Dragon Ball AGE 1000 is announced – what’s confirmed and what’s not

2 February 2026
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12 min.
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Dragon Ball AGE 1000 is announced – what’s confirmed and what’s not

Summary:

Dragon Ball just added a fresh mystery to its universe. Bandai Namco announced the DRAGON BALL Game Project “AGE 1000” during the Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri event on Sunday, January 25, 2026, and the pitch is clean and bold: a brand-new Dragon Ball world, entirely original characters, and a never-before-seen character designed by Akira Toriyama. That combination is why the announcement hit so hard. It’s not a “remember this fight?” nostalgia play. It’s more like someone opened a new door in Capsule Corp and said, “Don’t worry about what’s inside yet – just know it’s important.”

We do have firm details. The project is set for 2027, and Bandai Namco has said more updates will be shared at Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026 in Los Angeles on April 18-19, 2026. We also have a reveal trailer that introduces the new character in this new setting, giving us a taste of tone and style without spelling out genre, gameplay systems, or platforms. That’s the key tension right now: we know this is real, we know the timing window, and we know the creative hook – but we don’t yet know what kind of experience we’ll be playing. Until Battle Hour, the safest approach is to focus on what’s confirmed, avoid turning guesses into “facts,” and keep an eye on official channels for the next concrete reveal.

Dragon Ball AGE 1000 is official – the quick, clear rundown

Here’s what we can say without squinting at shadows. Bandai Namco has announced a new DRAGON BALL game project with the working name “AGE 1000.” The headline hook is a brand-new world inside the Dragon Ball universe, paired with entirely original characters. The reveal trailer introduces a never-before-seen character that was designed by Akira Toriyama, which immediately sets the tone: this is meant to feel like an official expansion of the universe, not a side dish. The release timing is set for 2027, and that single detail is more useful than it sounds because it tells us the project is far enough along to claim a window, but still early enough to hold back major specifics. The next scheduled info drop is also locked in – Bandai Namco has said more updates are coming at Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026 on April 18-19, 2026 in Los Angeles. If you want the cleanest mental bookmark, it’s this: January 25 was the “meet the project” moment, April 18-19 is the “learn what it actually is” moment, and 2027 is the “plan your time and money” moment.

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The Genkidamatsuri reveal – why this announcement landed differently

Dragon Ball announcements happen all the time, so why did this one feel louder? Because “new world” is a bigger promise than “new roster” or “new mode.” When a project claims it’s building a fresh setting with original characters, it’s basically saying, “We’re not just replaying the greatest hits.” That’s a big swing for a franchise that can comfortably coast on iconic arcs and still sell. Genkidamatsuri being the place where this was revealed also matters. It framed the announcement as part of a celebration moment – the kind of stage where you don’t usually bring a small update and call it a day. The trailer itself leans into that energy. It doesn’t try to prove every mechanic in two minutes. It tries to plant a flag: a new face, a new space, and a clear creative stamp. Think of it like being handed a key with no label. You don’t know which door it opens yet, but you can tell it’s not for the broom closet.

The reveal trailer’s vibe – what it shows without overexplaining

The trailer’s job is simple: introduce a tone and a focal point. It puts the spotlight on the new character, shows action beats, and hints that familiar Dragon Ball energy is still in the bloodstream. It’s deliberately stingy with the “how,” which is why it’s sparked so much conversation. There’s no on-screen breakdown of modes, no menu UI tour, and no feature checklist. Instead, the trailer plays like a teaser for a new era of storytelling inside the game space – fast, stylish, and intentionally incomplete. That approach can be frustrating if you want hard answers today, but it’s also a signal of confidence. When a franchise thinks it has something people will obsess over, it doesn’t always feel the need to explain itself immediately. It just shows you one strong image and lets your brain do the rest. In this case, that strong image is the new character stepping into focus, like the camera finally decided who we’re supposed to follow.

The new character – what’s confirmed and what isn’t

What’s confirmed is the important part: the reveal includes a never-before-seen character designed by Akira Toriyama, and that character is presented as a key figure for this new world. What isn’t confirmed is almost everything fans usually ask next: name, role, alignment, playable status, and how they fit into the broader Dragon Ball timeline. It’s tempting to treat every visual hint as a biography, but the safer read is that the trailer wants us to remember the silhouette, the attitude, and the fact that this is not a recycled design. In Dragon Ball terms, it’s like seeing a new fighter walk into the arena wearing a unique gi – you can tell they matter, but you don’t know whether they’re a rival, a student, a villain, or the chaos gremlin who shows up just to flip the table. Until Bandai Namco shares details, the only responsible stance is to keep the character defined by what’s been officially stated: original, Toriyama-designed, and tied to a new setting.

“Akira Toriyama Presents” – why that phrase carries weight

That phrase is doing a lot of heavy lifting, and it’s not subtle about it. Dragon Ball is one of those universes where the creator’s touch is more than trivia – it’s a trust signal. When a project highlights Toriyama’s involvement in world-building and character design, it’s reassuring fans that the new material is being shaped with the same sensibilities that made Dragon Ball feel instantly readable in the first place. It’s also a way of setting expectations: this is meant to feel like it belongs, even if it’s brand new. Think of it like a chef’s signature on a menu. You still want to taste the dish, but the signature tells you the kitchen understands what made the classics work. That doesn’t automatically tell us genre or gameplay style, but it does tell us the creative foundation is being treated as a priority, not an afterthought. For many fans, that’s the difference between “curious” and “locked in.”

A brand-new Dragon Ball world – what “new world” really suggests

“New world” can sound like marketing fluff, but in Dragon Ball it’s a loaded phrase. This universe has a long history of adding places, factions, and whole corners of reality, then making them feel like they were always there. A game project built around a new world suggests we’re not just hopping between familiar arenas or retelling a known saga with prettier explosions. It hints at new geography, new rules, and new context for why fights happen at all. That’s exciting because it opens doors for discovery – the kind where you’re not only learning combos, you’re learning culture, stakes, and who matters in that setting. It also means the project can choose its own tone. It can be comedic, dramatic, or somewhere in that classic Dragon Ball middle ground where a goofy moment can sit right next to a life-or-death power-up. If the project delivers on the “new world” promise, it could feel less like replaying history and more like walking into a fresh chapter with the same familiar heartbeat.

Original characters – how this changes the usual Dragon Ball playbook

Dragon Ball games often lean on a predictable advantage: everyone already loves the cast. You can put Goku on a box, and people understand the vibe instantly. A project that emphasizes original characters is choosing a harder path, because it has to earn emotional investment from scratch. But that’s also why it’s interesting. Original characters allow new rivalries, new motivations, and new mysteries that aren’t constrained by “we already know how this arc ends.” It’s the difference between watching a replay of a legendary match and watching a brand-new tournament where anyone could steal the spotlight. It also creates room for surprise in gameplay roles. Instead of slotting characters into known archetypes, the project can invent fighters, mentors, oddball allies, and antagonists designed specifically for how the experience is meant to feel. If Bandai Namco sticks to this promise, we’re not just getting new costumes – we’re getting new relationships and new reasons to care.

Familiar silhouettes – how the teaser nods to the wider universe

Even when a project pushes something new, Dragon Ball rarely forgets its roots. The teaser approach of hinting at familiar faces is a clever way to keep fans grounded while still moving forward. It’s like walking into a new city and spotting a restaurant from your hometown – you relax, because you know at least one thing will taste familiar. Those nods don’t confirm story structure, but they do suggest the project isn’t trying to replace Dragon Ball’s legacy. It’s trying to extend it. That matters because a brand-new world can sometimes feel disconnected if it’s presented like an isolated spin-off. The hints help bridge that gap. The message becomes: “Yes, this is new – but it’s still Dragon Ball.” Until we see more, it’s best to treat these moments as tonal anchors rather than proof of who is playable, who is central, or how the narrative is framed.

The 2027 timing – what we can safely say right now

Bandai Namco has set the project for 2027, and that’s the firmest planning detail we have. It’s also a reminder to keep expectations realistic. A 2027 window suggests this isn’t a surprise drop, and it’s not positioned as “right around the corner.” That can be a relief, honestly, because it implies the team is taking time to build the new world and new cast properly instead of rushing out something that feels half-baked. It also makes the April 2026 update moment even more important. If the next info drop is scheduled within months of the reveal, it likely means the team is ready to start showing what the project actually looks like beyond a teaser. In other words, 2027 is the destination, but April 2026 is when we should finally get a map. Until then, the healthiest mindset is to treat the project like a movie trailer that just hit theaters: exciting, real, and still missing the scenes that explain what kind of story we’re actually watching.

Platforms and genre – the big blanks that are still blanks

Right now, platforms and genre have not been officially announced. That’s not a “maybe,” it’s simply what has been shared so far: a project name, a theme, a new world, an original character, and a 2027 window. If you’re trying to plan where you’ll play it, the only honest answer is that we don’t have that information yet. Same for the type of experience. It could be action-heavy, it could be story-forward, it could lean into competitive play – but none of that has been confirmed. The teaser format is built for hype, not for specs. The upside is that this also keeps the playing field open for everyone. Nobody has to feel left out today, because nobody has been told “it’s only on this thing” or “it’s only this genre.” If you’re allergic to wild guesses, you’re in luck: the smartest move is to pin your expectations to the April 18-19, 2026 update window and wait for real details to land.

Next stop: Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026

Bandai Namco has already pointed to the next major checkpoint: Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026. That’s where further updates on AGE 1000 are scheduled to be announced, and it’s not some vague “later this year” promise. It’s a named event with dates and a location. That matters because it gives fans a clear timeline for when the conversation can shift from “teaser analysis” to “real information.” Battle Hour is designed to be a focal point for Dragon Ball game news, so it’s a natural place to move from mood-setting to specifics. If you’ve been staring at the trailer like it’s a scouter reading power levels, this is the moment to circle on your calendar. The project was introduced at Genkidamatsuri. Battle Hour is positioned as the follow-up where the team can finally talk about what we’ll be doing in this new world, not just who we’ll be meeting there.

Dates and location – when and where updates are scheduled

Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026 is set to take place in Los Angeles, California on April 18-19, 2026. Those are the key dates tied directly to when more AGE 1000 details are expected to be shared. It’s also worth noting that some official messaging references time zone differences, which is normal for global events, but the local Los Angeles dates are the clean takeaway for most fans. If you’re the kind of person who likes to plan ahead, treat April 18-19 as the weekend where we should finally get the next meaningful batch of facts: what kind of game this is, what platforms it’s targeting, and how this new world actually works. Until those dates arrive, most conversations will be built on vibes and guesses, which can be fun, but they don’t help you decide whether this is your next obsession or just something you’ll check out later.

What typically shows up at Battle Hour – stages, reveals, and surprises

Battle Hour is structured to deliver announcements in a fan-facing way, which usually means stage segments, trailers, and clear talking points that are easier to quote than a cryptic teaser. Even without predicting specifics, it’s reasonable to expect a more “show your work” approach than what we got at Genkidamatsuri. Teasers introduce. Battle Hour presentations tend to explain. That’s where a project can graduate from a name and a mood to something you can actually describe to a friend without using interpretive dance. It’s also the kind of event where multiple Dragon Ball game threads can share the spotlight, so AGE 1000 may appear alongside other updates. The big value is clarity. If Genkidamatsuri gave us a key, Battle Hour is where we should learn which door it fits, what’s inside, and whether it’s a training room, a tournament stage, or an entire new continent to explore.

What we can do while we wait – smart ways to track updates

Waiting is easier when you have a plan. First, anchor yourself to the confirmed dates and ignore the noise that pretends guesses are facts. Second, keep an eye on official event channels and official Dragon Ball game news hubs as April approaches. That’s where you’re most likely to see confirmed recaps, trailer uploads, and schedules that actually tell you when to tune in. Third, treat the current teaser as a tone piece, not a blueprint. If you want to have fun with it, do it like you’d do with a movie teaser: talk about the feel, the design, and what you hope to see next, without claiming you already know what it is. Dragon Ball has always been good at the slow build – a character powers up, dust rises, music swells, and then the real fight begins. Right now, we’re in the dust-and-music phase. April is when the punch should finally land.

Conclusion

AGE 1000 has been introduced with a clear promise: a new Dragon Ball world, original characters, and a new character designed by Akira Toriyama, with a 2027 release window. It was announced at Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri on January 25, 2026, and the next scheduled update moment is Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026 in Los Angeles on April 18-19, 2026. That’s plenty to be excited about, and also a reminder to keep our feet on the ground. We don’t yet have confirmed platforms or a confirmed genre, so the best move is to enjoy what’s been shown, stay curious, and let the next official reveal do the talking. If this project sticks the landing, it could feel like Dragon Ball opening a brand-new page in its game history – not because it forgets what came before, but because it dares to add something genuinely new.

FAQs
  • When was Dragon Ball AGE 1000 announced?
    • Bandai Namco announced the DRAGON BALL Game Project “AGE 1000” during the Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri event on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
  • What is confirmed about AGE 1000 so far?
    • It’s a new Dragon Ball game project set for 2027, featuring a brand-new world and original characters, including a never-before-seen character designed by Akira Toriyama.
  • Do we know the platforms for AGE 1000?
    • No. As of the current official information tied to the reveal, platforms have not been announced.
  • When will we learn more about AGE 1000?
    • Further updates are scheduled to be announced at Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026 in Los Angeles on April 18-19, 2026.
  • Is the genre or gameplay style confirmed?
    • No. The reveal trailer introduces the project and its new character, but official details about genre and gameplay have not been shared yet.
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