Anemoi, the newest visual novel from Clannad and AIR creators Key, debuted in Japan in April 2026, with plans for a worldwide Steam launch in the future. Following the release of Summer Pockets in 2018, Anemoi marks Key’s first full-priced visual novel in approximately 8 years. In a recent conversation with Gamer, the game’s director Shun Sayuki and scenario lead Kai discussed the studio’s activities during this period and their outlook on the future of lengthy visual novels.
According to Kai, Key began planning its next major title shortly after the Summer Pockets REFLECTION BLUE expansion launched in 2020. However, the team became occupied with other endeavors, including the live-service game Heaven Burns Red and several brief “kinetic” novels such as Loopers (a collaboration with Ryukishi07) and Stella of the End.
Although Key was laying the groundwork for its next premium release throughout this time, Kai explains that the kinetic novel projects emerged partly because PC visual novels were gradually fading from the market due to issues like poor cost-effectiveness. He also notes, “Today’s entertainment scene changes extremely fast, with anime trends shifting every season. If you tell someone a game takes 40 hours to complete, many will hesitate.”
Because of these challenges, Kai believed Anemoi might be Key’s final full-priced game until midway through its development. However, his perspective shifted while working on the Summer Pockets anime adaptation, which premiered in April 2025.
“Many individuals who became fans through our earlier full-priced titles like Kanon, AIR, and CLANNAD are now working in the industry,” he states. “Those games have continued to make a lasting impression on them. If only full-priced games can create that kind of enduring impact, then I believe we should keep making them so we can continue leaving something that resonates with people in that way. That’s why I don’t think Anemoi will be our last—there’s sure to be another full-priced game.”
Sayuki adds, “We’ve even had composers join the company because they played Summer Pockets. That’s how our legacy continues, and I think it’s a sign that we should keep creating these games.”
It’s worth noting that Anemoi is approximately a 60-hour experience. Rather than reducing the content, Key chose to adapt to modern preferences by ensuring the game can be played in manageable sessions, with numerous points that allow players to pause and resume later.
Anemoi is currently available in Japan for PC. A global release on Steam is scheduled for a future date.