CTW Expands U.S. Engagement and Highlights Growing Pipeline of Anime IP-Based Browser Games

Company deepens relationships with North American anime fans and industry stakeholders while expanding and refreshing its G123 game portfolio

TOKYO, Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CTW (Nasdaq: CTW) (“CTW” or “the Company”), a leading game platform company providing global access to web-based games through its flagship platform, G123.jp, today provided an update on its growing engagement with the U.S. anime market following its participation as an official registration sponsor at Anime NYC 2026, while highlighting recent and upcoming additions to its G123 game portfolio.

Over the course of the four-day event, CTW engaged directly with the U.S. anime fan community, showcased recent and upcoming additions to its G123 game portfolio and met with anime IP holders, publishers and other industry participants. Anime NYC is one of the largest anime conventions in the United States, bringing together fans, creators, studios, IP holders and other industry stakeholders. Organizers reported that the 2026 event, the 9^th annual gathering of the convention, welcomed more than 170,000 attendees to the Javits Center, up from 2025’s 148,000 attendees
  
“Anime NYC gave us a valuable opportunity to engage directly with North American fans and better understand the anime IP and games that resonate with this audience,” said Ryuichi Sasaki, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of CTW. “It also provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships with IP holders, publishers and other industry participants as we continue to expand CTW’s presence in the U.S. market.” 

Recent and Upcoming Additions to the G123 Portfolio

CTW highlighted several recent and upcoming titles and content updates on G123.jp, including:

• WIXOSS Multiverse: CTW confirmed a major update will reposition the title as an idle-style battle RPG featuring parties of up to six members, alongside newly illustrated character designs for more than 60 characters. The WIXOSS franchise has spanned anime, card games and mixed media since 2014. The update is intended to refresh the title's gameplay and content while expanding its appeal to both existing and new players.
  
• Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest – Rebellion Soul: A collaboration event with the anime OVERLORD ran from August 13 through September 2, 2026, spanning the Anime NYC weekend. The event introduced OVERLORD characters including Ainz, Albedo, Shalltear, and Aura & Mare, along with crossover skins and limited-time event quests.
  
• Skeleton Knight in Another World SKULL BRAVE: CTW released a teaser trailer for this upcoming idle isekai adventure RPG and opened pre-registration. The game is based on the light novel series with more than 3.5 million copies in circulation, whose television anime adaptation began its second season in July 2026.
  

Momentum from Recent Launches

CTW also highlighted two titles launched on G123.jp earlier this year:

• HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD DAY 0: A roguelike tower defense game based on the manga and anime series by Daisuke Sato and Shouji Sato, launched in April 2026 and is available in Japanese, English and Traditional Chinese, with Korean planned. The title represents the first official IP content from the beloved series in more than a decade and is already seeing strong user growth from Western and global audiences.
  
• The Apothecary Diaries Palace Chronicles: A simulation game based on The Apothecary Diaries, a franchise with more than 45 million copies sold worldwide. The title surpassed 200,000 pre-registrations ahead of its June 15, 2026 launch. The anime franchise continues to expand, with a third season scheduled for October 2026 and a film scheduled for December 2026.

“Our approach is to work with established anime and manga IP and make those properties accessible to players through G123’s browser-based platform,” added Mr. Sasaki. “Opening our New York office earlier this year brought that model closer to U.S. players. Our participation in Anime NYC builds on that local presence and gives us another avenue to engage with fans and industry partners in North America.”

CTW expects to continue expanding the G123 portfolio with additional officially licensed titles and content updates, while strengthening its relationships with anime and manga IP holders and growing its engagement with players in the U.S. and other international markets.

Additional information about CTW’s games is available on g123.jp and through the Company’s social media channels.

About CTW

CTW is a leading game platform company providing global access to web-based, free-to-play games inspired by popular Japanese anime IP, including So I’m a Spider, So What? Ruler of the Labyrinth, Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest – Rebellion Soul, and Queen’s Blade Limit Break. CTW delivers these games through its globally accessible flagship platform, G123.jp, which has accumulated paying users in over 180 countries since its 2018 launch. Founded in Tokyo in 2013, CTW partners with anime and manga IP holders to bring officially licensed titles to players around the world with no downloads or account registration required.

For more information, visit www.ctw.inc or G123.jp.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," "targets," "guidance" and similar statements. CTW may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical facts, including statements about CTW's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: CTW's growth strategies; its future business development, results of operations and financial condition; its ability to distribute successful and engaging games with high "playability" on its platform; its ability to efficiently attract and retain end-users who come to play and make in-game purchases; its ability to achieve positive return on investment on user acquisition efforts; its ability to establish and maintain relationships with game developers; governmental policies and regulations relating to CTW's industry; and general economic and business conditions globally and in Japan and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in CTW's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and CTW undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Contacts

Media Contact:
CTW Press Team
corpcomm@ctw.inc 

Investor Relations Contact:
Patrick Federle | Head of Investor Relations
investor@ctw.inc