Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE Part 1 Blu-ray Releases on June 30 in Crunchyroll Store

By

-

March 18, 2026

Crunchyroll has announced that the Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE Part 1 Blu-ray box set will release on June 30 for $79.98 in the Crunchyroll Store (North America). The Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE Part 1 Blu-ray includes three special character tarot Cards featuring illustrations of Senku, Ryusui, and Gen, which are part of a larger collection that are complete with the upcoming Part 2 and Part 3 Blu-ray releases.

In addition, Crunchyroll will release a special SteelBook Edition of The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 on Blu-ray, which will arrive later this year in North America. The SteelBook Edition comes with all 24 mini anime episodes and two art cards, and it will be available exclusively in the Crunchyroll Store for the first month before heading to additional retailers.

Dr. STONE fans can look forward to Dr. STONE Science Future Cour (Part) 3, which premieres on April 2 on Tokyo MX and affiliate channels at 10:00 p.m. JST / 9:00 a.m. EST. Crunchyroll will stream the anime outside Japan. An advance screening event for episodes 1 through 3 of Dr. STONE Science Future Cour 3 (episodes 25 to 27 overall) will be held on March 21 at the TOHO CINEMAS Hibiya in Tokyo with live-streaming to five other theaters. The voice cast will be in attendance.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 will premiere in October 2026 with a two-cour run. The third season’s second cour will follow up in April 2027, and a new original anime film was announced for December 2026. What’s more, the new anime film includes a new story written by Hyuga.

Metaphor: ReFantazio POP! Vinyl Collection Revealed

By

Soul Kiwami

-

March 18, 2026

ATLUS has teamed up with Funko Pop to reveal its new Metaphor: ReFantazio POP! Vinyl collection of figures. Pre-orders for Metaphor: ReFantazio POP! Vinyl figures are available now for $19.99 each at Funko.com, and players can choose from several fan-favorite characters: Protagonist, Eupha, Heismay, Hulkenberg, Strohl, and Louis.

SEGA and ATLUS also announced various dates for the Metaphor: ReFantazio Orchestra Concert World Tour, which spans across six countries and eight cities around the world. All of the music is composed by Shoji Meguro, who is highly renowned for his work on the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series. Each performance includes a 45-piece orchestra, a choir, and multiple vocal soloists performing new orchestral arrangements of the game’s music.

Metaphor: ReFantazio Orchestra Concert -ReSimfonio- kicks the tour off on June 6 at the Bunkyo Civic Center in Tokyo. There will be two performances by the Royal Symphony Orchestra of Euchronia, and Yuki Takai will serve as the orchestra’s conductor. Ticket pre-sales for all EU and EU/UK concerts start on March 5 at 10:00 a.m. local time at www.metaphorconcert.com.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store. A digital Metaphor: ReFantazio Guidebook Edition was released on January 12 featuring the digital game, the new English-only Essential Digital Strategy Guide, digital art book, digital soundtrack, the Shujin Academy School uniform set, and the Jouin High School uniform set. Fans who own the ATLUS 35th Digital Anniversary Edition automatically receive a free copy of the guide.

Final Weapon reviewed Metaphor: ReFantazio and gave a 5/5 score, noting that it’s “a masterful RPG that defies expectations, and it’s the pinnacle of its genre. Players are plunged into an amazing and complex fantasy setting as a protagonist setting out to right the wrongs of its kingdom: the United Kingdom of Euchronia. Along the way, players meet several well-written characters, including a tremendous threat of a villain. ATLUS refined and perfected the calendar and turn-based battle systems to create an all-time classic. This is absolute brilliance.”

Elden Ring Nightreign The Vinyl Collection Revealed, Ships in Summer 2026

By

Soul Kiwami

-

March 18, 2026

Elden Ring Nightreign The Vinyl Collection

Bandai Namco has unveiled its Elden Ring Nightreign—The Limited Edition Vinyl Collection, which is limited to just 4,999 units worldwide as a Bandai Namco Official Store exclusive product. The special vinyl collection includes 57 tracks from Elden Ring Nightreign and The Forsaken Hollows DLC, 7 premium vinyls with galaxy effects, 6 gatefold sleeves, a 300x300mm art print, and a numbered certificate of authenticity, all housed in a premium slipcase. Pre-orders are available now, with shipping set for summer 2026.

Bandai Namco previously released the official soundtrack for Elden Ring Nightreign DLC expansion The Forsaken Hollows on various streaming services, including Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. The official soundtrack of Elden Ring Nightreign The Forsaken Hollows includes 12 music tracks composed by Shoi Miyazawa and Tai Tomisawa.

Elden Ring Nightreign is available now for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam. Final Weapon reviewed Elden Ring Nightreign and gave it a 4.5 out 5 score, noting that the game “understands its own identity and hones in on that. The returning bosses are a treat for older FromSoftware players, and the new mechanics are fun yet challenging to wrap your head around.”

Elden Ring Nightreign The Forsaken Hollows costs $15 includes two additional Nightfarers, a new Shifting Earth, and much more. A Deluxe Upgrade Pack will be available featuring the DLC and a digital artbook and mini soundtrack, which was included with the Elden Ring Nightreign Deluxe Edition. According to the Steam page, this upgrade and bonus will only be available to purchase until the release of The Forsaken Hollows.

FBC: Firebreak Price Permanently Lowered, Last Major Update Released

By

Saras Rajpal

-

March 18, 2026

FBC: Firebreak Price Permanently Lowered, New Update Released

Remedy Entertainment has announced that it has permanently lowered the price of FBC: Firebreak to $19.99/€19.99/£16.74. Additionally, it has released the last major update for the game, titled “Open House.”

The major update, according to the Steam page, adds the following:

FBC: Firebreak will stay online and continue to be playable for years to come
- Remedy has done engineering work to ensure we can sustain the upkeep of the relay servers when the player volume is lower.
To ensure there are players to play with (this being a multiplayer game and all!), we are introducing the Friend’s Pass
- Anyone who has bought FBC: Firebreak can invite their friends to play with them, for free. All they have to do is download the Friends Pass version, which is the full game with some limitations (shown as “Free Trial” version on console storefronts), and they can matchmake with the bought version of the game, as long as the person who bought the game invites their friends to play. This works across platforms.
New Endless Shift Arenas from Control
- Cafeteria (Executive Sector)
- Aircon Room (Maintenance Sector)
- Ranger HQ (Maintenance Sector)
- Turntable (Containment Sector)
- Ritual Lobby (Research Sector)
Gameplay Improvements and Balancing
Perk Equipping Overhaul
Weapon Balance Changes
Additional Quality-of-Life Improvements

Lastly, FBC: Firebreak is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The game initially released in 2025 to mixed reviews, including a lack of cohesive and engaging gameplay elements. Final Weapon previously reviewed FBC: Firebreak and gave it a 2.5/5 score, noting that “while the gameplay formula is solid, the repetitive missions, objectives, and grinding for new unlocks are more monotonous than fun.”

Hollow Knight: Silksong Reveals Patch Notes for Update 1.0.29926 – ‘Last Significant Update’ Before Sea of Sorrow

By

Soul Kiwami

-

March 18, 2026

Team Cherry has revealed patch notes for Hollow Knight: Silksong update 1.0.29926, which is available now for the PC (Steam) version and coming soon for the console versions. Hollow Knight: Silksong update 1.0.29926 brings a new Traditional Chinese localization and fixes several bugs, and Team Cherry confirmed that this is the “last significant update” before the release of the Sea of Sorrow expansion.

Patch notes for Hollow Knight: Silksong update 1.0.29926 can be read below, via Team Cherry’s latest blog post:

Hollow Knight: Silksong Update 1.0.29926 Patch Notes

Added new Traditional Chinese localization.
Refined German translation to improve clarity and consistency with English version.
Allowed Silk Soar through top scene exits.
Fixed various instances of specific enemies being able to get stuck out of bounds.
Fixed various instances of Hornet being able to be pulled out of bounds by enemies.
Fixed Last Judge’s death explosion doing 3 damage (now 2).
Magma Bell now protects against all fire-type explosions.
Fixed another instance of Shrine Guardian Seth being able to push Hornet through a wall.
Fixed an instance of Lace (Cradle) getting out of bounds. Also various small fixes to prevent some rare, odd behaviours during the fight.
Fixed certain tools unintentionally being down-bounceable in specific instances.
Fixed Border Caves bounce-pods giving Silk & Health for certain Crests.
Fixed Snitch Pick not doing its 3rd hit of damage when in a memory.
Fixed issues with Wood Wasp colliders sometimes lingering longer than intended or not reactivating on respawn.
Fixed Choruses in Underworks not playing their full Needolin text.
Fixed an instance of Thread Rakers being able to get stuck out of bounds.
Savage Beastfly’s summoned minions now die when the boss is killed.
Far Fields Savage Beastfly is now stunned when hit by the hanging bomb rock.
Fixed an instance of tool quantity not updating correctly when unequipping Shell Satchel.
Fixed a rare instance of Lavalugs getting frozen in place.
Fixed fast travel unintentionally clearing Hunter focus.
Various minor fixes and tweaks

Lastly, Hollow Knight: Silksong is available now for $19.99 for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Xbox Game Pass subscribers receive Hollow Knight: Silksong at no additional cost with their membership.

Kiln Releases on April 23, Open Beta Announced

By

Saras Rajpal

-

March 18, 2026

Kiln Releases on April 23, Open Beta Announced

Double Fine and Xbox have announced that Kiln will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam on April 23. Additionally, it revealed that you can sign up for closed playtests, and that an open beta will take place from April 9 to April 11 on Steam.

A new Xbox Wire post outlines new preview details about the game, and more intricate information about the gameplay. Pre-orders will go live for both the standard ($19.99) and Fired Up ($29.99) editions when the open beta starts. Further, the Fired Up edition includes the base game, alongside premium glazes, stickers, attachments, custom pots, and bonus chips.

The Steam page describes Kiln as follows:

Kiln is a pottery power-fantasy that celebrates both Creativity and Destruction: the pleasure that comes from both making beautiful things, and then smashing those things to smithereens. Create your pot, grab your friends, and join a team of colorful spirits who face off against one another in online arenas, where the ceramic creations you sculpt on a pottery wheel become the bodies you bring into battle.

Brawl in 4v4 Combat

The shape of your pots affect your attributes and your play-style. Will you be big, or small? Wide, or tall? Will you make a plate, a jug, a cup or a bowl?

Sculpt Custom Pots

There are a multitude of different sizes and combinations to discover, each with unique abilities and attacks, along with new and surprising ways to play. Work together to find the best combination of pots and play-styles to break through enemy lines, and collect enough water to douse the flames of the enemy’s kiln — Does your team have what it takes to shape and smash your way to victory? As the battlefield becomes strewn with the shattered fragments of friend and foes alike, your brawling skills and some great teamwork will be required to assure victory.

Relax Between Pots

After the battle is won, head to The Wedge to practice your pottery prowess, decorate your pots to make them yours, then share your creations with others (and admire their handiwork, too).

Make and Break With Friends

Create and Destroy Together – Making pots and breaking pots are both better with friends. Hang out, experiment with clay and share what you make, or jump right into multiplayer battles and start swinging!

Become a Master Potter– Manipulate realistic clay to craft and decorate in an immersive pottery wheel experience featuring a variety of tools and techniques.

Splatoon 3 Updated to Version 11.1.0, Patch Notes Released

By

Saras Rajpal

-

March 18, 2026

Splatoon 3 Updated to Version 1.1.0, Patch Notes Released

Nintendo has released version 11.1.0 of Splatoon 3, a new patch that features adjustments to X battles and numerous weapons. The game is available now on Nintendo Switch.

The patch notes are as follows:

Specifications for some main weapons have changed

Splattershot Nova/Annaki Splattershot Nova
- Increased the speed of shots by approximately 25% without changing the flight distance.
Flingza Roller/Foil Flingza Roller
- Adjusted the damage-falloff rate based on distance for vertical swings, allowing them to deal 50.0 damage/100 damage farther than they did before.
Octobrush/Octobrush Nouveau/Cometz Octobrush/Orderbrush Replica
- Reduced the amount of ink consumed when swinging the brush by approximately 10%.
Bamboozler 14 Mk I/Bamboozler 14 Mk II
- Increased movement speed while charging or firing by approximately 13%.
Bloblobber/Bloblobber Deco
- Increased damage from 30.0 to 32.0.
Douser Dualies FF/Custom Douser Dualies FF
- Reduced the time between doing a Dodge Roll and being able to take another action by approximately 1/30th of a second.
Tenta Brella/Tenta Sorella Brella/Tenta Brella CRE-M
- Reduced the amount of ink consumed by launching the canopy by approximately 23%.
Dynamo Roller/Gold Dynamo Roller/Starz Dynamo Roller
- Lessened the effect of the ink-consumption reduction when equipping the Ink Saver (Main) ability.

Specifications for some special weapons have changed

Ultra Stamp
- Decreased the radius of the 220.0 damage area of the explosion at the point of impact when throwing the stamp by approximately 10%.

Points required for some special weapons have been changed

Splattershot/Hero Shot Replica/Order Shot Replica
- Before: 210
- After: 200
Sploosh-o-matic
- Before: 180
- After: 190
Splash-o-matic
- Before: 200
- After: 210
Luna Blaster Neo
- Before: 180
- After: 190
Blaster
- Before: 180
- After: 190
Custom Blaster
- Before: 180
- After: 190
Rapid Blaster Pro Deco
- Before: 190
- After: 200
Dynamo Roller
- Before: 190
- After: 200
Inkbrush Nouveau
- Before: 180
- After: 190
Heavy Splatling/Order Splatling Replica
- Before: 200
- After: 210
Dapple Dualies
- Before: 170
- After: 180
Splat Dualies/Order Dualie Replicas
- Before: 190
- After: 200

Changes to X Battles

Changed the system for matchmaking so that, rather than having players with similar X Power at that time battle each other, now players whose final X Power will likely become similar after accumulating matches will be paired for battles.
Changed the systems for matchmaking and team division to make it less likely to result in skill disparity between teams, even in time zones or regions where there are not many players.
In the Tentatek Division, players with X Power less than 2000.0 and players with X Power of 2000.0 or higher may now be matched together.
Changed the matchmaking system to allow battles against more different weapons than before.

This update focuses on making changes to matchmaking and multiplayer balance

For X Battles, we have changed the systems for matchmaking and team division.

First of all, rather than simply gathering players with similar X Powers at that point in time, we have made it so that it will instead gather players whose final X Power will likely become similar after accumulating matches.

With this change, extreme matches will be less likely, even immediately after the start of the season or immediately after finishing calculation.

Also, when matchmaking is taking a long time, it will gradually soften the criteria for determining a “similar level of ability,” but we have changed these criteria and the system for team division to ensure that the level of ability of players on both teams will be symmetrical, even in time zones and regions with fewer players.

Additionally, we have changed the pairing system for the weapons that players may battle against.

Up until now, weapons have been divided into several groups, and the system more frequently paired weapons belonging to the same group for battles.

We have changed this system to make it so that players more frequently battle with weapons of similar preferred ranges, regardless of group, in order to reduce the likelihood of a player’s weapon always being pitted against weapons with a longer (or shorter) preferred range.

As for multiplayer balance, we made changes based on the battle data from version 11.0.0.

Among the weapons that were upgraded in version 11.0.0 or were greatly affected by changes to the battle system, we made changes to slightly reduce the performance of some weapons that the battle data showed have become highly impactful.

For some of the weapons that did not receive much benefit from the battle-system changes, we have made changes to slightly raise their performance and make them easier to wield.

The next update will focus on changes to the balance of battles.

Sanrio Characters Smash Festa! Releases on March 26 in Japan

By

Saras Rajpal

-

March 18, 2026

Sanrio Characters Smash Festa! Releases on March 26 in Japan

Tatsumaki Games and Mankind Games have revealed that Sanrio Characters Smash Festa! will release on March 26 in Japan. It will be available for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.

The developers initially announced the game in February 2026. It is described as a “fast-paced action sports game” that features beloved Sanrio characters. At the moment, neither Tatsumaki Games or Mankind Games have confirmed whether it will be available in other territories. The Steam page describes the game as follows:

All your favorite Sanrio characters come together in a fast-paced action sports game that mixes tennis-style rallies with hockey-like speed. Easy to pick up and play, but use stage gimmicks and character abilities to enjoy deeper, more strategic matches!

Over 20 Unique Playable Characters!

With over 20 playable characters, each one comes with their own unique stats—like movement speed, shot power, and lob shot range.

Try them all, find the character that fits your playstyle best, and have a blast!

Packed Single-Player Mode

Jump into Solo Mode and aim for the championship with your favorite character! There are 50 stages in total, offering tons of content.

Beat the final stage and keep playing—the CPU difficulty increases with each loop, so the challenge never ends! Train hard and show off your skills to your friends.

Tons of Local and Online Multiplayer Fun

- Local Play
  - Supports up to four players!
  - Get together with family and friends for 1v1 Singles or 2v2 Doubles matches and hype things up!
- Online Matches
  - Play against others across Japan in Random Match, or enjoy private games with friends in Room Match.
- Room Match Feature
  - Just enter a room number and jump straight into a match—even with friends far away!

55 Stages That Change the Game!

Battle it out across 55 different stages, each packed with unique gimmicks! Breakable blocks, unpredictable mechanics, and all kinds of wild combinations will keep you on your toes.

Will you push aggressively toward the goal? Or use the stage gimmicks for a more tactical play? Find your own way to win!

SAROS Reveals New Features Trailer

By

Saras Rajpal

-

March 18, 2026

PlayStation has released a new trailer for SAROS, which outlines the game’s features that take advantage of the PlayStation 5’s hardware. The game will release on April 30 for the system.

The features highlighted in the trailer are as follows:

Track alien threats with precision 3D audio.
Feel eclipse-driven weaponry through adaptive triggers.
Seize control of Arjun’s fate with haptic feedback.
Come back stronger with near-instant loading speeds.

Check out the trailer showcasing the features of SAROS below:

SAROS is the latest from Housemarque, best known for games like Resogun, Nex Machina, and Returnal. It is set to release for PlayStation 5 and will be playable 48 hours early for those who preorder the digital deluxe version. The digital deluxe version also includes the Astra Armor, Onryo Armor, and Midgard Armor.

The PlayStation Store describes it as follows:

Beneath the shadow of an ominous eclipse, Arjun Devraj (Rahul Kohli) is a Soltari enforcer who will stop at nothing to pursue answers on the shape-shifting Carcosa, a world of dark secrets and hostile inhabitants.

Master electrifying bullet ballet combat – intense projectile-focused gameplay with a unique, neon-infused aesthetic – to overcome ferocious enemies and spectacular boss fights.

Unleash a high-tech arsenal as you dodge, shield and parry enemy attacks in a fluid, flow-state-inducing dance. Combine abilities and learn enemy bullet patterns to gain the upper hand when the odds seem stacked against you.

Augment your loadout using an evolving set of weapons and upgrades. After every run you’ll face a changed world, but the resources you gain will ensure Carcosa yields to you. With Second Chance you’ll be revived instantly on your first death, getting you straight back into the action.

From Far Away Manga is Getting an Anime Series

By

Soul Kiwami

-

March 18, 2026

A newly launched website has announced a TV anime adaptation of Kyouko Hikawa’s From Far Away (Kanata Kara) shōjo manga will premiere in 2026. A new promotional video for From Far Away was released, confirming that Bleach director Noriyuki Abe will be directing the new anime. The anime announcement celebrates the manga’s 35th anniversary, which was accompanied by an illustration by Hikawa.

From Far Away illustration — ©Kyouko Hikawa, Hakusensha

The From Far Away manga ran from 1991 to 2002 in Hakusensha’s LaLa magazine. Hakusensha published the manga’s 14th and final compiled book volume in 2003. The Bunko edition of the manga was published in seven volumes from 2004 to 2005. VIZ Media publishes the manga in English.

Here’s a story synopsis, via VIZ Media:

On her way home from school one day, Noriko is unexpectedly plunged into a strange and extraordinary fantasy world. Her troubles compound exponentially when she is rescued and befriended by a handsome young man by the name of Izark.

He may be brave and courageous, but inside Izark lurks the darkest evil imaginable. And according to an ancient prophecy, Noriko possesses the power to unleash that evil. Now, inexorably bound together, these two unlikely allies must navigate a world both wondrous and hostile.