#toydium

Adventure game Natsume’s Book of Friends: Hazuki no Shirushi will launch for Switch and PC via Steam on June 5, 2025 in Japan, publisher Bushiroad Games and developer Toydium announced. It will support Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese language options.

The Switch version will be priced at 7,480 yen for the standard physical or digital edition, and 12,980 yen for the first-print limited edition. The latter includes a special box, an A3-size original clear poster, a Nyanko-Sensei original pencil case, four Nyanko-Sensei original badges, a Natsume‘s Book of Friends postcard book, a Shuuichi Natori bromide, and a promotional card.

Here is an overview of the game, via its official website:

About

Spend your summer vacation in the world of Natsume’s Book of Friends in this new adventure game! As Takashi Natsume, you can hang out with your classmates, help out your family, listen to the troubles of youkai, and freely enjoy your summer vacation.

Spend Your Summer Vacation in the World of Natsume’s Book of Friends

Become Takashi Natsume and move freely through the world of Natsume’s Book of Friends. The season is summer, and school is already out for vacation. Hang out with Nishimura, Kitamoto, and Tanuma, help out Touko, give advice to the youkai of The Dog’s Circle… and of course, do not forget your summer assignments. Enjoy summer to your heart’s content with Nyanko-Sensei and your friends.

Beautiful and Nostalgic Scenery

The background art is handled by Ishigaki Production, which also worked on the anime. In addition to memorable scenes from the anime, there is plenty of background art that you will only see in the game. Players can freely explore a lovely town and interact with the characters from Natsume’s Book of Friends.

An Original Story that Weaves Various Characters

A story of family, a story of friends, a story of youkai… In this game, you can enjoy a story that weaves together the various characters from Natsume’s Book of Friends. Who will you spend your time with in your limited span of one month…? That choice is yours to make. Please enjoy a wonderful summer vacation all your own.

Fond and Nostalgic Memories

Each episode of Natsume’s Book of Friends tells a story that touches someone’s heart. As you progress through the scenario, events from seasons one to seven of the anime may be recalled. Look back on the journey so far through the lens of Takashi Natsume.

Watch the announcement teaser trailer and commercial below. View the first screenshots at the gallery.

Announce Teaser Trailer

Announce Commercial

Publisher Toei Animation and developer Toydium will release yokai-themed cooperative survival horror game NOROI KAGO: the Grudged Domain for Switch on August 28, the companies announced.

NOROI KAGO: the Grudged Domain first launched in Early Access for PC via Steam on January 23, followed by a full release on April 30.

Here is an overview of the game, via Toei Animation:

About

NOROI KAGO: the Grudged Domain is a survival horror game themed around the supernatural beings known as “Yokai” from Japanese folklore. Up to four players can cooperate online to try to escape from an enclosed area where terrifying Yokai roam.

Key Features

Experience the Japanese Horror With Your Friends – Players must attempt to escape from the cursed domain where terrifying Yokai roam. By cooperating with up to three other players online, you’ll need to work together to hide from the Yokai, survive, and find your way out.

Unique Art Style That Conveys Japanese Horror – The game offers a terrifying experience with the atmosphere of Japanese horror. To enhance the horror experience, the game features a distinctive art style characterized by strong contrasts of light and shadow, inspired by the works of Shigeru Mizuki, the creator of GeGeGe no Kitaro. The lurking Yokai emerging from the dark greatly heightens the sense of dread.

Dealing With the Curse That Undermines Players – Players must contend not only with the Yokai but also with an agonizing curse. As the curse gradually consumes you, players may transform into terrifying half-Yokai creatures. Close cooperation between players is essential in overcoming this curse which is not only frightening but also a hindrance to your escape.

Dynamic Gameplay With Ever-changing Item and Device Locations – In order to escape, you must perform a ritual to break the seal. However, the items necessary for the ritual are hidden in different locations each time you play. Additionally, you’ll need to search for items that can stall the Yokai or revive fallen teammates, leading to a new experience with every playthrough.

Watch a new trailer below.

Switch Announce Trailer

Yokai-themed cooperative survival horror game NOROI KAGO: the Grudged Domain has left Early Access and is now available in version 1.0 for PC via Steam, publisher Toei Animation and developer Toydium announced. It is currently available at a discounted price of $6.69 / €6.69 / ¥991 until May 14, after which the price will change to 9.99 / €9.99 / ¥1,480.

NOROI KAGO: the Grudged Domain first launched in Early Access on January 23.

Here are the latest details

Full Release

As part of the release, there will be a game update which includes a new monster called “Yuki Onna,” a new stage called “The Mine,” and additional downloadable content.

About “Yuki Onna”

The “Yuki Onna” or snow woman moves quickly and glides with barely a sound. Make sure you listen carefully or she’ll appear when you least expect it! When Yuki Onna finds you, she spits out a blizzard which causes the player to be frozen in ice. Take care to watch the floors too, if they’re frozen by Yuki Onna, you’re likely to slip around and be caught more easily.

About “The Mine”

The mine was once a site where silver ore was excavated with vigor. Back in those days, silver was highly valued by those in power and it would take several hours to traverse through all of the tunnels. Many workers were employed to dig through this maze of large tunnels. It was also difficult to get to the mines from the nearest village due to its rugged surroundings coupled with heavy snowfall. It was common for workers of the mine to sleep in a bare bones rest area in the tunnels, forced to work everyday without getting enough sleep. As a result, it was common for people to lose their lives due to accidents caused by human error. The site grew to be revered as a mine that “once you enter, you never leave.”

About the Downloadable Content

Our very first downloadable content includes two additional characters and a soundtrack to the game. The characters come from the recent film Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe and will give players the opportunity to dress up as Kitaro’s Father and Mizuki. These characters also come with additional character-specific perks so be sure to check these out! The price of the character downloadable content will be sold at $3.99 / €3.99 / ¥500.

Original Game Soundtrack

Toei Animation announced a free demo will be available for the Toydium-developed four-player co-op horror adventure Noroi Kago: The Grudged Domain on PC via Steam. The demo will be available during Steam Next Fest, taking place on Steam from October 14, 2024, through October 21, 2024.

Noroi Kago: The Grudged Domain introduces players to a survival horror experience centered around Japanese folklore, where up to four players can team up online to escape a cursed domain filled with terrifying Yokai. The gameplay revolves around cooperating with your teammates to avoid being caught by these supernatural entities while also dealing with a curse that slowly consumes each player. As the curse takes hold, there’s a risk of transforming into half-Yokai, making escape even more challenging.

The game’s art style takes inspiration from Shigeru Mizuki’s GeGeGe no Kitaro, using stark contrasts of light and shadow to create a haunting atmosphere. With randomly placed items and devices each time you play, Noroi Kago offers a fresh experience on every attempt. Players will need to find the right tools to complete a ritual that breaks the curse while also searching for items that can temporarily stop the Yokai or revive fallen teammates. It’s a dynamic setup designed to keep each session tense and unpredictable as players work together to survive and escape.

Gematsu Source

Bushiroad Games will publish side-scrolling puzzle action game Gift from Japanese developers Toydium and Million Edge, the company announced. It will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC via Steam in 2024.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

When the protagonist wakes up, he finds himself on a luxury cruise ship. The game revolves around the story of his attempts to escape from the sinking ship and a group of passengers he feels nostalgic about.

This action game is where you find your passengers and escape from a sinking ship. The tilt and water level of the ship are constantly changing, and the situation can vary dramatically depending on the timing, even in the same location. Gimmicks in the stages also change significantly depending on the tilt and water level. Players need to use these elements and build escape routes strategically. Sometimes it is necessary to solve puzzles, and sometimes it is needed to navigate your way through different actions.

In the end, the protagonist will be with his precious one at last.

Watch a new trailer below.