Shochiku Co., Ltd. Game Business Department (Shochiku Games) is pleased to announce that it will serve as the publisher for MONOPHOBIA, a 2.5D urban legend adventure game developed by indie dev team Dendrobium, and will showcase the title at Tokyo Game Show 2026 (TGS2026) from Thursday, September 17 to Monday, September 21, 2026 (Public Holiday).
At the Shochiku Games booth, visitors will get their first hands-on look at a story demo showcasing the game’s opening sequence, allowing players to experience the world of MONOPHOBIA and its beautiful pixel art ahead of release.
Additionally, comments have arrived from light novel author Teren Mikami, illustrator Watan, and development team Dendrobium.
About MONOPHOBIA
――She has no “past.”
MONOPHOBIA is an urban legend suspense adventure game that nostalgically renders modern cityscapes in 2.5D. Two girls with unique backgrounds team up as partners to investigate creepy, anomalous phenomena occurring across the city.
As psychological tension creeps in, players are drawn into an immersive investigation—unraveling the truth behind each incident using logic and special abilities while experiencing an irreversible, deepening bond between the duo.
■ A Retro-Modern 2.5D Space Reimagined with Contemporary Technology
Inspired by 5th-generation (32-bit) classic adventure games, the title blends nostalgic visuals with modern lighting effects. Set in a city where creepy and beautiful aesthetics coexist, players will explore a side-scrolling 2.5D environment with real depth, connecting gathered clues logically inside a Journal to close in on the truth behind the anomalies.
■ A Story of Bonds Woven by a Girl Without a Past and a Spiritually Sensitive Classmate
The enigmatic Konoka Kirihara and her cheerful, gyaru classmate Shino Nakano join forces. As this contrasting pair tackles eerie occurrences, an emotional human drama unfolds around their growing connection. Japanese voice acting is also planned for implementation; stay tuned for future announcements regarding the story and character cast!
About the Developer: Dendrobium
Dendrobium is an emerging game development team established in 2022. It brings together creators from various countries, including seasoned game industry veterans.
Developer Comment:
“MONOPHOBIA marks Dendrobium’s very first independent development project. The more people try to reach for what they desire, the easier it is to lose sight of what they truly wanted in the first place. The characters in this story also hesitate, constantly asking themselves: ‘What is it that I really want?’ We hope you will stay with them until the end—not just to see their final choice, but to experience every moment of doubt and conflict along the way.”
Comments from Participating Creators
◆ Game Scenario: Teren Mikami
Light novel author. Currently serializing the manga story for “Black Black Lotus” in Dengeki Daioh-G. Lead scenario writer for “Link! Like! Love Live!”. 1st place in the Original Book & 20s Reader categories at the Next Light Novel Awards 2021.
“Hello everyone, I’m Teren Mikami! I usually make a living writing intense dynamic emotions between girls. This time, I was brought on board to write the game’s scenario. When I later heard that Watan-san was handling the artwork, I thought, ‘That’s amazing!’—so I’m confident this is going to turn out to be a fantastic game.”
◆ Character Design & Illustration: Watan
Freelance illustrator. Works across light novel illustrations, VTuber designs, game character designs, and SNS artwork. Representative works include “No Collar for the Witch” (KADOKAWA) and Salome Hyakumantenbara (Nijisanji).
“Hello, I’m Watan, the illustrator in charge of character design and main visual artwork for MONOPHOBIA. I hope my illustrations help convey even a fraction of the game’s beautiful world. Please look forward to playing!”
MONOPHOBIA Overview
Genre: 2.5D Urban Legend Suspense Adventure
Release Date: Coming Soon
Platform: Steam®
Price: TBD
Players: 1 Player
Supported Languages (Planned): Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean
Developer: Dendrobium
Publisher: Candidum Games, Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Steam Store Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4012490/MONOPHOBIA/
Official Webpage (Shochiku Games): https://game.shochiku.co.jp/ja/games/monophobia/
Copyright: ©Dendrobium