Idea Factory’s Otomate brand pulled back the curtain on a slate of upcoming projects during its "Otomate Party 2026" event this past Sunday. The headlining reveal was Hakuōki Shinkai Kiwame, a comprehensive compilation of the long-running Hakuōki franchise, which is slated for release on the Nintendo Switch 2. This title serves as a centerpiece for the studio’s upcoming 20th-anniversary celebrations in 2027.
Beyond the Hakuōki announcement, the studio introduced four additional titles. Velvet Candy Tint Kiss is a modern-day fantasy romance featuring art by Maika Mido, while Shinsō no Dopperuto Kagachi Kaoru Kuro Sagiri no Shiigoto offers a period drama set in 1947. Additionally, the 2012 title GENROH is set to join the Otomate Graffiti collection for Switch in 2027, and the fan disk Kimi wa Yuki ma ni Koinegau -Koi Musubi- was confirmed for the platform.
The Hakuōki franchise remains a cornerstone of the otome genre, having expanded from its historical roots involving the Shinsengumi into a massive multimedia property. Beyond the core games, the series has seen numerous anime adaptations, including the 2010 Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom and the 2016 Hakuōki: Otogisōshi, alongside various stage and live-action projects.
With Hakuōki Shinkai Kiwame moving to the next generation of Nintendo hardware, it remains to be seen how the studio will balance its legacy titles with these new original IPs. Given the franchise's history of international releases through publishers like Aksys Games and Idea Factory International, fans of the series' English-localized entries will be watching for news regarding potential global distribution for these new titles.
