VIRTUAL ENCORE Announced for Switch and Steam, VTuber Visual Novel Launches January 2027

ENTERGRAM has announced VIRTUAL ENCORE, a new visual novel coming to Nintendo Switch and Windows PC via Steam in January 2027. Its Steam page and official website are now live, while the exact release date and pricing remain unannounced.

The story follows VTuber agency manager Kusunoki Wakaba through the final six days before Tsukimiya Erika's first solo live. Erika is the virtual identity of Kisaragi Mirei, and what should have been a straightforward countdown toward the best concert possible gradually becomes something more complicated.

Quick Summary

• Title: VIRTUAL ENCORE
• Format: Video game
• Genre: Visual novel / adventure
• Themes: VTuber industry, talent management, mystery, human relationships
• Developer: ENTERGRAM
• Publisher: ENTERGRAM
• Additional Steam publisher: iMel
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch and Windows PC via Steam
• Release window: January 2027
• Exact date: Unannounced
• Price: Unannounced
• Mode: Single-player
• CERO rating: Pending
• Estimated playtime: 6–8 hours
• Event CGs: 20
• Structure: Text adventure with branching choices
• Player perspective: Kusunoki Wakaba
• Wakaba's role: VTuber agency manager
• Main talent: Tsukimiya Erika
• Erika's real identity: Kisaragi Mirei
• Tsukimiya Erika / Kisaragi Mirei: Shiori Yoshimura
• Hinata Kirara / Shirase Kirara: Nagisa Higami
• Koyanagi Honoka: Yuka Hiiragi
• Rito Nakamura: 菅野一
• Story timeframe: Six days before Erika's first solo live
• Early problems: Streaming trouble, stagnant concurrent viewers, and preparations for the concert
• Planning / Direction: 縹
• Scenario: Tomosaka / 伴坂
• Character design: wata / 緜
• Original art: wata / 緜 and Cthlo
• UI/UX: RedForestDesigning
• Music: kolorincho, Keica*, 432
• Theme song: “Aftersounds”
• Artist: phrilli
• Lyrics / Composition: Yuto Iizuka
• Steam languages: Japanese and Simplified Chinese
• Japanese: Interface, subtitles, and full audio
• English / Indonesian: Not supported
• Steam demo: September 2026
• Switch package preorders: Begin September 17, 2026
• Switch limited edition: Planned

Teaser PV, Steam, and Game Visuals

Six Days Until Erika's First Solo Live

Kusunoki Wakaba works as a VTuber manager and is pouring everything into helping Tsukimiya Erika prepare for her first solo concert.

Those final six days are not going smoothly. Streams run into trouble, concurrent viewer numbers refuse to grow as expected, and Kisaragi Mirei tends to shoulder problems on her own.

A 15-second support advertisement is already playing on a Shibuya street screen with the line “My song transcends dimensions.” Everything appears to be moving toward a major concert—at least at first.

The VTuber and the Person Behind the Avatar

A central idea behind VIRTUAL ENCORE is showing a virtual persona and the person performing her as two sides of the same character.

Kisaragi Mirei is the person behind Tsukimiya Erika. She presents herself as cool and can be prickly around others, but is also sensitive and reluctant to depend on anyone.

Erika, by contrast, is presented publicly as Production Echoes' bright “galaxy's number one diva VTuber,” a singer who loves music and tea and is accompanied by a floating rabbit named Tsukimaru.

Player Choices Branch the Story

Gameplay follows a traditional text-adventure structure: players read dialogue, advance scenes, and make decisions when choices appear.

Those decisions determine how the story branches. Steam estimates a total playtime of around 6–8 hours, with 20 event CGs included across the experience.

The relatively compact runtime keeps the six-day countdown at the center of the narrative.

Kirara and Honoka Show Another Side of Production Echoes

Erika is not the only VTuber introduced so far. Hinata Kirara, voiced by Nagisa Higami alongside her real identity Shirase Kirara, also belongs to Production Echoes.

Kirara is considerably more high-energy, with a love of comedy, music, and dance. She considers Erika a rival she intends to surpass.

Her manager is Koyanagi Honoka, voiced by Yuka Hiiragi. Honoka frequently turns to Wakaba for advice as a senior manager while dedicating herself to helping Kirara realize her ambitions.

wata Designs the Characters, Tomosaka Writes the Scenario

wata / 緜 handles character design and original art, with Cthlo contributing still artwork.

The scenario is written by Tomosaka / 伴坂, while 縹 handles planning and direction. RedForestDesigning is responsible for UI/UX, with music composed by kolorincho, Keica*, and 432.

The theme song is “Aftersounds” by phrilli, written and composed by Yuto Iizuka.

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A Steam Demo Arrives Before Launch

ENTERGRAM plans to release a Steam demo in September 2026, providing an early opportunity to experience VIRTUAL ENCORE before the complete release.

On Nintendo Switch, both a package edition and Complete Limited Production Edition are planned. Package preorders are scheduled to open on September 17, 2026.

The limited edition includes a multilayer acrylic panel, a theme-song acrylic keychain with an NFC tag, and a cheki-style card. Retailer bonuses using newly drawn character artwork are also planned.

Why This Matters

1) It approaches the VTuber world from both sides

The story follows not only the persona audiences see on screen, but also the talent behind the avatar and the managers supporting her career.

2) Six days give the narrative a clear countdown

The entire buildup to the solo live takes place within a short period, establishing a defined timeline while player choices alter how events unfold.

3) It is designed as a relatively compact visual novel

With a 6–8 hour estimate, 20 event CGs, voiced characters, and branching choices, VIRTUAL ENCORE aims for a concentrated experience rather than an extremely long visual novel.

Game Information

Additional confirmed information currently includes:

• VIRTUAL ENCORE was announced on August 27, 2026
• the game is targeting January 2027
• its final release date will be announced later
• Nintendo Switch and Steam pricing remain unannounced
• Nintendo Switch and Windows PC are the confirmed platforms
• the Switch version will be offered in package and download formats
• the Steam App ID is 4839020
• Steam wishlisting is already available
• a Steam demo is planned for September 2026
• Switch package preorders begin September 17, 2026
• a Complete Limited Production Edition is also planned for Switch
• the limited edition includes a multilayer acrylic panel
• additional items include a theme-song acrylic keychain with NFC tag and a cheki-style card
• retailer bonuses featuring newly drawn character artwork are planned
• the game is designed for one player
• Steam Family Sharing is supported
• Japanese supports interface text, subtitles, and full audio
• Simplified Chinese supports interface text and subtitles
• English and Indonesian are not supported
• Steam currently lists approximately 5 GB of required storage
• the developer discloses that generative AI is used to assist with the creation of some background assets
• no AI generation occurs in real time during gameplay
• Steam warns of blood, corpses, murder, a knife attack, and implied poisoning as part of the mystery/suspense story
• violent material is presented through still illustrations and text
• Steam states that the game contains no sexual content
• the CERO rating remains pending
• official information is available through the VIRTUAL ENCORE Official Website
• the game can be wishlisted through VIRTUAL ENCORE on Steam
• the teaser PV is available on YouTube
• future updates are available through VIRTUAL ENCORE Official X

Closing

VIRTUAL ENCORE turns the VTuber industry into a visual-novel setting that follows not just the personality appearing on screen, but also the talent and managers working behind it through six crucial days before a solo live.

ENTERGRAM has yet to announce the exact release date or pricing. Before its January 2027 launch, PC players will get an early look through the planned Steam demo in September 2026.