Live-Action Video Game AKIBA LOST Confirms September Release Date
IzanagiGames has officially announced that its “full-scale live-action game” AKIBA LOST will launch on September 17 for PlayStation 5, Switch 2, Switch, and PC via Steam.
The title is a multi-angle ensemble suspense game developed in collaboration with Nippon TV, one of Japan’s leading broadcast networks, and the drama production company AX-ON.
The game is a large-scale production, boasting approximately 20 hours of gameplay to reach the ending, over 100,000 still images, and more than 20 hours of filmed footage.
In Japan, physical pre-orders for the edition priced at 6,480 yen are already live at major Japanese retailers.
AKIBA LOST is set in Akihabara, Tokyo’s famous subculture town. The plot centers on game creator Daiki Shinjo (portrayed by Hiromitsu Kitayama), who was once hailed as a “genius creator.”
Shinjo makes the controversial move of announcing a new game based on a real-life, 13-year-old cold case known as “Akiba’s Spirited Away,” where six girls mysteriously vanished.
The moment he makes the announcement, strange disappearances begin again, paralleling the events of his proposed game.
This new wave of disappearances starts with a threatening phone call and the sudden vanishing of his younger sister, Aoi Shinjo (Sayuri Matsumura), who manages a maid cafe in the city.
The central mystery is whether Shinjo can finish the game and protect his friends, all while uncovering the truth of what happened 13 years ago.
The ensemble cast features colorful characters iconic of Akihabara’s subculture, including underground idol Kokone Nagato (Yui Oguri of AKB48), gourmet writer Moe Kurosu (Misato Ugaki), shrine maiden Chihiro Jimbo (Azusa Ohara), cosplayer Wakana Yusa (MINA), and game streamer Yukimi Kurahashi (Momoko Tanabe).
Players will navigate the narrative using a key feature called “zapping,” which allows them to freely switch perspectives between the protagonist Shinjo and the six female characters.
This Character Switching System lets players experience the same timeline from multiple angles, with a single choice in one character’s story potentially changing the fate of another.
The game also utilizes a Select Choice System where player decisions alter the ending, and a 360-Degree View immersive camera system.
The collaboration with established television experts from Nippon TV and AX-ON is intended to elevate the production value, creating an experience designed to feel like watching a drama with a controller in hand.
The project’s cinematic ambition was acknowledged with the Japan Game Awards 2025 Future Division prize.
As an additional part of the production, a live-action drama based on the game will air on Nippon Television every Tuesday from January 13, 2026.
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