-to-recoup-part-of-withheld-funds-from-last-fundraiser/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/make-heroine-wo-katasetai-manga-to-cease-serialization-due-to-editorial-issues-and-publishers-allegedly-withholding-sales-figures-from-authors/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/make-heroine-wo-katasetai-manga-to-cease-serialization-due-to-editorial-issues-and-publishers-allegedly-withholding-sales-figures-from-authors/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:23:58 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=70121 According to mangaka Tatsuwaipu, the manga will be published independently starting January 2027. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/make-heroine-wo-katasetai-manga-to-cease-serialization-due-to-editorial-issues-and-publishers-allegedly-withholding-sales-figures-from-authors/feed/ 1 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-ghost-developer-tose-takes-hit-due-to-cancelled-major-project-from-overseas-operating-profit-down-almost-45/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-ghost-developer-tose-takes-hit-due-to-cancelled-major-project-from-overseas-operating-profit-down-almost-45/#respond Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=69962 Codenamed "Project D," the title was initially put on hold in February 2026 by the client.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japanese-ghost-developer-tose-takes-hit-due-to-cancelled-major-project-from-overseas-operating-profit-down-almost-45/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/tragic-visual-novel-mementofragment-offers-pieces-of-your-own-memories-through-the-story-of-a-girls-journey-across-a-war-torn-world/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/tragic-visual-novel-mementofragment-offers-pieces-of-your-own-memories-through-the-story-of-a-girls-journey-across-a-war-torn-world/#respond Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=69803 Kusou no Kobo, the development team behind Drowning Song of the Stagnant Sea, will release the visual novel MeMento*fragMent in 2026.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/tragic-visual-novel-mementofragment-offers-pieces-of-your-own-memories-through-the-story-of-a-girls-journey-across-a-war-torn-world/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/cosmic-horror-game-the-dream-of-a-cockspur-which-traps-players-on-a-remote-island-investigating-a-fallen-celestial-object-releases-on-steam-on-july-22/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/cosmic-horror-game-the-dream-of-a-cockspur-which-traps-players-on-a-remote-island-investigating-a-fallen-celestial-object-releases-on-steam-on-july-22/#respond Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:47:43 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=69676 The surreal cosmic horror game The Dream of a Cockspur has been announced for a July 22 Steam release.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/cosmic-horror-game-the-dream-of-a-cockspur-which-traps-players-on-a-remote-island-investigating-a-fallen-celestial-object-releases-on-steam-on-july-22/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/serial-experiments-lain-to-get-an-unofficial-visual-novel-following-success-of-the-fan-made-ova-crowdfunding-project/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/serial-experiments-lain-to-get-an-unofficial-visual-novel-following-success-of-the-fan-made-ova-crowdfunding-project/#respond Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:43:07 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=69492 Fan Project Lain: Protocol 7 reaches its first stretch goal promising a visual novel version of the unofficial OVA.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/serial-experiments-lain-to-get-an-unofficial-visual-novel-following-success-of-the-fan-made-ova-crowdfunding-project/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/meccha-chameleon-developers-say-the-secret-behind-their-2-month-dev-cycle-is-asset-reuse-and-a-make-it-exist-first-perfect-it-later-approach/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/meccha-chameleon-developers-say-the-secret-behind-their-2-month-dev-cycle-is-asset-reuse-and-a-make-it-exist-first-perfect-it-later-approach/#respond Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=69005 The secret behind Meccha Chameleon’s short dev cycle is making the the “bare minimum,” and then building upon it, devs explain.]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/meccha-chameleon-developers-say-the-secret-behind-their-2-month-dev-cycle-is-asset-reuse-and-a-make-it-exist-first-perfect-it-later-approach/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/animes-growing-commoditization-could-lead-to-a-future-where-the-medium-itself-no-longer-matters-japanese-critic-warns/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/animes-growing-commoditization-could-lead-to-a-future-where-the-medium-itself-no-longer-matters-japanese-critic-warns/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=68558 A famous Japanese critic discusses whether the evolutionary path of anime ends with its full transformation into a commodity. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/animes-growing-commoditization-could-lead-to-a-future-where-the-medium-itself-no-longer-matters-japanese-critic-warns/feed/ 18 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/nintendo-switchs-ring-fit-adventure-may-actually-help-with-depression-research-suggests/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/nintendo-switchs-ring-fit-adventure-may-actually-help-with-depression-research-suggests/#respond Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=68236 Scientists at Jilin University in China recently published a research examining the effects of Ring Fit Adventure on people with depression. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/nintendo-switchs-ring-fit-adventure-may-actually-help-with-depression-research-suggests/feed/ 0 https://automaton-media.com/en/news/forza-horizon-6-lets-you-take-driving-lessons-like-they-do-in-japan-thanks-to-a-players-surprisingly-accurate-recreation-of-japanese-driving-school-courses/ https://automaton-media.com/en/news/forza-horizon-6-lets-you-take-driving-lessons-like-they-do-in-japan-thanks-to-a-players-surprisingly-accurate-recreation-of-japanese-driving-school-courses/#respond Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000 https://automaton-media.com/en/?p=67982 Japanese Forza Horizon 6 released an Estate which accurately recreates the driving school course experience in Japan. ]]> https://automaton-media.com/en/news/forza-horizon-6-lets-you-take-driving-lessons-like-they-do-in-japan-thanks-to-a-players-surprisingly-accurate-recreation-of-japanese-driving-school-courses/feed/ 0