Toei is officially getting serious about video games. The Japanese entertainment giant has announced a new game label called Toei Games, marking a fresh push beyond its usual film, TV, and anime business.
For most fans in Malaysia and SEA, Toei is probably most familiar through Toei Animation, the studio name attached to massive franchises like One Piece and Dragon Ball. So yes, the first reaction is obvious: are we getting a new Toei-made anime game?
Not quite — at least not for now.
Toei Games is starting with PC and Steam
According to the announcement, Toei Games will first focus on the PC market, specifically Steam. That is actually a pretty smart starting point for SEA players. Steam is still one of the most accessible platforms here, especially for Malaysian players who may not own every console but still game on laptops, desktop PCs, or cybercafe-style setups.
Toei also plans to expand later to PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox, but the initial direction is clearly PC-first. For our region, that means any early Toei Games titles could be easier to discover, wishlist, and buy without waiting for console stock, imports, or regional release confusion.
The company revealed a new Toei Games logo alongside a pixel art animation based on Toei’s famous movie opening — the classic waves crashing against rocks. Fun detail: that animation was commissioned from Kairosoft, the developer known for its charming pixel-style management games.
New IP first, not anime adaptations
Here’s the interesting part: Toei Games is not kicking things off with games based on its existing anime or film properties.
Instead, the label wants to build original game IPs from scratch. These projects will involve both Japanese and international developers, with Toei also bringing in experience and technology from its film production background.
That direction is genuinely worth watching. A lot of entertainment companies enter games by immediately leaning on famous brands, because it is safer and easier to market. Toei choosing original IP suggests it wants Toei Games to be more than just a side department making tie-ins.
For anime fans, that may sound slightly disappointing if you were hoping for a surprise Dragon Ball or One Piece project. But for players, it could be more exciting long-term. Original games give developers more room to experiment instead of being trapped by canon, licensing expectations, and fanservice checklists.
Why Malaysia and SEA should care
SEA players are already a huge part of the Steam ecosystem, and Japanese games have a strong fanbase here — from anime-style RPGs to niche indies that blow up through word of mouth. If Toei Games takes PC seriously, Malaysia could be part of the audience from day one rather than an afterthought.
There is also a bigger industry trend happening. Another Japanese film heavyweight, Toho, has also been moving deeper into games, though Toho is taking a different approach by using a famous IP like Godzilla for its plans.
So now we have major Japanese entertainment companies looking at games not just as merchandise, but as a proper global business. For fans, that means more cross-pollination between anime, film, and interactive storytelling. For developers, especially if Toei really works with international creators, it could open doors to projects with Japanese studio backing but global flavour.
Toei says more details about upcoming titles will be shared on April 24. Until then, keep expectations grounded: this is not a confirmed anime game bombshell. But as a new label from one of Japan’s biggest entertainment names, Toei Games is definitely something anime and gaming fans in SEA should keep on the radar.
Source: Automaton Media