Sanrio's New Rhythm Game Opens Pre-Registration as January 2027 Worldwide Release Confirmed

Sanrio has confirmed that its new rhythm game will launch worldwide in January 2027, with pre-registration now open for players on both iOS and Android.

“Sanrio Kawaii Me Live!” is the first smartphone game released under the new Sanrio Games brand, bringing Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, My Melody and more of the company’s characters together for a music-focused experience built around rhythm gameplay, dancing and customization.

The game was first announced during Sanrio Fes 2026 in June, when Sanrio revealed plans for a global 2027 release alongside a Japan-only closed beta held the following month.

It later became one of three games featured during Sanrio Games’ first appearance at Tokyo Game Show 2026, joining “Sanrio Partyland” for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 and the fantasy RPG “Fragaria Memories: Color of Wishes”.

Players can perform songs connected with Sanrio’s characters while dressing them in different outfits and customizing the stages used during performances, allowing each live show to be changed to suit their own preferences.

Two different play styles were revealed when the game was first announced, with Performance Mode offering simpler rhythm controls and Technical Mode providing a more traditional challenge for players looking for higher difficulty.

The soundtrack will combine existing Sanrio music with original songs created specifically for the game, including collaborations with Soala, SHE’S, Lienel, Polkadot Stingray, Yabai T-Shirts Yasan and Mi’Line Hearts.

Sanrio has now added Japanese band ZUTOMAYO to that lineup, confirming a new song collaboration as part of the latest announcement.

A new concept trailer has also been released alongside pre-registration, giving another look at the characters dancing during performances and the colorful stages that players will be able to create.

Sanrio is supporting pre-registration with a milestone campaign that will unlock increasingly valuable in-game rewards as the combined number of registrations and official social media followers grows.

Rewards begin at 50,000 with 10 Cosmo Soda items before expanding to include in-game currency, Time Travel Tickets, character accessories, Gacha Tickets and a Character Sticker Set at later milestones.

Reaching 800,000 will unlock a guaranteed ★3 Gacha Ticket, while reaching one million will give players a special Hello Kitty outfit created around the Sanrio Games brand.

The game’s January launch will also be supported by a dedicated “Sanrio Kawaii Me Live! Launch Live” concert at Yokohama Kannai Hall on January 14, 2027.

Soala, SHE’S, Lienel, Polkadot Stingray, Yabai T-Shirts Yasan and Mi’Line Hearts are all scheduled to perform music featured in the game, while the 3D artist version of KUROMI will also take to the stage.

Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin and My Melody will appear during the event as well, with Sanrio planning to announce additional artists and ticket information at a later date.

“Sanrio Kawaii Me Live!” will launch globally for iOS and Android in January 2027 as a free-to-play game with optional in-app purchases, with pre-registration now available through both the App Store and Google Play.