Gaming

2026 Has an Open-World RPG That Revives a Dormant Anime Series

Anime-inspired video games and game spin-offs from popular anime are popular for a reason. Many anime have premises that just perfectly lend themselves to a video game format. In fact, some of the biggest gaming franchises, like Pokemon and Digimon, are both big anime and big games. So, it’s not surprising that 2026 is already bringing us at least one big RPG with an anime inspiration. However, the anime that inspired the game ended back in 2021, so it’s a return to a series that’s been somewhat dormant since its final season aired.

Videos by ComicBook.com

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origins is set to release in January 2026. The open-world RPG from Netmarble will bring players into the world of The Seven Deadly Sins, a popular manga and anime that has long wrapped up its original story. It will let fans experience the beloved anime franchise again in a new way, bringing back beloved characters in a fresh, exclusive story.

The Seven Deadly Sins Was One of Netflix’s First Big Anime Hits, And Fans Want More

Image courtesy of A-1 Pictures

The Seven Deadly Sins anime began airing in Japan in 2014, later making its way to English streaming by way of Netflix. In fact, it was one of the first exclusive anime rights that Netflix acquired, and is no doubt part of why we’re getting more anime on the platform today. The Seven Deadly Sins proved popular with the US Netflix audience, topping the charts for top-watched shows within 24 hours of its release. Though many fans say the anime adaptation’s quality decreased over time, it remains a popular franchise from the manga and early anime combined.

In all, The Seven Deadly Sins went on to put out 5 seasons, with the last season airing in 2021. At that point, the adaptation had covered the full story from the original manga. That means the characters have been largely dormant since 2021. The sequel manga, Four Knights of the Apocalypse, is set in the same universe but focuses on a new generation of characters. So although this, too, has a new anime adaptation that began running in 2024, many fans are missing what they loved about the original series and its characters.

That’s where the upcoming open-world RPG, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin comes in. The game was originally announced back in 2022, just after the anime wrapped up its main story. Now, nearly 5 years after the anime wrapped up, fans are getting a new story featuring many of the original characters from The Seven Deadly Sins.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin Lets Players Enter the World of the Show

The Seven Deadly Sins Origin Screenshot
Image courtesy of Netmarble

Earlier this year, Netmarble finally confirmed the release date for The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin. The open-world anime RPG will arrive on January 28th, 2026 for PC, PS5, and mobile platforms. And unlike the sequel anime, which focuses on a new generation, this game will bring back many beloved characters from the original. Best of all, it’s a brand-new story, rather than retreading the ground already covered in The Seven Deadly Sins anime. That makes it something of a revival for the original series, albeit in video game form.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin will put players into the shoes of Prince Tristan of Liones, a character fans will recognize from the anime. As Tristian, you will explore the open world of Britannia, working to restore order to the world. The game features a roster of heroes from the anime, who you will recruit to your team alongside new original characters added to the Origins universe. As the game will be free-to-play, it’s likely we’ll recruit these Seven Deadly Sins icons via a gacha mechanic.

Alongside the game’s RPG combat and exploration, Origins will feature cozy gameplay staples like cooking, fishing, and treasure hunting. It looks poised to be something along the lines of a Genshin Impact style of gameplay, but with characters and story pulled from the world of The Seven Deadly Sins. For fans of the franchise, it’s well worth checking out the game when it arrives in January.

Will you be playing The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin when it releases early next year? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in theย ComicBook Forum!