In a historic announcement that has sent shockwaves through the anime and gaming communities, Bandai Namco officially unveiled Project AGE 1000 during the 2026 Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri event. This massive new action-RPG, currently slated for a 2027 release, represents a significant milestone in the franchise's 40-year history. Perhaps most poignantly, it features original world-building and character designs created by the late Akira Toriyama, marking one of his final creative contributions to the series he created. Development for the title has reportedly been underway for seven years, kept entirely under wraps until today.

A New Era: Project AGE 1000 Details Revealed

The announcement trailer, which debuted at the Makuhari Messe event in Tokyo, introduced fans to a vision of the Dragon Ball world unlike anything seen before. While specific gameplay mechanics remain guarded, producer Masayuki Hirano confirmed that Project AGE 1000 is an ambitious new entry that will explore a largely untouched era of the Dragon Ball timeline.

"We have spent a long time carefully crafting this project," executive producer Akio Iyoku stated during the presentation. "This game will allow us to experience a brand new part of the Dragon Ball world that Toriyama-sensei was deeply passionate about building."

The Mystery of the Grey-Haired Hero

The most talked-about moment of the reveal was the debut of a mysterious new protagonist. The trailer showcased a grey-haired young man clad in futuristic Capsule Corp gear, a design confirmed to be penned by Toriyama himself. "I asked Toriyama-sensei to create this character especially for the game," Hirano noted, sparking immediate speculation among fans about the character's lineage and connection to the Saiyan bloodline. This unnamed hero stands as a testament to Toriyama's enduring creativity, offering a fresh face for a new generation of players.

Decoding the 'AGE 1000' Timeline

Hardcore fans will immediately recognize the significance of the title. In the official Dragon Ball chronology, "Age 1000" takes place centuries after the events of Dragon Ball Super and the end of the original manga. This is the same era that served as the setting for the cult classic Dragon Ball Online, a project Toriyama was also heavily involved in.

By choosing this time period, Bandai Namco is effectively opening a sandbox where new stories can be told without conflicting with established canon. The setting implies a world where the legacy of Goku and Vegeta has passed into legend, allowing for a diverse array of new races (like the Majins and Namekians who have repopulated Earth) to take center stage. This setting aligns perfectly with the promise of "unseen concepts," potentially revisiting and expanding upon lore that Toriyama developed years ago but never fully utilized in the main series.

Dragon Ball Sparking! ZERO DLC Roadmap & Updates

While Project AGE 1000 stole the show, existing players of the hit fighter Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO received major news as well. Bandai Namco detailed an aggressive DLC roadmap for 2026 to keep the arena fighter fresh.

  • Summer 2026 Expansion: A massive content drop is scheduled for the summer, featuring fan-favorite characters like Super Saiyan Bardock, Super Android 17 (GT), and the Great Demon King Piccolo.
  • New Game Modes: A new single-player experience titled "Mission 100" will launch on January 26, 2026. This mode challenges players to clear varying mission objectives with specific characters, adding deeper replay value for solo players.
  • Next-Gen Support: The developers confirmed that these updates will arrive on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC first, with release dates for the Nintendo Switch and its successor console to follow shortly after.

What's Next for Dragon Ball Fans?

The 40th anniversary celebrations are far from over. Bandai Namco has promised that the next major information drop for Project AGE 1000—including its official title and gameplay footage—will occur at the Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026. The event is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on April 18-19, 2026.

As the community digests this flood of news, the anticipation for a Dragon Ball new game 2026 reveal has shifted to excitement for 2027. With Toriyama's final unseen concepts at its core, this project promises to be more than just a game; it is a tribute to the legacy of a manga legend.