Weekly Anime & Game in Asia 2026-W27 (2026-06-23~2026-06-29)

Krafton has appointed Jang Tae-seok, a central architect of the global success of PUBG: Battlegrounds, as the new head of group-wide publishing, following the departure of Chief Global Publishing Officer Oh Jin-ho. Simultaneously, Nexon has launched a KRW 250 billion joint public-private fund in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Kona Venture Partners to support early-stage game developers. Elsewhere, Arc System Works and Cygames announced Nintendo Switch 2 versions of existing titles, Capcom used its RE ENGINE to bring a Nintendo DS series to modern platforms, and a Joker anime arrived with a simultaneous manga tie-in.

This Week’s Events

Nexon’s KRW 250 billion fund, which includes a direct investment of KRW 130 billion from the company itself, is designed to foster early-stage game developers and nurture next-generation IPs, including those utilizing gamified AI. At Krafton, Jang Tae-seok’s appointment to lead group-wide publishing follows the departure of Chief Global Publishing Officer Oh Jin-ho and is part of the company’s ongoing restructuring to accelerate multi-IP expansion.

Arc System Works, a Japanese developer known for its fighting game portfolio, utilized its recent showcase to announce that titles such as Absolum and Dave the Diver COMPLETE EDITION will receive Nintendo Switch 2 versions. Cygames announced that Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising will release on the Nintendo Switch 2 on September 17, 2026. The version will include all 40 DLC characters and support crossplay. The update also adds the character Ido and save data linkage bonuses with the upcoming Granblue Fantasy Relink: Endless Ragnarok.

DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation announced the Joker: Laugh Riot anime, directed by Yasuhiro Aoki at Sola Entertainment, a Japanese animation studio known for its work on large-scale productions. The project will be accompanied by a simultaneous manga tie-in, Machibura JOKER, launching on July 2. Fuji Next Lab, a subsidiary of Fuji Media Holdings, is also scaling its digital content business by recruiting for directorial and engineering roles. The company is leveraging Fuji TV’s IP portfolio to develop browser games and interactive experiences on platforms like Fortnite, while simultaneously managing the FOD video distribution service.

Entergram, a Japanese game software company, has announced the production of Sentimental Graffiti Remake, a new version of the 1998 romance simulation game. The project involves redrawing all assets for a 16:9 aspect ratio and conducting voice acting auditions to modernize the experience. The open auditions for the remaining roles follow the original version’s own casting approach.

Looking Ahead

The market performance of Nintendo Switch 2 titles from Arc System Works and Cygames will be a critical indicator of how effectively developers can leverage the new hardware to sustain engagement for established fighting and adventure games. Investors will also be monitoring the initial impact of Nexon’s KRW 250 billion fund on early-stage IP development; the types of technologies and genres that receive funding will provide insight into the industry’s long-term R&D priorities. Finally, the sales reception of legacy remakes like the Sentimental Graffiti Remake will show how the remake performs commercially.