Neconome Inc. has announced that pre-release play footage for its competitive shogi game “KIOU”, scheduled for release in spring 2026, has been published on the channels of shogi YouTubers Sugar and Shogi Jikkyo Sora. The two videos were released on Saturday, May 9, 2026. They give viewers their first look at the in-game footage of the unreleased title, an actual match between two popular YouTubers, and candid impressions from both players — making this the title’s first public-facing playthrough.

The first KIOU match between shogi YouTubers Sugar and Shogi Jikkyo Sora

The videos released this time are rare pre-release playthroughs in which Sugar — popular among shogi fans — and Shogi Jikkyo Sora play an actual match in “KIOU” before its release. The same match is filmed from each player’s perspective, and watching the two videos side by side lets viewers more deeply enjoy the strategic exchanges and mental battle from both sides.

Sugar’s perspective is published as “[Trending] I played KIOU against Sora,” and Sora’s perspective is published as “[Pre-release Play] I played the trending shogi app KIOU.” The video descriptions also announce that comments — including impressions of and improvement requests for “KIOU” — are being collected, signaling a development stance that incorporates user feedback as it progresses.

Pre-release game screens and voice acting from a star-studded cast

Along with the pre-release in-game footage of “KIOU,” the videos feature a heated real match between two popular YouTubers, voice acting from a star-studded cast that reads out tactics and castle names, and candid play impressions and feedback from both players. The build highlights how the actual UI and voice acting color the playing experience, showing both in parallel with the match itself.

This is the first time the game’s direction — combining a high level of competitive shogi with character-driven voice presentation — has been demonstrated through actual play by popular shogi-themed YouTubers, positioning the title as a crossover project between the shogi fan base and streaming culture.

About “KIOU”

“KIOU” is a new-style shogi game that lets players enjoy interactions with appealing characters and competitive shogi matches at the same time. It features voice acting from a star-studded cast, a character affinity system, and a match system that lets everyone — from beginners to high-ranked players — play at their own pace. Within a Japanese x fantasy world, players can experience both the strategic exchanges on the board and the stories with the characters in tandem.

Supported platforms are iOS, Android, and PC (Steam), with release scheduled for spring 2026. The title will be free-to-play (with in-app purchases). Both development and publishing are handled by Neconome Inc.

Looking ahead

“KIOU” is scheduled to launch in spring 2026, with further information expected to be released through the official site and the official X account. How the response to this pre-release playthrough — and the player impressions and requests being gathered in the video descriptions — feeds back into release-version tuning and future promotional plans is worth watching.

Impressions and outlook

Using actual playthrough videos from shogi-focused YouTubers as the starting point to rapidly raise interest in a pre-release game is a solid approach that addresses both streaming culture and the shogi fan community. In particular, the format of “watching the same match from both sides” is excellent content design for keeping viewers engaged, and it concisely communicates the title’s concept of pairing a competitive game like shogi with stream-friendly presentation. At Streamer Magazine, we’ll keep following this title as a streaming-culture-meets-competitive-game crossover all the way to release.

Source: PR TIMES