{"rewrite":{"id":"r_6c13ffdd43d94257aa7daacf","clusterId":"c_9ee8dead37f51062790853d4","slug":"konami-opens-steam-wishlist-registration-for-roguelike-card-game-project-zircon","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"KONAMI Opens Steam Wishlist Registration for Roguelike Card Game PROJECT ZIRCON","summary":"Konami Digital Entertainment began accepting Steam wishlist registrations for PROJECT ZIRCON, a deck-building roguelike card game, during its KONAMI PRESS START program that aired worldwide on September 4, 2026. The game casts the player as a head of state who recruits character cards as allies and builds facilities to develop a nation over five in-game years, with a final battle against the Dragon of Calamity in the fifth year. A developer commentary trailer released alongside the announcement introduces the two-phase gameplay: a Strategy Phase for expanding territory and acquiring cards and facilities, and a Governance Phase where placing cards near facilities earns points. The story branches based on player choices and events, leading to multiple endings. PROJECT ZIRCON originated as a Web3 co-creation project first announced in 2023, allowing anyone to contribute characters and worldbuilding while permitting derivative works under published guidelines. The Steam store page is now live for wishlisting.","whyItMatters":"The wishlist opening confirms that PROJECT ZIRCON, originally pitched as a Web3 co-creation project at Tokyo Game Show 2023, is now taking concrete shape as a conventional PC game on Steam.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eKONAMI PRESS START broadcast worldwide starting at 0:00 Japan time on September 4, 2026, with the wishlist opening delivered at 0:00 that same day.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e4Gamer notes the project was announced at Tokyo Game Show 2023 as KONAMI\u0026#39;s first Web3 project, and its related article highlights the \u0026#34;Resella\u0026#34; distribution system, which was designed to let users trade without being conscious of NFTs.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe co-creation guidelines also permit commercial use of content that utilizes the IP, according to 4Gamer\u0026#39;s link to the published rules.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eGame Spark\u0026#39;s developer commentary trailer frames the premise as saving the world from the revived \u0026#34;Dragon of Catastrophe,\u0026#34; with different strategies each playthrough.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eYearly objectives in the Strategy Phase and Governance Phase combine: placing character cards near facilities earns points, and facility upgrades plus recruiting allies build strength toward the fifth-year final battle.\u003c/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eGame Spark confirms development is for PC (Steam) and describes the game as dark fantasy themed, matching 4Gamer\u0026#39;s genre label.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"PROJECT ZIRCON's shift to a full card game arrives from a Web3 co-creation origin, where the community's role in worldbuilding may carry into how the final narrative branches are received.","twitterPost":"PROJECT ZIRCON's Web3 roots mean its community-built world now faces the constraints of a commercial game's fixed endings.","threadsPost":"PROJECT ZIRCON began as a Web3 PROJECT inviting anyone to contribute characters and worldbuilding. As a polished Steam release, that open-ended collaboration now meets the limits of a designed game with multiple but finite endings. The tension between open creation and curated design is the real test.","newsletterBlurb":"KONAMI has started accepting Steam wishlist registrations for PROJECT ZIRCON, a deck-building roguelike that puts you in charge of a nation facing a world-ending dragon. The game, which began as a Web3 co-creation project in 2023, now has a developer commentary trailer and a live store page.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"GAME Watch (Impress)\",\"url\":\"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2138152.html\",\"title\":\"Roguelike card game \\\"PROJECT ZIRCON\\\" begins wishlist registration on Steam [KONAMI PRESS START]\"},{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/738/G073800/20260904002/\",\"title\":\"Build a nation and survive five years in deck-building roguelike. KONAMI's new title \\\"PROJECT ZIRCON\\\" begins accepting Steam wishlist registrations.\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/04/171735.html\",\"title\":\"Five Years of National Prosperity Powers You to Face the \\\"Dragon of Catastrophe\\\"! Deck-Building Roguelike 'Project Zircon' Developer Commentary Trailer Released [KONAMI PRESS START]\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":9585,"outputTokens":1301,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":null,"createdAt":"2026-09-03T16:14:00.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-09-03T16:18:25.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-03T16:18:25.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_9ee8dead37f51062790853d4","canonicalTitle":"ローグライクカードゲーム「PROJECT ZIRCON」、Steamにてウィッシュリスト登録開始【KONAMI PRESS START】","representativeArticleId":"a_20674df487380d663bd05235","sourceCount":3,"writtenSourceCount":3,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"PROJECT ZIRCON\"],\"studios\":[\"KONAMI\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-03T15:26:42.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-03T15:57:12.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-03T16:18:25.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"4Gamer.net","url":"https://www.4gamer.net/games/738/G073800/20260904002/","title":"国を築き，5年間を生き抜くデッキ構築型ローグライク。KONAMI新作「PROJECT ZIRCON」，Steamでウィッシュリストの登録受付を開始"},{"source":"GAME Watch (Impress)","url":"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2138152.html","title":"ローグライクカードゲーム「PROJECT ZIRCON」、Steamにてウィッシュリスト登録開始【KONAMI PRESS START】"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/09/04/171735.html","title":"5年間の国の繁栄を力に「大災の竜」を迎え撃て！デッキ構築ローグライク『Project Zircon』開発者解説トレイラーを公開【KONAMI PRESS START】"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["PROJECT ZIRCON"],"studios":["KONAMI"],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["PROJECT ZIRCON is a deck-building roguelike card game developed for PC (Steam) by Konami Digital Entertainment.","Steam wishlist registration opened on September 4, 2026, during the KONAMI PRESS START program.","The game spans five in-game years, culminating in a battle against the Dragon of Calamity in year five.","PROJECT ZIRCON was first announced in 2023 as KONAMI's first Web3 co-creation project.","The story changes based on player choices and events, with multiple endings available."]}