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AUTOMATON WEST
@automatonwest.bsky.social
1.3K followers 3 following 1.8K posts
Official AUTOMATON English account. Bringing video game and internet culture-related news from Japan!

Find us at: https://automaton-media.com/en/

Japanese account: @automaton-media.com
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Japanese indie developer triples price of their chaotic $2 USD roguelite after realizing underpricing was working against them
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Japanese indie developer triples price of their chaotic $2 USD roguelite after realizing underpricing was working against them - AUTOMATON WEST
Japanese indie dev triples the price of their strategic roguelite Spell Tonaeru to better reflect the game's depth and scope.
automaton-media.com
February 14, 2026 at 2:14 AM
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Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin’s gacha spin-off praised in Japan for its wholesome agriculture-themed ads that “respect the game’s worldview”
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Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin’s gacha spin-off praised in Japan for its wholesome agriculture-themed ads that “respect the game’s worldview” - AUTOMATON WEST
Japanese players praise Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin – Hinuka Journey's ingenious use of agriculture and cuisine-themed ads in-game.
automaton-media.com
February 14, 2026 at 2:14 AM
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The self-indulgent need to impress, rather than entertain, is what’s holding back some manga authors, Shonen Jump contest panel says
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The self-indulgent need to impress, rather than entertain, is what’s holding back some manga authors, Shonen Jump contest panel says - AUTOMATON WEST
The team behind Shonen Jump Awards answers the question: “What does it truly mean to face your audience as an aspiring mangaka?”
automaton-media.com
February 14, 2026 at 2:14 AM
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Kadokawa reports sharp decline in publishing, anime business falls into deficit due to a lack of popular sequels

In publishing, Kadokawa saw overseas revenue grow, but per-title sales in Japan have declined
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Kadokawa reports sharp decline in publishing, anime business falls into deficit due to a lack of popular sequels  - AUTOMATON WEST
In its consolidated financial results for the first nine months of the fiscal year, Kadokawa reported a decline across publishing, games and anime.
automaton-media.com
February 14, 2026 at 2:13 AM
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Monster Hunter Stories 3 devs studied modern turn-based RPGs like Metaphor: ReFantazio and Expedition 33 for a game system that’s “convenient, but not easy”
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Monster Hunter Stories 3 devs studied modern turn-based RPGs like Metaphor: ReFantazio and Expedition 33 for a game system that’s “convenient, but not easy”  - AUTOMATON WEST
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection developers talk about making gameplay "more convenient, but not easier."
automaton-media.com
February 14, 2026 at 2:13 AM
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Magical academy visual novel Lilac will have an all-male or all-female cast depending on which version you buy
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February 14, 2026 at 2:13 AM
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Nihon Falcom sees 670% profit growth following Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, but remains conservative for full year due to difficulty of predicting Kyoto Xanadu sales figures
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Nihon Falcom sees 670% profit growth following Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, but remains conservative for full year due to difficulty of predicting Kyoto Xanadu sales figures - AUTOMATON WEST
In the first quarter of the fiscal year, Nihon Falcom saw large-scale growth in both revenue and profit, attributed largely to Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.
automaton-media.com
February 14, 2026 at 2:12 AM
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A Western Perspective On Mecha Games. Gundam: One Year War: Maybe The Best Gundam Game Ever Made
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A Western Perspective On Mecha Games. Gundam: One Year War: Maybe The Best Gundam Game Ever Made - AUTOMATON WEST
A column on Namco's Gundam: One Year War (PS2) by Ollie Barder.
automaton-media.com
February 13, 2026 at 9:09 AM
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Young gamers in Japan may not be forming the same attachment to Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest because modern dev cycles are as long as their childhood, users theorize
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Young gamers in Japan may not be forming the same attachment to Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest because modern dev cycles are as long as their childhood, users theorize - AUTOMATON WEST
Japanese gamers on X discuss why classic titles like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quests are less popular among the country's young people.
automaton-media.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:16 AM
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Atelier values its appealing characters, but future entries will pursue stronger gameplay. “We need to make games you can recommend without hesitation”
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Atelier values its appealing characters, but future entries will pursue stronger gameplay. “We need to make games you can recommend without hesitation”  - AUTOMATON WEST
Gust studio head Junzo Hosoi and development producer Katsuto Kawauchi talk about the Atelier series' future direction.
automaton-media.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:16 AM
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Former Devil May Cry dev releases new demo for 3D high school girl action game MIGHTREYA

By popular demand, the game now features Japanese voice acting, among other improvements
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Former Devil May Cry dev releases new demo for 3D high school girl action game MIGHTREYA  - AUTOMATON WEST
Wazen, the solo Japanese developer behind 3D action game MIGHTREYA, has released a new demo for the game with Japanese voice acting.
automaton-media.com
February 12, 2026 at 4:28 AM
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“Even if we tried reproducing their creations, we’d probably fail.” Fallout 76 production director praises Japanese players’ outstanding camp building skills
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"Even if we tried reproducing their creations, we'd probably fail." Fallout 76 production director praises Japanese players' outstanding camp building skills - AUTOMATON WEST
In a recent interview, Fallout 76 developers reflect on how the fan community has shaped the game throughout its 7 years of service.
automaton-media.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:43 AM
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PlayStation 1’s bizarre fishing reel controller was developed thanks to the obsessive attention to detail of actual fishing nuts. “It would be pointless if it didn’t feel like the real thing”
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PlayStation 1’s bizarre fishing reel controller was developed thanks to the obsessive attention to detail of actual fishing nuts. “It would be pointless if it didn’t feel like the real thing” - AUTOMA...
Former ASCII developer and Bass Landing producer Takeshi Kaneda talks about the development of PlayStation's fishing reel controller.
automaton-media.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:43 AM
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“It was supposed to a sexy harem narrative, but it just got progressively darker.” The Hundred Line director on creating one of the game’s most popular routes
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“It was supposed to a sexy harem narrative, but it just got progressively darker.” The Hundred Line director on creating one of the game’s most popular routes  - AUTOMATON WEST
The Hundred Line director Kazutaka Kodaka explains how the popular Cult of Takumi route came to be.
automaton-media.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:42 AM
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New Mobile Suit Gundam movie boosts downloads of 1987 Guns N’ Roses song by 12,166%
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New Mobile Suit Gundam movie boosts downloads of 1987 Guns N’ Roses song by 12,166%  - AUTOMATON WEST
Right up until its premiere, Bandai Namco Filmworks kept the ending theme song of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe a secret.
automaton-media.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:42 AM
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“It’s a misunderstanding, I am not interested in cyberpunk.” Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii discusses his complicated relationship with the genre

automaton-media.com/en/nongaming...
“It’s a misunderstanding, I am not interested in cyberpunk.” Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii discusses his complicated relationship with the genre - AUTOMATON WEST
In a recent interview, Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii talks about his complicated relationship with cyberpunk.
automaton-media.com
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 AM
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Hotel Dusk: Room 215 author’s new mystery visual novel Dark Auction is 10% off to commemorate launch
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Hotel Dusk: Room 215 author’s new mystery visual novel Dark Auction is 10% off to commemorate launch  - AUTOMATON WEST
Written by Rika Suzuki and illustrated by GANGSTA author Kohske, Dark Auction is now out and discounted for a limited time.
automaton-media.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:06 AM
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Think twice before saying your favorite manga is One Piece. CyberConnect2 CEO on how Japanese game company interviews work
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Think twice before saying your favorite manga is One Piece. CyberConnect2 CEO on how Japanese game company interviews work  - AUTOMATON WEST
CyberConnect2 CEO talks about what Japanese game companies look for in aspiring candidates during interviews.
automaton-media.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:33 AM
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Fullmetal Alchemist mangaka made a list of “things to absolutely avoid” in the 2003 anime adaptation, lead scriptwriter reveals
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Fullmetal Alchemist mangaka made a list of “things to absolutely avoid” in the 2003 anime adaptation, lead scriptwriter reveals - AUTOMATON WEST
Fullmetal Alchemist's 2003 anime adaptation writer sheds some light on the writing process behind the anime's "original" story beats.
automaton-media.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:31 AM
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Japan’s household game spending hit record high in 2025, despite inflation-driven cutbacks in food and daily expenses
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Japan’s household game spending hits record high in 2025, despite inflation-driven cutbacks in food and daily expenses  - AUTOMATON WEST
According to a large-scale, government survey, Japanese household spending on both consoles and game software reached all-time highs in 2025.
automaton-media.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:31 AM
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Toyota announces open-source, “console-grade” proprietary game engine
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Toyota announces open-source, "console-grade" proprietary game engine  - AUTOMATON WEST
Toyota Connected North America, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, recently announced that its proprietary game engine, Flourite, is currently in development.
automaton-media.com
February 9, 2026 at 10:02 AM
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Model who inspired Tsukihime heroine Arcueid cosplays the character 25 years later
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Model who inspired Tsukihime heroine Arcueid cosplays the character 25 years later  - AUTOMATON WEST
Amanda Dyer, the Candian model who is thought to be the real-life inspiration behind Tsukihime's main heroine, recently revealed her Arcueid cosplay.
automaton-media.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:04 AM
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From solitary South Pole exploration to domesticating wild bears in post-nuclear military bases: 5 Japanese indie survival games

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From solitary South Pole exploration to domesticating wild bears in post-nuclear military bases: 5 Japanese indie survival games  - AUTOMATON WEST
Weekly showcase of upcoming or recently released Japanese indie games. This week's theme is survival games, including horror, crafting and screaming.
automaton-media.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:28 AM
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Resident Evil Survival Unit devs literally measured playtesters’ brainwaves to check “how objectively scary” the game actually is

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Resident Evil Survival Unit devs literally measured playtesters’ brainwaves to check “how objectively scary” the game actually is - AUTOMATON WEST
Resident Evil Survival Unit producer Jun Seung Park reveals that developer JOYCITY measured brainwaves of testers during playtest sessions.
automaton-media.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:28 AM
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“Characters before story.” Veteran manga editor on what makes Nihon Falcom’s Ys series like long-running shonen titles

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“Characters before story.” Veteran manga editor on what makes Nihon Falcom’s Ys series like long-running shonen titles  - AUTOMATON WEST
Former Weekly Shounen Jump editor Fuyuto Takeda talks about the latest entry of Nihon Falcom's long-running Ys series.
automaton-media.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:27 AM