Toei & Sanrio Publish

Toei and Sanrio each announced new in‑house game publishing labels this week, saying they will publish games internally rather than rely only on third‑party partners. (games.toei.co.jp) Sanrio said on April 21, 2026 it has launched “Sanrio Games,” plans roughly 10 titles over the next three years, and named its first project Sanrio Party Land for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 in fall 2026. (corporate.sanrio.co.jp) Toei Company announced the creation of “Toei Games” the same week, saying the new brand will start with PC releases on Steam and reveal its first original title on April 24, 2026. (gematsu.com) Both companies described the move as a strategic business shift: Sanrio called the label a way to create “new touchpoints” with fans, and Toei said games will be a “new pillar” alongside its film and television divisions. (corporate.sanrio.co.jp) Industry outlets reported Sanrio’s announcement as a pivot from a licensing-heavy approach toward self-publishing, and noted Toei’s stated intent to develop new original IPs rather than rely on legacy franchises. (pocketgamer.biz) Toei’s reveal included a new logo and a pixel-art homage to its film opening sequence commissioned from Kairosoft, and company communications say console releases (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch) will follow the initial Steam launch. (automaton-media.com) Sanrio described Sanrio Party Land as a party game set in a town of its characters and said the Switch/Switch 2 release will be simultaneous worldwide; its corporate release framed the lineup as part of a three-year rollout. (automaton-media.com) Next steps: Toei will announce its first game on April 24, 2026, while Sanrio’s first self‑published release is scheduled for fall 2026 — both companies said further details and release windows will be disclosed in coming months. (dotesports.com)