{"rewrite":{"id":"r_eef03dab6848268b9008b3e3","clusterId":"c_9058107b58bc81b5a907dbf1","slug":"made-in-japan-xr-project-launches-with-sausage-theme","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"Made in Japan XR Project Launches With Sausage Theme","summary":"G-SMASH has announced the first development theme for its Made in Japan XR Project, a support program for student and young creators aiming to build global entertainment IP from Japanese XR content. The theme is sausages, chosen for its universal recognition, meme potential, and compatibility with VR physics. The project will support eight teams with support worth about 500,000 yen per team, covering everything from planning and prototyping through launch. The hackathon runs from August 18 to 20 in Shibuya, with applications due by August 10. After the hackathon, selected teams will attend a residential bootcamp from September 9 to 12, followed by mentoring until December. A Demo Day is set for November 1, and the launch event is scheduled for December 11 to 12. Completed works will be released globally on Meta Store and PICO Store between January and February 2027. The project is led by G-SMASH CEO Shun Harashima, who previously worked at TAKARA TOMY, Konami, and Meta Japan. Professional development teams will also produce sausage-themed games in parallel, aiming for about 20 titles total.","whyItMatters":"The project's strategy of flooding stores with sausage-themed games from both students and professionals simultaneously is unprecedented and aims to create a visible trend that could establish a new global IP from Japan.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eG-SMASH held an explanatory meeting for the Made in Japan XR Project on August 6 at the Shibuya creator hub 404 Not Found. The project took shape in about two months, driven by CEO Shun Harashima, who was introduced by former SIE executive Shuhei Yoshida as a crazy young man. Harashima\u0026#39;s background includes developing Beyblade at TAKARA TOMY, new business at Konami, and three years as a VR game developer relations representative at Meta Japan.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sausage theme was selected after analysis of the VR market, which shows Meta Quest alone has sold 35 million units and over 50 million headsets are in circulation. In the US, one in three teenagers owns a headset, and social VR games like Gorilla Tag, which exceeded 10 million cumulative players and $100 million in sales by 2024, dominate. The project targets American kids who regularly watch TikTok, aiming for instant appeal.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout 10 mentors from Japan and abroad will support the teams, including Kenta Iwasaki from CyberAgent XR Lab and the Fujikawa brothers from UNIVRS, whose Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable topped the Meta Store global weekly bestseller list for four consecutive weeks. The project also plans collaborations with companies behind popular Gorilla Tag-like titles to feature sausages in their games.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"The Made in Japan XR Project wants to flood VR stores with sausage games from students and pros alike, aiming for about 20 titles to make sausages look like the hottest trend. Hackathon starts Aug 18.","twitterPost":"Why sausages? Because they're universally understood, meme-ready, and wiggle perfectly with VR physics. The Made in Japan XR Project targets American kids on TikTok. Apply by Aug 10.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"G-SMASH's Made in Japan XR Project picks sausages as its first theme, supporting eight student teams with 500,000 yen each to launch XR games. The hackathon starts August 18, with global release planned for early 2027.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/991/G999104/20260807003/\",\"title\":\"Building a Global IP from \\\"Sausages\\\": What is the \\\"Made in Japan XR Project\\\" That Supports Student and Young Creators with 500,000 Yen per Team to Launch and Get Played\"},{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/991/G999101/20260806007/\",\"title\":\"「Made in Japan XR Project」第1弾の開発テーマは「ソーセージ」に決定。学生・若手8チームを，集中合宿やメンタリングなどでローンチまで支援\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":8055,"outputTokens":1103,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1786077473,"createdAt":"2026-08-07T04:35:21.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-07T04:36:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-07T04:35:21.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_9058107b58bc81b5a907dbf1","canonicalTitle":"「ソーセージ」で世界的IPを作り上げる。学生・若手を1チーム50万円相当の支援でローンチ＋遊んでもらうところまで連れていく「Made in Japan XR Project」とは","representativeArticleId":"a_35516dcc63db53d843bc0a70","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"other\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-07T01:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-07T01:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-07T04:36:44.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"4Gamer.net","url":"https://www.4gamer.net/games/991/G999104/20260807003/","title":"「ソーセージ」で世界的IPを作り上げる。学生・若手を1チーム50万円相当の支援でローンチ＋遊んでもらうところまで連れていく「Made in Japan XR Project」とは"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"other","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["The Made in Japan XR Project's first development theme is sausages, announced by G-SMASH on August 7, 2026.","Eight teams will receive support worth about 500,000 yen each, covering hackathon, bootcamp, mentoring, and launch.","The hackathon runs August 18-20 in Shibuya; applications close August 10, 2026.","Completed works will be released globally on Meta Store and PICO Store between January and February 2027.","Professional teams will also produce sausage games, aiming for about 20 titles released in a short period."]}