Idolmaster SideM: First Console Game Announced for Switch 2

THE IDOLM@STER SideM is receiving its first dedicated console game for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch. As Anime!Anime! reports, a single-player adventure is in development featuring all 49 Idols of the series and entirely new stories; a final title and release date have not yet been announced.

Bandai Namco Entertainment and D3Publisher describe the project as an "Idol Produce & Scheduling Adventure." The story takes place in the current world of SideM but tells a new tale within it. Players first choose one of the 16 units as their leading group. Depending on this choice, supporting units, dialogue, and parts of the storyline change. The announcement emphasizes that all 49 Idols receive their own new stories, so it is not just a single unit at the center.

One Year Until the Big Live Concert

The focus is preparation for a major live event under the concept "MMM," which is set to take place one year later within the story. New live outfits are being created for all 49 Idols. The first published visual shows DRAMATIC STARS with Teru Tendo, Kaoru Sakuraba, and Tsubasa Kashiwagi in these costumes. Which route players experience depends on the leader unit chosen at the start; the accompanying groups and conversations therefore differ as well.

The project is also the first SideM title explicitly developed for home consoles. Further details about the exact gameplay flow, the price, or a release outside Japan have not yet been mentioned. The age rating from CERO is also still pending.

For SideM, the announcement follows further changes within the franchise. In early September, Koki Ino was introduced as the new voice of Kanon Himeno. At the same time, the Nintendo Switch 2 is increasingly being supported by Japanese series: most recently, Persona 4 Revival and Persona 6 were confirmed for the console.