The expansion launches alongside a new features-packed Starter Edition of Wartales
BORDEAUX, France – 17 July 2026 – Wartales, the medieval open-world tactical RPG with more than one million units sold from developer Shiro Games, grants Microsoft mercenaries the keys to the kingdom with Contract: The Fief, available today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Additionally, a new content-rich Starter Edition including Wartales’ base game and several popular DLCs: Expansion: The Skelmar Invasion and Contract: The Tavern Opens!, also releases today.
In Contract: The Fief, add a whole new dimension of leadership to the Wartales experience by reigning over a lawless domain. Enact policies shaping the lives of the territory’s residents, then expand the holding district by district. Manage subjects’ needs by providing essentials like food, defenses, and entertainment. Watch as new varieties of subjects join the fief, changing its social ecosystem as they vie for influence.
Contract: The Fief layers seamlessly into existing Wartales campaigns, and all important decisions occur at the campfire after a long day of traveling and raiding. Use this opportunity to establish long-lasting impacts on the world as rule establishes a land of tyranny, benevolence, scholarship, or anarchy.
“Today we unlock Contract: The Fief for Xbox players, an expansion boasting some of our fans’ most sought-after features for Wartales,” said Quentin Lapeyre, Game Director at Shiro Games. “During each rest, our sellswords-turned-lords must manage a dynamic land, produce and manage resources, and make key decisions to meet the changing needs of the population. It’s a whole additional strategic layer that exists alongside the main campaign.”
For new mercenaries looking to get a jumpstart on Wartales’ever-expanding library, the new Wartales Starter Edition is now available on Xbox for $59.99 | €59.99 | £49.99 with a 25% launch discount until July 29, and includes the base game, as well as two of its major DLCs: The Skelmar Invasion and Contract: The Tavern Opens!. English, French, German, Spanish – Spain, Polish, Portuguese – Brazil, Russian, Simplified Chinese, and Korean language support is available.
Shiro Games is an independent Bordeaux-based studio founded by video game veterans Sebastien Vidal and Nicolas Cannasse to bring new innovative games to life. Its popular Viking strategy game Northgard released on Steam in 2018, and sold more than five million units.. Wartales, its tactical RPG set in an alternate medieval world, has sold more than a million units since its release in April 2023.
Shiro Games released two titles into early access in 2026 after each game acquired hundreds of thousands of wishlists, the online multiplayer action RPG set in a vast fantasy open world Farever, and the space exploration and building game SpaceCraft. Shiro Games has two unreleased titles in production, its ruthless survival FPS and top 100 wishlisted unreleased game Frostrail, and its city-building auto-battler Northgard Battlegrounds being developed by Funday Games.
Boulder, Colo. (July 16, 2026) – Today at Secret Sauce Showcase, publisher Serenity Forge (Fractured Blooms, To The Moon, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!) and developer Arbitrary Metric announced that their apocalyptic resort sim, Roman Sands RE:Build, is set to release on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and XBOX on July 16, 2026. This surreal adventure will also launch alongside Partatopic: Overdub, a PC re-release that revives Arbitrary Metric’s award-winning 2018 liminal horror classic as a twisting 3-in-1 remaster, remix, and sequel to the original.
Roman Sands RE:Build is a surreal, genre-bending journey that slips between a stranded luxury resort and a mysterious facility. At the edge of an ecological collapse, players wash up at a luxury resort that refuses to acknowledge the coming end. Players work at the resort, serving a variety of guests who make endless demands and where time is always slipping away. As they take on their essential duties, climb the ranks, and follow the strange rules, they’ll unlock new tools, tackle increasingly surreal tasks, and uncover the secrets buried beneath its polished surface.
Roman Sands RE:Build then throws players into a separate time loop inside a decaying zoological research station, where they have only a dead cow and a voice on the radio – performed by streamer STPeach in her first-ever video game role – to keep them company. A parasite has taken root in the station, and they’ll have to decide whether to wipe it out to protect the work that remains, even if it puts their own survival at risk.
Across both the resort and the facility, Roman Sands RE:Build blends elements of adventure games, visual novels, horror, simulation, and puzzle design into a liminal, unsettling story about trying to escape systems that feel impossible to get away from.
Today’s announcement of Paratopic: Overdub was shared with a tease of the new content and features coming to the enhanced version of this experimental first-person adventure. This remaster revives and remixes the award-winning 2018 liminal horror classic, introducing improved textures and animations, new characters to meet, and even more secrets to discover.
About Arbitrary Metric
Experimental development house Arbitrary Metric strives to draw out new experiences from the medium. Dedicated to cathartic, transgressive games that offer a counterpoint to the alienation and malaise of modernity, Arbitrary Metric draws from leftfield sources of inspiration and enrichment to pull players through unique sensory journeys.
About Serenity Forge
Based in Boulder, Colorado, video game development and publishing studio Serenity Forge prides themselves on the care and dedication they put into their work, creating meaningful games that challenge the way you think. Firm believers in the artistic, cultural, and educational power of video games, Serenity Forge aims to craft unique interactive experiences to broaden players’ horizons and expand their perspectives.
The fantasy cooking RPG with roguelite spice unveils some of its romanceable characters for the first time, proving that the way to a god’s heart is through their stomach. Coming to Steam in Early 2027.
London, United Kingdom – July 16th, 2026 – Thousand Generation and Chromatic Dream are excited to reveal the romanceable characters of Taste of Heaven, the beautifully crafted cooking RPG with roguelite elements, as part of the Secret Sauce Showcase. A brand-new trailer offers the first look at six romanceable characters players will be able to court, befriend, and build meaningful relationships with.
Following the Early 2027 release window announcement at the Women Led Games showcase during Summer Game Fest in June, today’s reveal dives deeper into one of the game’s most anticipated features: romance. From divine spirits with centuries of emotional baggage to wandering souls looking for connection, each of the six romanceable characters brings their own personality, storyline, and surprises to the table.
In Taste of Heaven, romance is woven into the fabric of daily life in the afterlife. Players will cook favourite dishes, and navigate branching dialogue to deepen bonds with characters who each hold secrets of their own. Every playthrough offers new opportunities to discover what lies beneath the surface of these eccentric and endearing souls.
“Romance has been one of the most requested features from our community since the demo launched, and we’ve put a lot of heart into making each character feel real and worth getting to know,” said the development team at Chromatic Dream. “These aren’t just side stories. The characters you romance will change how you experience your world and your runs. We can’t wait for players to meet them.”
Have a Taste of Heaven
Cook Within the Divine
Master a unique and seamless recipe system that invites you to use every ingredient and tool at your disposal. Serve waves of demanding celestial customers, each with their own distinctive personality and challenges. Make too many mistakes, and they won’t just leave hungry – they’ll fight back or steal someone else’s dish.
Mingle with Gods and Godlings
Encounter an eccentric cast of characters, intriguing creatures, and souls with some… unresolved issues. Wine and dine lonely spirits to deepen bonds, there might even be a pinch of romance on the menu.
Shape Each Run into a Unique Journey
Discover a plethora of items, perks, hidden secrets, and unique events that turn each run into a one-of-a-kind adventure. Randomly generated challenges and rewards ensure no two trips through the afterlife feel the same.
Make a Home in the Void
Gather resources and build your own ryokan within the belly of a giant fish. Travellers will stop by, each bringing a helping hand and a story to share as you blossom your own peaceful oasis.
Explore a Strange and Beautiful World
Journey through a glorious 2D afterlife inspired by Spirited Away. Trade with merchants, gather ingredients, and encounter rare events as you unravel the deepest secrets of this vibrant land of eternal dreams.
About Chromatic Dream:
Chromatic Dream is two French nerds passionate about crafting games that blend heartfelt storytelling with inventive gameplay.
About Thousand Generation:
Every game is a creator’s passion brought to life, and it deserves to find its audience. Thousand Generation is a newly established UK based publisher built by industry veterans with years of experience in marketing and distribution. The studio purpose is to help indie gaming developers shout out loudly to the market.
PAWTUCKET, R.I. – July 16, 2026 – Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company, today announced a new licensing partnership with Nintendo to create products based on the popular Legend of Zelda franchise. This multi-year collaboration is set to begin in 2027, starting with the first reveals of three 6″ scale figures at San Diego Comic Con (July 23-26, 2026).
“For decades, The Legend of Zelda franchise has captivated fans through its deep lore, unforgettable characters and enduring sense of discovery,” said Billy Lagor, President Toys and Board Games at Hasbro. “By combining Nintendo’s iconic storytelling with Hasbro’s leadership in action and role-play, we’re delivering toys that invite fans to play, explore and forge their own epic adventures.”
Ever since its first title, released in the US in 1987, the Legend of Zelda series has mixed exploration and discovery with action and adventure. Link and Zelda’s eternal battle against Ganondorf forms the centerpiece of these epic tales from the world of Hyrule.
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About Hasbro
Hasbro is a leading games, IP and toy company whose mission is to create joy and community through the magic of play. With 165 years of expertise, Hasbro delivers groundbreaking play experiences and reaches more than 1 billion fans annually around the world, through physical and digital games, video games, toys, licensed consumer products, location-based entertainment, film, TV and more.
Through its franchise-first approach, Hasbro unlocks value from both new and legacy IP, including Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons,Monopoly, Hasbro Games, Nerf, Transformers, Play-Doh and Peppa Pig, as well as premier partner brands. Powered by its portfolio of thousands of iconic marks and a diversified network of partners and subsidiary studios, Hasbro brings fans together wherever they are, from tabletop to screen.
For more than a decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media, a 2026 JUST Capital Industry Leader, a Brand that Matters by Fast Company, and one of the 50 Most Community-Minded Companies in the U.S. by the Civic 50 for fourteen consecutive years. For more information, visit https://corporate.hasbro.com or follow Hasbro on LinkedIn.
The Delta Quadrant is bigger than ever – new missions, new heroes, and much more to come
Hamburg, Germany – July 16, 2026 – Publisher Daedalic Entertainment and developer gameXcite are today expanding the universe of Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown with the launch of the Expansion Pass and its first DLC, “Delta Chronicles”. A free update (Patch 1.8) is also available today for all players. For those just starting their journey, the new Captain’s Collection includes the base game, the Deluxe Edition content, and the Expansion Pass. The Expansion Pass, Delta Chronicles DLC, free Patch 1.8, and Captain’s Collection are all available now on PC and consoles.The Expansion Pass is available for USD 29.99 across all available platforms.
Watch the Expansion Pass Trailer on YouTube
Now available, the first DLC “Delta Chronicles” presents five new side missions based on some of the series’ most memorable episodes – Distant Origin, The Omega Directive, Cold Fire, Homestead and Inside Man – each with the branching decisions and meaningful consequences that define the base game, allowing players to choose different outcomes than in the show. Two new heroes join the playable roster: Reginald Barclay in holographic form and Professor Forra Gegen of the reptilian Voth, both with their own unique combat abilities. Four new NPC ships further expand the Delta Quadrant’s lineup, including the imposing Voth City Ship and a Ferengi Marauder that can be recruited as an ally. New technologies round out the package.
Timeline for available and upcoming DLCs.
Alongside the new DLC content, Patch 1.8 brings a broad range of free content and improvements to Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, including seven new ship quests and events, refined tech tree descriptions, UI upgrades, adjusted balancing, and quality-of-life improvements shaped in close collaboration with the game’s highly active community.
The Expansion Pass charts a course through additional premium content to be released in the coming months. Highlights on the horizon include a second set of side missions, the USS Equinox as a playable starship for an upcoming game mode and a new sector based on one of the most celebrated episodes in Voyager history. In total, the Expansion Pass includes four premium DLCs, each adding substantial new content to the game – from new story missions and playable characters to new ships and new technologies – and thus entirely new ways to experience the Delta Quadrant, warranting another playthrough even for seasoned Captains. Full details on each upcoming DLC will be revealed in the months ahead.
Overview of editions for Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown
Beyond the premium content, the team is committed to a series of free updates for all players. In addition to the recently released Delta Flyer, further free content is planned – including new ship quests and, later this year, a major new game mode taking Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown in an exciting new direction with countless hours of additional playtime. More details on this free update will be shared soon.
The Expansion Pass for Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is available now across all major platforms and digital storefronts. DLC 1 “Delta Chronicles” is also available as a standalone purchase.
Set aboard the U.S.S. Voyager and deep in the unexplored reaches of the Delta Quadrant, Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is a narrative-driven survival strategy game that invites players to relive and redefine the legendary starship’s journey back to Earth. The game blends exploration, ship and resource management, roguelike elements, and meaningful choices. Experience crew dynamics and a fresh take on a beloved sci-fi universe through what-if scenarios that open new possibilities.
In Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, players take command of the U.S.S. Voyager as it traverses 12 vast sectors of the Delta Quadrant. Along the way, they’ll manage systems and crew, engage in diplomacy, navigate difficult moral decisions, and face the unknown. Familiar faces return, but their fates may differ, reshaped by the captain on the bridge.
Player decisions shape both the fate of the crew and the configuration of the U.S.S. Voyager itself. With each playthrough, the ship becomes a different version of itself, reengineered and reimagined based on the path taken through the quadrant and the command decisions made along the way.
With the development team continuously expanding the experience through free updates and new content, no two voyages through the Delta Quadrant will ever be quite the same.
Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.
About gameXcite Founded in 2015, gameXcite develops Mobile, PC and Console games based on popular IPs. Based in Hamburg, Germany, gameXcite is a subsidiary of Jumpgate AB (Listed in Stockholm on NGM Nordic SME, ticker GATE).
About Daedalic Entertainment Celebrating its 20th publishing year, Daedalic Entertainment is a renowned publisher with nearly two decades of experience supporting indie developers across all major gaming platforms. The lineup of games includes a diverse variety of unique titles, focusing on four distinct areas: storytelling, strategy, co-op games, and wholesome games. With an international team of around 45 employees, Daedalic is currently working with various development studios to create a new lineup of innovative games across consoles and PCs to market. Recent hits include Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, The Occultist, New Cycle, Barotrauma, Unrailed!, Bloodgrounds, Into the Emberlands, Deponia, Shadow Tactics, Inkulinati, Hidden Deep, Fling to the Finish!, and more.
Stay tuned for upcoming DLCs included in the Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown Expansion Pass, as well as new releases such as Woodo, Barotrauma: Home & Harbor, and many more.Since April 2022, Daedalic Entertainment has been a subsidiary of the French publishing house, Nacon.
Wiesbaden, Germany, July 16th, 2026 Do you yearn for the mines? Assemble Entertainment and Half Soup Labs invite players to uncover long-lost treasures in an exciting new demo of Glintseeker Island, available on Steam from 16 July 2026. Revel in the satisfying excavation mechanics of classic treasure-hunting games and enjoy a hefty slice of the full experience ahead of the game’s 2027 launch.
STOP! HAMMER TIME!
Glintseeker Island is a cozy mining adventure where you and your trusty hammer will uncover treasure, mystery, and the chance to rebuild a forgotten island. Descend into mysterious underground caverns to uncover rare artefacts, fossils, gemstones, and hidden secrets while upgrading your tools and expanding your abilities. When you poke your head back above ground, you can use your discoveries to rebuild a once-thriving village and help out its quirky residents.
This is your first chance for everyone to delve beneath the surface of Glintseeker Island and uncover the secrets that lie beneath the surface.
Explore two procedurally generated cave biomes across 15 floors
Excavate countless artefacts, fossils, gemstones, and treasures
Flog all your precious loot
Complete eight village restoration projects and side quests
Will you find the 0.2% demo-exclusive Soup Fossil?
Take good care of Shadow, your loyal canine companion
Can you dig it?
The new game will be unveiled as part of the Secret Sauce event on July 16, showcasing some of the most intriguing and exciting indie titles coming your way.
ABOUT HALF SOUP LABS
Half Soup Labs is a small indie game studio based in Germany, founded by three friends in Hamburg and Offenburg. The team is currently working on their debut title, Glintseeker Island, an Idea born from fond childhood memories of mining games and pixelart.
ABOUT ASSEMBLE ENTERTAINMENT
Assemble Entertainment is an independent publisher based in Germany, best known for indie hits such as Sticky Business, Roadwarden, Decktamer, Paddle Paddle Paddle, Grind Survivors and the Endzone franchise. Since 2016, Assemble has released more than 50 games across different genres, including cozy, horror, strategy and roguelike, and has established itself as a trusted partner for bringing original indie projects to market.
Stockholm, Sweden — July 16, 2026 | Maximum Entertainment today announced that Instant Sports 2, the sequel to the hit sports action game developed by Breakfirst Games, is now available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. Following the original Instant Sports, which sold more than 1.5 million units worldwide, Instant Sports 2 is now available for digital purchase, with physical editions available starting 15 September across EMEA and 30 September in North America.
Watch the Instant Sports 2 launch trailer below:
Instant Sports 2 features:
A wide array of sports: 10 sports games including baseball, base jumping, mini-golf, mountain biking, tennis, boxing, rafting, padel, and much more!
Local Multiplayer: Play solo or with up to 4 players simultaneously on the same screen and earn tickets based on your score and ranking.
Extended character customization: Spend the tickets you earned in the in-game shop to unlock outfits, equipment and visual effects to personalize your very own character with its unique look!
Game hub: Explore an expansive sports park complete with a variety of vibrant themed zones, each with its own unique sports game.
Instant Sports 2 delivers fast-paced, easy-to-pick-up gameplay with depth for players looking to master each discipline. The game is now available to purchase on the following digital stores:
Maximum Entertainment is a global entertainment company dedicated to crafting indie to AA video game experiences through original content and licensed partnerships. A fully integrated group with a broad portfolio of content, the company emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity in its partnerships to produce the highest level of interactive entertainment. With more than 300 titles in its catalog, Maximum Entertainment has joined forces with talented creators and renowned franchises around the globe to deliver magic to the gamer in everyone. Maximum Entertainment employs experienced professionals across the entire value chain of video games including development, publishing, transmedia, sales, and operations.
About Breakfirst Games
Breakfirst has been creating games accessible to non-gaming audiences, especially families, for over 10 years. After having developed games for smartphones and tablets controllable by motion using the camera, the arrival of the Nintendo Switch allowed in 2018 to direct the development towards this console using the accelerometers and gyroscope of the controllers. Several games have been launched on this consumer console, including the Instant Sports franchise: a simple concept bringing together several sports playable with motion and aimed at the whole family.
Fast-paced driving meets lighthearted management as players navigate three cities while evading police attention.
CAIRO, Egypt — July 16, 2026- Cargo, Please!races onto Steam worldwide on August 5, 2026. From solo indie developer Cyber752 Games and publishing platform indie.io, it is a cozy, top-down delivery game about hauling packages, outrunning the cops, and building up a trucking empire one shipment at a time. There is no hardcore realism here, just fast, feel-good driving where how carefully you drive matters as much as how fast you go.
In Cargo, Please!, players accept jobs to pick up and deliver packages within three distinct cities. The core loop balances speed with caution; while shipments are auto-generated to ensure no two runs feel identical, drivers must keep their cargo intact as police closely monitor their activities. Deliveries vary in difficulty, ranging from quick drops to long, timed, or fragile transports where driving style directly impacts earnings and success.
The game distinguishes itself by merging arcade-style racing mechanics with a relaxed, accessible tone. Unlike hardcore simulation titles, Cargo, Please! focuses on a satisfying progression system rather than realism. Players earn money and experience to upgrade their trucks, unlock new vehicles, access additional cities, and expand the roster of playable characters. A full day-and-night cycle paired with dynamic weather further enhances the driving experience, while a dedicated Taxi Driver Mode offers a more leisurely way to explore the open world between contracts.
Key features include:
Dynamic Shipment System: Smart auto-generation ensures every delivery run presents unique challenges and routes.
Progression and Upgrades: Earn currency to enhance vehicle performance, unlock new trucks, and access new locations.
Police Evasion Mechanics: Navigate traffic and law enforcement while maintaining cargo integrity to maximize profits.
Relaxed Exploration Mode: Switch to Taxi Driver Mode for a stress-free experience focused on driving mechanics and city exploration.
As players master the roads of Cargo, Please!, they build a growing delivery empire through steady skill improvement. The game rewards strategic driving and risk management, offering a compelling loop that encourages replayability without demanding intense simulation expertise.Cargo, Please! will be available exclusively as a single-player experience on Steam starting August 5, 2026. A demo is currently available on Steam for players to try before the full release.
Learn all about the horrors Hell is ready to release on October 8 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S & PC
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – July 16, 2026 – Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games have released a new developer diary video for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, the survival-horror action game coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam on Oct. 8, 2026. Join series legend Doug Bradley (voice of Pinhead) and the development team for a new deep dive on the game, this time learning more about the disturbing enemies and themes you’ll face on your journey and how the creation of this content affected the development team.
Horror fans will of course be familiar with the Cenobites, the infamous beings of extraordinary power from the Hellraiser films led by Pinhead. Demons to some, angels to others, the Cenobites don’t abide by easy rules of morality, instead driven to push the extreme boundaries of pain and pleasure. But while the Cenobites play a pivotal role in the story of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, players will have to battle against two other key factions.
The first is the Scarlet Church, a cult led by a charismatic figure named Marlowe. The Church hopes to establish contact with the Cenobites and seeks to use the mysterious Genesis Configuration puzzle box to create a debauched paradise for themselves.
The other group is the Unworthy, once-human wretches who sought after the ultimate experiences of sensation but were denied by Leviathan, ruler of the otherworldly Labyrinth. These rejects of Hell, monsters who think and behave differently from the cultists of the Church, are drawn to the Genesis Configuration as a potential path to redemption.
Both the Scarlet Church and the Unworthy will offer completely different combat experiences, each with their own challenges to overcome. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival gives players multiple ways to fight back, including the infernal powers of the Genesis Configuration, an arsenal of earthly weapons, and a grisly dismemberment system. But beware – the Labyrinth has its own unsettling traps and challenges to survive.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is available to pre-order now on consoles at major retailers. The Standard and Deluxe editions will be available to pre-order digitally soon. Fans can also pre-order one of two special Collector’s Editions of the game NOW featuring a variety of exclusive, licensed collectibles at hellraiser.bossteamgames.com. Collector’s Edition pre-orders will unlock all Deluxe Edition and pre-order bonus content, including the Labyrinth Pistol Skin and Martyr Sawblade Skin.
Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer consisting of 15 studios in the Americas and Europe. Creating games for all major platforms based on original and licensed IPs, Saber’s titles include Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, Jurassic Park: Survival, Turok: Origins, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, World War Z, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, Bus Bound, Docked, SnowRunner, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game and RoadCraft. Founded in 2001, Saber is known for two decades of development partnerships with leading developers and publishers, including producing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Nintendo Switch, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crysis Remastered, and many others. Learn more at https://saber.games.
About Boss Team Games
Boss Team Games, LLC is focused on crafting unforgettable experiences across console, PC, mobile, and VR platforms. The company has worked with top entertainment companies to bring iconic characters and franchises to life such as Evil Dead: The Game, Cobra Kai: Card Fighter, and the RetroRealms series featuring Halloween and Ash vs Evil Dead. Stay connected with Boss Team Games on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @bossteamgames for the latest updates or visit the company website at bossteamgames.com.
Hellraiser™ and The Hellbound Heart titles, characters, settings, protected marks, plot lines, and themes are exclusively licensed for video games to Lament GameCo, LLC by Clive Barker and Park Avenue Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
When it comes to managing an idol or an idol group, the concept isn’t entirely uncommon in the West but it is rather rare as many of the bigger titles focused on this remained Japanese exclusive, with Idolm@ster’s individual and team training titles never being released in English and only just recently a certain horse racing idol game arriving last year. Now though we have a title focused on an entirely different brand of music with K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut. Developed by Indonesian Wisangeni Studio and published by PQube, players are placed in charge of managing an up and coming label, but is this development game worth the time?
Story
The player’s story begins with their former idol group giving their final concert, having run out of money to continue their operations and while the CEO, the player’s friend Joo Won, isn’t too upset, he is worried that the player may not be able to make it in the industry with how they handled their team. This is immediately squashed as the player is emailed an acceptance notice from WG Entertainment, an on-the-rise studio with flashy stars and ready to bring the player on as a new manager for their new project. Project KIS. After meeting with the CEO and Vice President, the player is then given a few options about how they want to target their idol group. Fantasy, Cute, or Glamor and then mostly given free reign.
From here players will be able to hold auditions for idols with there being only a certain number of available girls total, though players can choose to take their idol group all the way up to a whopping eight members or even stick to a solo girl for a single debut. Either way, depending on the girls that the player hires it will also potentially affect what storylines they might see as each girl has a unique story that can play out alongside the core goal of Project KIS, and that being to debut the idol group against rivals from other companies throughout multiple evaluations and finally take part in an awards ceremony at the very end.
Although the main storyline may be very linear, what happens along the way is determined entirely by RNG it seems so players will need to play the game multiple times to see various storylines and how they unfold. For example, in the first run of K-pop Idol Stories we saw an idol named Yue manage to not only obtain her dream but also accomplish her true goal in a rather emotional fashion, especially since she bonded with the manager afterwards. Similarly another hired idol that we were training was beginning to flunk out of school and her parents were laying it on thick that she would need to quit being an idol if her grades can’t keep up. Ironically though, while this storyline did play out most of the way, it did not manage to finish and the other two girls that were part of the group did not have any storyline started at all, with the exception of a single scene.
While this is nice for the point of replayability, especially since a full run through of the game takes a little over four hours once players get the hang of things, it is a bit disappointing that there is no way to trigger specific events with specific characters or even have a choice in regards to who is developed other than avoiding hiring an idol entirely. It is also worth noting that while players can interact with other members of the studio staff, none of these interactions are really detailed outside of a few here and there and most tend to involve repeating the exact same dialogue. So much in fact that the game will use the same female lines even when one of the male characters is meant to be talking, calling them a girl or she.
It is nice to note that K-pop Idol Stories isn’t all sunshine and rainbows about the idol industry. While it doesn’t take a hard stance against it or condemn it in any way, it does show that there are risks that come with being an idol. This includes storylines that involve stalkers, obsessive fans wanting to potentially harm them, aging out of the industry, and more. The fact that this is addressed is a nice touch, and players can select various dialogue responses during these scenes, and other story scenes involving their idols, that affect their moods, relationships, and stats.
Gameplay
K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut is a fairly straightforward development simulation that involves building a team of idols ranging all the way from a solo artist to a massive eight girl group and anywhere in-between. To do this, players must hold auditions, hire which girls they want on their squad, and then train them to compete against other idols in the industry during three evaluation periods before finally making their proper debut as an idol group. All while trying to stay afloat with enough money to keep going since, while the CEO can give the player a little extra leeway if they run low on funds, doing so too often can result in him shutting down the project.
Everything is slowly introduced to players though most of it is rather simple at best. Every week there are seven days players will be able to schedule out various tasks for their idols to do and the manager can also hold auditions at the same time, though adding new girls into the team will bring them in at their base value and lower the group’s overall abilities until they are similarly trained. Either way, every girl has a certain strength and weakness when hired as well as a salary they must be paid every month alongside dietary requirements that also cost money but restore their stamina every week depending on what the player chooses. Every idol has four stats that players will need to increase and these are Vocals, Dance, Charm, and Fame with their chosen group dynamic of Fantasy, Cute, or Glamor factoring into which stats are most important. As the girls are trained throughout the week they will lose stamina and happiness that can only be regained by taking time off, going to the spa, or even going on vacation eventually.
While the schedule system starts off simple with only a few options, players will unlock various extra training methods through an always visible “tree” that explains how some better methods for training are unlocked, though most of these are tied to tiny percentages or bonds with the various colleagues in WG Entertainment. This means that players can unlock the ability to start going on a picnic if they are lucky on a day off or, if the player manages to get close enough with certain colleagues as mentioned before, even work as a back-up dancer or take on various gigs to try and earn money as well. Working gigs not only improves fame but also rewards the player with money since almost every other option outside of a day off costs money, whether it is training, massages for the idols, or anything else. While we never were up against the wall when it came to money until one point where, ironically we triggered a loan segment the day before money literally rolled in by the hundred thousands, it can play a role if players aren’t careful.
This is especially true once other costs start to pile up. Idols can be injured or slip-up while training and need medical attention and players can pay extra insurance every month per girl to always have that option covered. This keeps the girls happy and active rather than sidelined or unhappy they must pay out of pocket. Similarly, hiring a driver can avoid missing gigs or running late due to traffic but can be rather exorbitant as a cost even if it means missing out on opportunities here and there. Finally if players get there, there is the bodyguard option that can not only protect idols from incidents in the field but also story situations as well, though this is also a rather hefty cost.
Balancing the budget and making sure the players’ idols are trained and dressed correctly for every evaluation is the only goal here but there is some assistance along the way through interaction points. Every week players get two interaction points and can use them to interact with other staff members or even the idols themselves. While a bit random until players figure out what each character likes through repetition, players can invite characters out or discuss things with them to gain relationship points that can unlock extra training moments, bonuses to various training methods, literally just money, and even extra gigs entirely such as auditioning to be in a movie or on a fashion magazine for a nice chunk of change. These auditions though are rather absurd in their low success rate, with the highest being 10% and lowest being 5% chance and taking the place of training or rest time.
While hanging out with others or even during some training activities players can trigger mini-games that usually offer a bit of money or increase the happiness or training value from an activity. These range from taking part in a Korean BBQ of cooking items on a grill and moving them off before they burn, pouring drinks at a bar at the fill-line, pressing lights in the proper order a few times, or even simply turning a gacha machine for an extra stat boost. There are also smaller elements once players get closer to debut such as designing their “album cover” in a glitchy system and even the types of glow wands fans will be waving that provide stat boosts to the girls. These mini-games and later design elements are simple but do help break up the monotony of the game a bit.
This is something of a problem that K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut has. While there are new storylines to uncover and various chances to see new content and take in new idols, they all follow the same goal and same training methods. This means that things can grow incredibly monotonous and repetitive if players don’t take a break here and there. It is also worth noting that while the game does appear to offer a New Game+ option, it doesn’t seem to offer much in the way of useful content to carry over other than a paltry influx of money at the start compared to what we had at the end added to the starting $50,000 players are given to work with.
Audio & Visuals
K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut has fairly decent visuals and mostly sticks true to being a visual novel with Live2D style character portraits for the idols themselves while the standard characters players interact with have only minor details. Despite the game offering a gallery on the player’s cell phone any CGs that players unlock in a playthrough they are not shown at all in the phone nor is there any gallery viewable in the main menu which is disappointing. Another disappointing fact is that the debut concert is incredibly generic. It features only the standing Live2D sprites in the player’s chosen costumes in the same generic pose while the music video moves around behind them and occasionally slides them around.
While taking part in the training the idols that players have are shown in chibi form and are rather cute and have a little bit of animation change depending on the task but that’s about it. The game does not have voice work of any kind but it does feature a nice soundtrack featuring a decent collection of standard background music as well as a handful of original K-Pop songs that players will be able to listen to and even have their idol group perform near the end of a run.
Overall
K-Pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut is a structurally sound idol group simulator that allows players to manage the various elements of building a team to their own preference and to fit their goals, but unfortunately the heavy focus on RNG for different or unique story development and lack of New Game+ benefits, or even an alternate core storyline, makes replaying the title quite boring despite the fun loop of balancing funds while ensuring your idols can shine as bright as possible in the time you have to train them. If only it felt more rewarding when everything is said and done.
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