City Connection has formally announced Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Jong REMASTER, bringing the mahjong-driven Higurashi spin-off to PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam. The game is planned to launch in Japan in 2027, putting it in similar release-window territory as other Japanese titles making the jump to modern hardware, like the recently detailed Professor Layton and the New World of Steam.

The pitch, according to City Connection’s Steam page, is straightforward: experience the world of the original Higurashi no Naku Koro ni through mahjong, facing off against familiar Hinamizawa faces in matches where the stakes go well beyond bragging rights. It’s the kind of genre-crossover conceit that anime-adjacent games lean on often – the recent Apothecary Diaries game adaptation is a similar case of a beloved property getting reinterpreted through an unexpected mechanical lens. Here, that lens is Riichi mahjong, and cheating is explicitly part of the design rather than a failure state.

Three Modes, One Table

The remaster splits into three modes, each built around the same two-player, one-versus-one Riichi ruleset:

Mode Description Oyashiro Mode Keiichi Maebara plays high-stakes matches to avert Hinamizawa’s tragedy, using unfair tactics toward a true ending Club Mode After-school matches against the usual club members with penalty games on the line, freely combinable Club Mode Extra: Paikuzushi Chapter Scenario mode originally added in the handheld-console version, unlocking reward cutscenes through wins

Beyond the modes, the remaster leans hard on presentation: elaborate animated cutscenes cover character entries, special moves, and reward scenes, with dynamic animation running throughout matches themselves rather than being reserved for cutaways. An Auto Mode lets the CPU handle play for anyone unfamiliar with mahjong, which should widen the audience beyond genre veterans – not unlike how platform-agnostic releases discussed around recent Nintendo Direct Switch coverage aim to lower entry barriers for newcomers.

Clearing the main game unlocks a Bonus Gallery featuring newly drawn artwork from guest artists, including PoyoyonRock, paired with audio dramas. An announcement trailer accompanies the reveal, though City Connection has not detailed a specific release date beyond the 2027 window.

Release Details

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Jong REMASTER is set to launch in Japan in 2027 on PS5, Switch, and PC through Steam. Language support is confirmed for Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese, with no English localization or overseas release plans announced at this time.

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