JAPAN’S NEW VIRAL HIT “AKIHABARA GACHA SHOP SIMULATOR” IS ACTUALLY DEVELOPED IN ISTANBUL

Istanbul-based indie studio UGC90 launches its Akihabara gacha shop sim into Early Access on Steam and takes Japanese VTuber communities by storm, with players opening 14.6 million gacha capsules in just two weeks!

Gacha Capsule Shop Simulator – Akihabara has released into Early Access on Steam, inviting players to run their own capsule toy shop in the heart of Tokyo’s famous otaku district. The game went live on June 8, 2026 and immediately started spreading across Japanese and Asian streaming communities.

Within days after the release, some of Japan’s most popular VTubers and streamers, including Pekora, Retort, Sakuna, Karubi Akami, and SANNINSHOW,  picked up the game and streamed it for marathon sessions lasting between three and eight hours. Many creators have already returned for multiple broadcasts, with their communities generating a steady flow of clips, memes, and fan art across social media platforms.

The game gives a fresh take on Akihabara and lets players grow their capsule empire. Neon lights, cosplayers, billboards, maid promoters, tourists, local anime fans, JDM cars, “truck‑kun,” and authentic city soundscapes all come together to bring the streets around the shop to life. Daytime focuses on running the business and serving customers, while nighttime activities unlock side events such as an underground robot fighting club where players can place bets and meet colorful characters.

UGC90 emphasizes that nearly a year of development has been shaped by community feedback, with players helping refine systems, content, and quality-of-life features throughout testing and demos. The game’s active Discord community continues to contribute ideas and suggestions for each new milestone and update.

Gacha Capsule Shop Simulator – Akihabara has already surpassed 50,000 wishlists on Steam, with more than 19,000 players jumping into the Early Access build in the first two weeks. In that time, players opened 14.6 million gacha capsules, reached an average playtime of 9.4 hours, and 20% of the audience has already exceeded 30 hours of play, highlighting strong engagement with the game’s core loop.

And this is just the beginning. UGC90 is preparing an upcoming Automation Program update, built directly from community feedback, which will introduce smarter automation tools, improved management systems, and new progression features designed to support hundreds of hours of long-term gameplay.

At launch, the Early Access version includes 24 capsule pack licenses, a variety of interactive gacha machines, and features such as rapid multi-capsule opening to keep the pace snappy. Gacha Capsule Shop Simulator – Akihabara also supports full localization in 26 languages, making it easy for fans of Japanese pop culture worldwide to experience a slice of Akihabara from their PC.

To underline its commitment to collaborative development, UGC90 has published a public feature roadmap for the full release that is actively informed by player feedback and suggestions:

https://app.notion.com/p/ca57fffcae104c5585e8689d98cc82d6?v=3835133311d981a7bb8c000c69504b0d

Fans of simulation games, Japanese street culture, and gacha-style collecting can now visit the Steam page for Gacha Capsule Shop Simulator – Akihabara and start building their own capsule empire now.

Game: Gacha Capsule Shop Simulator – Akihabara

Developer / Publisher: UGC90

Release Date: June 8, 2026

Platform: PC (Steam)

Steam URL:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4164900/Gacha_Capsule_Shop_Simulator__Akihabara/

Trailer: Gacha Capsule Shop Sim – Akihabara