Smilegate made a powerful first impression at Anime Expo 2026. The studio’s dual booth setup for MIRESI: Invisible Future and Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN) drew significant attention throughout the four-day convention, marking a strong debut for the Korean publisher at North America’s largest subculture event.
MIRESI, the highly anticipated collectible RPG from developer Control9, offered its first-ever playable demo in North America—and fans showed up. The demo area maintained average wait times of nearly three hours throughout the event. Demo participants received MIRESI-themed Happi Coats, which quickly became one of Anime Expo’s most sought-after giveaway items.
Stage programs drew significant crowds, including a Dev Talk where the development team introduced the game’s world, characters, and combat system while interacting directly with attendees. Live drawing shows featuring Art Director Hyung-sup “Hyulla” Kim alongside renowned illustrators REIQ, Karory, and Ruca were major highlights. The MIRESI Challenge, an interactive stage event where attendees learned about the game by following motions alongside cosplay models, also proved popular.
On the evening of July 4, Hyulla hosted a separate live drawing session with guest illustrator REIQ. Despite MIRESI being an unreleased IP, the hour-long session filled nearly every seat. Hyulla illustrated Tieria in a bunny girl outfit while REIQ drew Itsuka in a swimsuit, with both artists answering audience questions live throughout the event.
CZN, which has already built a growing fanbase in North America, saw strong participation in its physical card collection event featuring real-world versions of the game’s signature combat cards. Interest centered on the raffle for a 24K Gold Card, available to players who completed the full collection of 15 cards. Participants actively traded cards with one another and joined on-site exchange events to complete their collections. Each morning, eager attendees lined up before the exhibition opened to secure one of the limited raffle entries.
Most CZN merchandise sold at AmiAmi’s on-site booth also sold out during the event.
The development team connected closely with fans throughout the event. During autograph sessions, CZN Super Creative Studio Co-Head & Game Director Hyung-suk Kim, Art Director Su-been So, and Epic Seven Art Director Han-kyung Ryu met with attendees in person, listening to feedback and expressing appreciation for the community’s support.
On the evening of July 3, a special panel featured Hyung-suk Kim sharing CZN‘s development history and the team’s philosophy of developing 2D animation games rooted in sincerity. The presentation concluded with the world’s first reveal of information on the game’s upcoming season, drawing enthusiastic applause from the audience. Despite taking place late in the evening after the main exhibition had closed, the panel attracted a large audience.
Noju Lee, Director of Marketing at Smilegate, reflected on the experience: “Anime Expo gave us a valuable opportunity to see firsthand the passion North American fans have for 2D animation games and the culture surrounding them. As Smilegate’s first appearance at AX, we hope this event will help Chaos Zero Nightmare continue growing its fanbase while paving the way for MIRESI to successfully establish itself in the North American market.”
Smilegate’s first Anime Expo appearance was a resounding success. Three-hour demo wait times, sold-out merch, and an enthusiastic fan response suggest both MIRESI and CZN have bright futures ahead in the North American market. For fans who couldn’t attend, both titles remain ones to watch.
Source: Smilegate
