Today, Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced will be officially unveiled during a dedicated Showcase, airing on 24 April at 2:00 AM AEST on the following channels:
Back in 2023, it was shared that the original Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag has reached over 34 million players, highlighting its lasting impact on the franchise and its community.
For the latest news about Assassin’s Creed and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com. To purchase, please visit store.ubisoft.com.
About Assassin’s Creed
Since it first launched in 2007, the Assassin’s CreedTM series has sold more than 230 million games worldwide. The franchise is now established as one of the best-selling series in video game history. Recognised for having some of the richest, most engrossing storytelling in the industry, Assassin’s Creed transcends video games, branching out into numerous other entertainment media.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s CreedTM, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew® and Tom Clancy’s The Division®. With a Ubisoft+ subscription, players can access new releases, premium editions and extra content on Day One on PC, console and cloud. For the 2024-25 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1.85 billion. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
London, UK – April 20, 2026 – Hear ye, hear ye, dearest Steam player! Mayhap thou find a bargain betwixt Mythwright’s lineup of titles reduced for this week’s Steam Medieval Fest?
Available until April 27th, grab a discount on a range of Mythwright’s latest medieval-themed releases, including a mighty 35% discount on minimalist strategy game Thronefall, 20% off medieval settlement builder Going Medieval, and 50% off strategy typing game Touch Type Tale.
Create medieval masterpieces with a 20% launch discount on Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, which joins Steam Medieval Fest shortly after its release last week. And get the biggest discount yet on swordsmithing fantasy RPG Bladesong, just in time for today’s launch of the game’s first major Early Access content update: Chapter 2: The Shattered Mask.
While you’re browsing the games on sale, be sure to wishlist Innkeep, an upcoming tavern sim/retro adventure with a mischievous twist, coming soon to Steam.
Mythwright – Steam Medieval Fest Highlights:
Bladesong– 20% off – Free update ‘Chapter 2: The Shattered Mask’ available today
Founded by industry veterans in 2024, Mythwright is a UK-based publisher with a focus on spotlighting awesome indie games. The publisher’s upcoming titles include vehicular Survivors-like TerraTech Legion, launching on PC, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass on April 30th, Kaiju Cleanup, Cozy Marbles, Cleaner Company, Innkeep, and Deadstick – Bush Flight Simulator.
ABOUT MYTHWRIGHT Mythwright is an independent publisher founded by industry veterans. Established in 2024, Mythwright has already signed a range of exciting titles including Thronefall, Kaiju Cleanup, TerraTech Legion, TerraTech Worlds, TerraTech, Going Medieval, Cleaner Company, Cozy Marbles, Galacticare, War for the Overworld, Bladesong, Innkeep, Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, Deadstick – Bush Flight Simulator and Touch Type Tale – Strategic Typing.
Sand Sailor Studio and Thunderful have today released a new update for ASKA that adds an appropriately themed layer of celebration and community to your Viking settlement as Steam Medieval Fest kicks off. More than 600,000 players have checked out ASKA during the game’s Early Access period. The new Hearth & Honey update and a 20% discount for the duration of the Medieval Fest makes now the perfect time to join the growing Viking-hordes in festival spirit as the mood shifts from raiding to bees and delicious mead.
Hearth & Honey brings a whole new production chain to the game, centered around beekeeping and brewing mead. It starts with a voyage out to the marsh islands to track down wild beehives and ends with your villagers raising a horn at the newly added taverns, which can now also be upgraded to tier 3. Stocking your taverns with this tasty liquid gold provides a new way to manage your tribe’s needs and keep their spirits high.
Hearth & Honey is the latest in a relentless stream of content, following 8 major updates and numerous patches – including the game-changing Seaborne Raiders expansion which brought longships and naval exploration to the world.
New Brewery building: Brewers harvest honey from available Bee Houses and turn it into mead. Apart from honey, he requires empty mead barrels and water.
New Bee House building: Constantly produces honey once built. It will, however, lower an area’s desirability – these bees sting!
New Wild Beehive resource: Found on Marsh Islands. Bees make their hives in high-up, safe places, so you’ll have to figure out a way to bring the hive down.
Honey!: Sweet gold made by bees. Provides a bit of sustenance and gives a short stamina buff. Key ingredient for mead. Produced by Bee Houses.
Mead Barrels and Empty Barrels: The Workshop House (Tier3) can now craft empty barrels to be used by the Brewer. Barrels are reusable.
Drinking Horn: You can now craft Drinking Horns, which act as mead containers, allowing you to take your mead to-go!
New Warehouse Storages: Honey and barrels each have their own new storages at the warehouse.
Tavern House (Tier3): The new Tavern level now allows villagers to drink mead at the tables. The Tavern has a large new mead barrel, which the tavern worker will supply with mead barrels.
Settlement Storage Statistics: Players can now see how stored items and resources increase or decrease over time, thanks to a new graph interface that makes it much easier to understand how your settlement and outposts are performing in terms of resource production.
Crawler Hunting: Hunters now have the ability to delve into mines to hunt crawlers.
[Toronto, Canada] – April 20, 2026 – Reverie World Studios and indie.io are proud to announce City States: Medieval is now available on Steam as part of Steam’s Medieval Fest. In the latest entry in Reverie’s long-running series of hybrid strategy games, players are invited to test their skills as statesmen and leaders, trying to survive as a city-state among greater kingdoms, competing for trade, power, and wealth across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East – aided by heroic leaders who put a new twist on strategy, from commerce to warfare.
The city-state is the heart of the game, allowing players to experience the 12th century and the last of the medieval renaissances from a new perspective, the great trading cities of the era. Players can pick one of three starting options, each offering a different set of circumstances and challenges: Genoa, located on the Italian Peninsula among fractious states, offers an experience focused on trade and diplomacy; Granada, in Andalusia, requires players to balance defense against the encroaching Christian kingdoms with expanding the economy and managing internal politics; finally, Novgorod in the East focuses on establishing an economic powerhouse surrounded by hostile principalities and nomadic raiders.
Commerce is key to surviving in the High Middle Ages, with twelve trading goods – from honey to spices – available for trade. However, beyond wealth it is heroic leaders who determine the fate of the city-states they rule. Found on the frontlines of diplomacy and warfare, these historic figures enable full control over surrounding units and cities, acting as main characters of the story written by the players’ actions. They can dispatch them to negotiate with foreign powers, establish outposts in faraway lands, participate in Crusades, or keep them home, focusing on protecting the homefront against encroaching enemies.
Without the hero present, players may only issue high-level orders, turning their location into a strategic consideration – especially in high stakes battles where they become a powerful force multiplier, enabling real time control of battles. Here, Reverie polished and refined the experience, combining battle-tested tactical combat mechanics with elements of tower defense, to depict the brutal sieges of cities and fortresses synonymous with medieval times.
The resulting complex strategic gameplay ensures a unique challenge for fans of the genre and newcomers alike, paired with a story-driven experience showcasing the challenges and opportunities faced by medieval city-states.
High Middle Ages, high risk, high stakes in a unique hybrid real-time strategy game: Lead a city-state to victory today! City States: Medieval is now available for $19.99 USD on Steam and is available through the indie.io store.
ABOUT REVERIE WORLD STUDIOS
Reverie World Studios, founded in Toronto, Canada in 2007, boasts a completed next-gen game engine, five previously released titles, and a talented team ready to seize opportunities in the expanding interactive entertainment market. Drawing from diverse global talent, including North America, Europe, and Australia, the team behind the Kingdom Wars series operates in a multicultural environment, leveraging virtual office technology for over a decade to streamline operations. Inspired by Canada’s game development successes, Reverie aims to excel as a leading exporter of interactive media, focusing on innovation and fostering a concentrated talent pool.
ABOUT INDIE.IO
indie.io is home to over 100 of the world’s best independent video games and developers. Our platform was built to provide independent developers with the resources, services, and management tools needed for success. Through collaboration and passion, we strive to cultivate a diverse and vibrant gaming landscape that resonates with players and creators alike!
Big-name collabs with Porsche and Persona 5 headline a packed livestream, alongside spotlights on gameplay and tech specs
BEIJING, CHINA (April 20, 2026) | Publisher Perfect World Games and developer Hotta Studio are kicking off the week with some big updates for their upcoming supernatural urban open-world RPG, NTE (Neverness to Everness), ahead of its launch on PC, Mac, PlayStation5, iOS, and Android on April 29, 2026.
In the latest livestream update, fans were treated to a first look at two exciting new collaborations, as well as more tantalizing glimpses of key gameplay systems.
Iconic Brand and IP Collaborations First up is the news that NTE will welcome two iconic brands to its bustling urban world:
Porsche: Fully embracing the spirit of “Driven by Dreams,” automotive giant Porsche will be bringing the jaw-dropping 918 Spyder to the vibrant streets of Hethereau. More details to be announced soon!
Persona 5: The legendary JRPG crosses over to the world of NTE, with the distinctive rhythms of Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5: The Phantom X to be available via the in-car radio and the new “walkman” feature, allowing you to strut the streets in style while exploring the city on foot.
Character Roster and Social Systems Next up, we’ve got an early preview of two new recruits available for a limited time following launch:
Nanally (14-Day Banner): A cat-girl with gravity-defying abilities, offering unparalleled freedom in vertical exploration.
Hotori (21-Day Banner): Owner of the Eben Antique Shop, capable of manipulating time to dominate the battlefield.
In addition, there was also a first look at Standard Banner recruit, Aurelia, along with details of the Enhanced Bond System, encouraging a deeper connection between players and the characters of NTE through improved voice acting and animations, and meaningful interactions at locations throughout the world, such as date spots and spontaneous street-level encounters in the sprawling urban environment of Heathereau.
Immersive Urban Activities NTE is designed as a living, breathing urban playground where music, speed, and supernatural mystery converge. The city is more alive than ever, thanks to expanded side-activities:
City Tycoon & Social Life: Reach new fishing milestones to unlock exclusive skins for Zero. The “Swift Travel” system now features interactive requests from acquaintances.
Mini-Games: Challenge friends or bots in the newly implemented Little Sparrow (Mahjong) system, featuring unlockable tables and Mahjong tile skins.
Pink Paws Heist: A revamped multiplayer mode with a fresh reward system, allowing players to earn exclusive outfits and vehicles through cooperative play.
Technical Excellence Last but not least, the livestream also shared updates on performance specs for the game:
Global Ray Tracing:NTE now supports full-scale ray tracing, delivering hyper-realistic lighting, reflections, and shadows that bring the neon-soaked city of Hethereau to life.
Optimization: Significant performance passes have been completed for both mobile devices and PC, ensuring a smooth, high-fidelity experience across all platforms.
Polished Mechanics: From character models to basic movement and environmental interactions, every detail has been refined to provide a more responsive, tactile gameplay feel.
About NTE NTE is an ambitious and unique online RPG that takes place in the city of Hethereau – a vast, seamless open world rendered with the power of Unreal Engine 5, where humans co-exist with supernatural anomalies. Players will control a range of vibrant and dynamic characters, each with their own unique personalities and abilities, to explore the city and investigate these anomalies in episodic comedy-drama storylines.
Aside from the core story and RPG gameplay, players will also be able to take part in an ever-expanding roster of activities, including collecting, modding, and racing sports cars, buying and designing their own chic city getaways, and even running a business. Whatever you choose to do with your time in Hethereau, the experience will always be immersive, absorbing, and never-ending.
NTE launches on April 29 for PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, iOS, and Android. More information and pre-registration for all platforms are available via the NTE website.
About Perfect World Games Perfect World Games is a global gaming company specializing in game development, operations, and publishing. With a diverse product portfolio across MMO, open-world, action, turn-based, and other genres, the company has expanded its presence on multiple platforms, including PC, mobile, consoles, and VR. Leveraging its industry-leading in-house development capabilities, Perfect World Games is committed to delivering high-quality game content and experiences to players worldwide.
About Hotta Studio Hotta Studio previously developed the globally released open-world game Tower of Fantasy. Tower of Fantasy features a light sci-fi art style with anime aesthetics, and was created with Unreal Engine 4, providing players worldwide with a rich and diverse open-world gaming experience.
Mountains can be moved, opinions too… paradise has never been so presidential.
Bracknell, UK – April 20, 2026 – El Presidente returns, and this time, the island isn’t just ready for a ruler… it’s demanding one. Publisher Kalypso Media and in-house developer Gaming Minds Studios are proud to unveil the first (and best) gameplay teaser for Tropico 7, offering loyal citizens and players alike a first glimpse of what it truly means to lead a paradise.
“Some leaders study history. Others learn leadership by holding the wheel – with… mixed results,” declares El Presidente. “Today I am governor. Tomorrow… Presidente! And every street, every district, and even mountains… will bend to my will.”
In the gameplay clip, the island springs to life under the guiding hand of El Prez. Streets are built through lively districts and mountains seem to yield to presidential ambitions, while the citizens’ loyalties and opinions are steered to serve him. “El Presidente doesn’t just govern… he orchestrates chaos with style,” the Ministry of Propaganda and Misinformation adds. “Every street and every building serve a purpose, and every citizen plays a role in his grand plan.”
Tropico 7 is scheduled for release 2026 and will be available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, and on PC (Steam, Epic Games), Xbox on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®5.
Features:
Lead your nation to new heights:Tropico 7 tells El Presidente’s continuous success story across 5 campaign maps – starring himself, Penultimo and a new nemesis: Victoria Guerra.
More is more: Archipelagos, with the biggest islands ever in the series, await your rule, expanded with 10 extra scenarios, more than 20 sandbox maps, and endless possibilities with a random map generator.
Move mountains – literally: Erase them, create beaches, or even create entirely new islands! The new terraforming feature brings your megalomaniac dreams to life. Start that mammoth project – NOW!
Bollocks uhm… Politics: Navigate the snares and pits of internal politics, when you summon the different factions to your council, a new way to meet them face to face while you pulverize their dreams – or use them for a BIG DEAL to your own advantage.
Make the world your playground: Elections, election speeches and a vast portfolio of edicts depending on your political standing spice up your daily rule while you juggle foreign affairs and occasionally steal… uhm relocate a landmark to revel in its benefits.
Built to prosper: Strategically place buildings to make use of synergy effects, keep citizen satisfaction high, and fill any unused plots of land with beautiful parks in a freely customized size.
Generalissimo No. 1: Eliminate those pesky rebels and fend off foreign threats with a reworked military system enabling more direct control of your military units.
Always judge a book by its cover: Customize the appearance of your palace and El Presidente with new and creative options.
About the Kalypso Media Group GmbH
Kalypso Media Group GmbH is an independent publisher, developer, and marketer of interactive entertainment software with a team of over 200 at 10 locations across Germany, England, Japan, the USA and France. The Kalypso Media Group includes Kasedo Games, the digital label of Kalypso Media Group, along with four development studios: Realmforge Studios (Dungeons series), Gaming Minds Studios in Gütersloh and Paderborn (Railway Empire, Port Royale, Tropico 7) and Claymore Game Studios (Commandos: Origins).
Specializing in the development of strategy and simulation games for a global audience on multi-platforms, Kalypso Media Group’s IP portfolio includes full rights to the Tropico series, Commandos, Port Royale, Dungeons, Sudden Strike, and Railway Empire, among others. Kalypso Media’s most recent releases are The Inquisitor, Commandos: Origins and Disciples: Domination. Recent releases from Kasedo Games include Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop, Sweet Dreams Alex, and Rise of Industry 2, with upcoming titles such as Warhammer 40000: Mechanicus II and Life Below. Find out more at www.kalypsomedia.com.
Kalypso Media Group offers a wide range of merch products and clothing in the newly opened Kalypso Media merch store. The products available include Kalypso Media’s best-known franchises, including Commandos, Railway Empire, Dungeons, and Tropico. More at merch.kalypsomedia.com.
London, UK – April 20, 2026 – Discover the next thrilling chapter of a gripping fantasy RPG and continue your legacy as a legendary swordsmith with Bladesong Chapter 2: The Shattered Mask, the first major content update for the hit Early Access swordmaking sim, available today as a free update on Steam and Epic Games Store.
Bladesong Chapter 2: The Shattered Mask | Overview Trailer
After the events of Chapter 1, Eren Keep is a city on edge. The Masked King’s grip tightens. The Marshal hunts for traitors. And beneath it all, a resistance is taking shape.
In Chapter 2: The Shattered Mask, discover a brand-new story chapter that introduces two new factions, the Anointed and the Houndsburg League, as the smith is forced to take desperate measures to investigate the fate of the missing orphans and assist a fragile alliance. Jump into expanded gameplay with a new type of challenge – Replication Commissions – and discover new sword parts, permanent forge upgrades and the brand-new showroom to make your home.
Bladesong – Chapter 2: The Shattered Mask – New Features:
Continue The Story –Discover the next thrilling chapter of Bladesong’s gripping fantasy RPG story.
Two New Factions – Meet the Anointed and the Houndsburg League, each with their own vendor and sword parts.
Forge Upgrades – Master the forge with a new room, unlockable new permanent benefits and apply decorative items to make it your own.
Replication Commissions – Encounter a new type of challenge that tasks smithers with assembling the hilt and forging the blade to match the shape provided by a customer.
Story Mode > Creative Mode Transfers – Players can now easily access their most recent Story Mode creations in Creative Mode for further editing or to export for 3D printing.
Available now in Early Access, Bladesong is the ultimate swordmaking game. Use innovative blade shaping tools and an intricate modular building system to forge any sword you can imagine. Unlock new skills and abilities to master the art of swordsmithing in an RPG/sim that tasks players with perfecting their craft as a master bladesmith. Create swords for Eren Keep’s various factions in Story Mode and forge without limits in Creative Mode. With every detail customizable, and each piece meticulously crafted and adorned, no two creations are ever the same.
For more info on Bladesong, head over to Steam and Epic Games Store.
ABOUT SUN AND SERPENT CREATIONS SUN AND SERPENT creations are a rising indie studio based in Germany with talent from Moon Studios and Ninja Theory. Founded in 2023, Bladesong is the studio’s debut title with an Early Access release in January 2026.
ABOUT MYTHWRIGHT Mythwright is an independent publisher founded by industry veterans. Established in 2024, Mythwright has already signed a range of exciting titles including Thronefall, Kaiju Cleanup, TerraTech Legion, TerraTech Worlds, TerraTech, Going Medieval, Cleaner Company, Cozy Marbles, Galacticare, War for the Overworld, Bladesong, Innkeep, Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, Deadstick – Bush Flight Simulator and Touch Type Tale – Strategic Typing.
Plan your team, unleash unique heroes, and fight your way out of a deadly dungeon in this fast-paced tactical escape adventure from Italian indie developer Demon Girl.
Milano, Italy – 20 April, 2026. Indie developer Demon Girl today announces Drag ’N Dungeon, a challenging tactical escape adventure coming to PC via Steamthis summer, alongside a playable demo available now for players eager to test their strategy.
Published by Tambù Digital, Drag ’N Dungeon blends tactical decision-making with real-time action in a unique voxel-style dungeon crawler where every move matters. Trapped deep within a mysterious dungeon, players must assemble a team of powerful heroes, deploy them strategically, and adapt on the fly to survive increasingly dangerous encounters.
In Drag ’N Dungeon, victory isn’t handed to you; it’s dragged out.
Players will unlock and command up to 40 unique heroes, each with their own abilities, strengths, and synergies. Choosing the right combination is key as you face deadly traps, cunning enemies, and ever-evolving challenges designed to test both reflexes and tactical thinking.
The dungeon itself is a relentless gauntlet of trials, rewarding smart play and punishing missteps. With no grid to constrain your strategy, battles unfold in tight, dynamic spaces where positioning, timing, and quick decision-making are critical to survival.
Whether carefully planning your next move or reacting in the heat of battle, every choice brings you one step closer to freedom or failure. Study your enemies, refine your approach, and push deeper into the unknown as you fight to escape.
Players can jump into the action right now with the newly released demo on Steam, offering an early taste of the game’s strategic depth and fast-paced combat.
Step into the dungeon today by downloading the demo, and wishlist Drag ’N Dungeon on Steam to stay up to date with development news ahead of its full release this summer.
About Demon Girl
Demon Girl is an independent game development studio based in Lucca, Italy, founded in 2021. Comprising a small, dedicated team of creative professionals, Demon Girl is focused on delivering exciting new gaming experiences to players worldwide. Drawing on extensive experience from previous collaborations with videogames like Still Time and Unit 4, the team is committed to creating innovative and engaging games. With a passion for unique titles, the studio’s projects include the metroidvania Demoniaca and the upcoming online game Death Blonde.
About Tambù Digital
Tambù Digital is the video game division of Tambù, an Italian company established in 2018 known for its creativity in board games and gamification. The studio focuses on blending deep strategic mechanics with engaging storytelling to create unique indie experiences.
Lineup of show updates includes DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, DRAGON BALL FighterZ and more
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe unveiled multiple announcements during the annual DRAGON BALL Games Battle Hour, held this past weekend in Los Angeles. The two-day event, concluded with a Main Stage presentation that was livestreamed across the globe, delivering updates for new content coming to DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, DRAGON BALL FighterZ, DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2, and DRAGON BALL Gekishin Squadra. The string of news led up to the unveiling of an all-new DRAGON BALL game that had been teased two months ago as “Age 1000”, sending fans at the show into a frenzy with the long-awaited sequel DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3.
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3 continues the series’ legacy with a completely new DRAGON BALL experience, where players choose the hero they want to become in an unexplored DRAGON BALL world brought to life by the original author, Akira Toriyama. DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 3 is coming to PlayStation5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2027.
DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2 officially revealed FUTURE SAGA: Chapter 4, marking the final DLC for the game nearly 10 years after its original release. Set to launch in Summer 2026, this last chapter brings the DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2 – FUTURE SAGA Pack Set to a dramatic close, reflecting on everything players have fought for, protecting history, shaping the future, and facing god-level power in a climactic final battle.
Goku (Super Saiyan 4, DAIMA) joins DRAGON BALL FighterZ
A new gameplay trailer unveiled that Goku (SS4, DAIMA) will join the fight in DRAGON BALL FighterZ as part of the new DAIMA DLC, launching on April 22. Players can deflect every blow and unleash a relentless offense with Wild Dash, a move that can further branch into four other techniques, including Double Combination, Raging Strike, Power Swing and Quick Move.
Watch the new DRAGON BALL FighterZDLC gameplay trailer below
New playable characters and Solo Mode in DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO DLC
New details were revealed for the upcoming DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO DLC. Playable characters “Vegeta (GT)” and “Trunks (GT)” are making their first appearance in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, and the update also includes a new costume and Super Attack for “Goku (Z – End)” that represent a fan-favorite iconic moment. Additionally, a new solo mode will allow players to select unlocked characters and receive EXP through battle and events to empower their favorite characters and push them to even greater heights.
Watch the new DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO DLC trailer below.
New collab content and tournament format for DRAGON BALL GEKISHIN SQUADRA
DRAGON BALL GEKISHIN SQUADRA announced an exciting new collaboration with DRAGON BALL Xenoverse 2. New hero skins and emotes based on Xenoverse 2 will be added to the game, with details coming soon. Fans should stay tuned on the game’s official site for further information. In addition, DRAGON BALL GEKISHIN SQUADRA is getting its first-ever offline-format world championship, with winners from different servers from around the world invited to Japan to compete for the title of World No.1.
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is a leading global publisher, developer, and distributor of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.
Producing intellectual property for a global audience, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, and production capabilities of Reflector Entertainment.
Based in Lyon, France, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe is known for bringing many of the entertainment industry’s top franchises such as PAC-MAN™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, ACE COMBAT™, DARK SOULS™, and ELDEN RING™ to EMEA and ANZ markets.
The Legendary Console Classic Is Back with No Emulation, No Compromise, No Comparison. Be Part of the Real Arcade Revolution with Pre-Orders Starting Today.
20th April 2026: PLAION REPLAI, a leading global publisher and developer of retro video games and consoles, announced the return of a legend, with the NEOGEO AES+ (Advanced Entertainment System) returning to homes ready for Holiday 2026.
With pre-orders opening today, and the launch date set as 12th November 2026, the NEOGEO AES+ has been produced in collaboration with SNK, the producers of the original hardware.
Celebrating 35 years of arcade perfection, the iconic NEOGEO AES stood as a beacon of excellence, with the 24-bit luxury super console a world apart from rival 16-bit systems, designed for gaming connoisseurs who refused to accept compromised homeports of arcade classics.
With each title representing a 1:1 direct replica of the original arcade board used on SNK’s MVS (Multi-Video System), NEOGEO cartridges would differ significantly from traditional console games typically shipped on a 4Mb or 8Mb cartridge, with the largest NEOGEO game weighing in at an incredible 708Mb, and games that exceeded 100Mb in size giving birth to the infamous ‘100Mega Shock’ moniker.
Often imitated but never equalled, the NEOGEO AES represented the definition of high-end, desirable gaming tech, lusted after by all those who played, but proving beyond the reach of casual gamers thanks to the premium cost of hardware and game cartridges, many of which still command huge prices today on the collector market.
Honouring the prestigious hardware in the manner it deserves, the return of the NEOGEO AES represents a milestone in retro hardware re-releases. In keeping with the original ethos of ‘Zero Compromise’ gaming, the NEOGEO AES+is no mere micro console, offering unrivalled authenticity designed to appeal to the true gamer and discerning collector. Forgoing the traditional route of emulation, the NEOGEO AES+ utilises ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits), presenting a wholly authentic experience for both hardware and software, looking, feeling and playing just as you remember, truly ‘arcade perfect’ in each and every way. The new hardware is so authentic, in fact, that theNEOGEO AES+ offers full compatibility with original NEOGEO AEScartridges, ideal for those with a pre-existing collection of games, wishing to play on modern displays.
Speaking of modern displays, the NEOGEO AES+ comes armed with discrete quality of life upgrades designed to appeal to a modern gaming audience without altering or compromising the console features so inherent to the original appeal. In addition to the regular AV out, built for CRT enthusiasts to enjoy, the new hardware comes complete with low-latency HDMI™ output, finally allowing the games to be enjoyed in crystal clear HD, with resolutions of up to 1080p. On-screen BIOS and DIP Switches located on the bottom of the console allow for instant switching of territory language selection, overclocking the hardware or choosing different display modes, and the console now offers low power usage as well as permanently saving gamers’ High Score saves for each game.
Such momentous hardware deserves more than a mere console release however, and PLAION REPLAI plan to support the console launch with a full ecosystem of games and accessories, offering fans old and new alike a chance to build their ultimate collection of arcade classics with all of the authenticity, but none of the prohibitive costs associated with the system and software, finally priced at a level that puts perfection within the reach of the masses.
Launching alongside the console is a collection of ten classic NEOGEO games, with more releases expected to follow. On day one, gamers can purchase the following software:
Metal Slug
The King of Fighters 2002
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Big Tournament Golf
Shock Troopers
Samurai Shodown V Special
Pulstar
Twinkle Star Sprites
Magician Lord
Over Top
As part of the 35th anniversary celebration, gamers will also be able to purchase the exclusive Anniversary Edition bundle, stunningly presented in an ice white design which has been applied to the authentic wireless Arcade Stick, Metal Slug game cartridge and Memory Card, which come included as part of the bundle. The white Metal Slug game cartridge will not be available to buy anywhere else.
All versions of the NEOGEO AES+ come complete with power supply, HDMI cable and Arcade Stick, and in addition, the following NEOGEO AES+ accessories will also be available to purchase upon launch:
NEOGEO AES+ Arcade Stick: A 1:1 replica of the original classic controller, now updated to offer both wired and wireless capability
NEOGEO AES+ Memory Card: A 1:1 replica of the original, performing in the exact same fashion as the original, but now updated to no longer require a cell battery
NEOGEO AES+ Gamepad: A 1:1 replica of the original
Please see the Announce Trailer here
Commenting on the launch of the new NEOGEO AES+ console, software and accessories, Ben Jones, Commercial Director of PLAION REPLAI said, “NEOGEO remains peerless in the eyes of arcade enthusiasts who were never inclined to accept anything less than the authentic arcade experience. For 35 years, SNK’s hardware has continued to astonish gamers with the system’s game collection, which includes a wealth of great titles, somehow only improving with age, and remaining timeless classics to this day. We are beyond excited to reintroduce this legendary system to modern gamers, in a way that refuses to compromise on the integrity of the original hardware and collecting experience, now priced at a level which every gamer can finally afford. We look forward to unveiling more news throughout the year and cannot wait for gamers to get reacquainted with the 100Mega Shock that only NEOGEO can provide.”
Both the Standard Edition and the 35th Anniversary Edition NEOGEO AES+ hardware will be released on 12th November 2026 and are currently available to pre-order at The Gamesmen, Amazon and EB Games for an SRP of: $329.99 and $499.99.
Each game cartridge in the NEOGEO AES+collection is expected to retail for an SRP of: $139.99.
Pricing of NEOGEO AES+ accessories will vary depending on the territory.
For more information on the NEOGEO AES+system, software and accessories, please visit: www.plaionreplai.com/neogeo
About PLAION
PLAION is a dynamic and diversified business in the global entertainment sector, masterfully crafting franchises that captivate audiences worldwide. Boasting a vast network of eight game development studios, fifteen regional publishing offices, three game publishing labels, including Deep Silver, and PLAION PICTURES as an independent film publisher and distributor, the company extends its influence with merchandise production and expansive distribution capabilities across the globe.
Founded nearly three decades ago, PLAION has firmly established itself within the entertainment arena. With a diverse range of services and solutions, PLAION stands as the premier publishing partner for console and PC games across both physical and digital channels. Moreover, its strong foothold in the Virtual Reality (VR) domain highlights the company’s commitment to varied gaming experiences.
PLAION is an Embracer Group company.
ABOUT PLAION REPLAI
PLAION REPLAI is a dedicated label under PLAION focused on preserving and celebrating gaming history through high-quality, officially licensed hardware and software. With a commitment to authenticity, design fidelity, and nostalgia, REPLAI works with the world’s most respected creators to bring timeless classics back to life for a new generation. For more information, visit www.plaionreplai.com.
