Japanese publisher AUGUST revealed on September 3 that it will release Uta Macross, an offline remake of the discontinued “Uta Macross: Smartphone De-Culture.” The new iteration is slated for a Spring 2027 debut on PC (Steam), iOS, and Android platforms.
The original Uta Macross: Smartphone De-Culture was a live-service rhythm game inspired by the celebrated Macross sci-fi franchise. It featured music spanning from The Super Dimension Fortress Macross to Macross Plus, Macross 7, Macross Frontier, and Macross Delta. As players progressed through rhythm challenges and met certain criteria, the game’s backgrounds transformed, showcasing anime and 3D visuals of various singers and pilots from the series. DeNa launched the game in Japan in August 2017, and it operated for nearly 5 years before shutting down in June 2022.
The upcoming Uta Macross will revive the original game’s offerings in a reimagined, offline format. While preserving the same content—including 3D live performance scenes and exclusive artwork—the new version introduces UI and system enhancements such as keyboard and mouse support. The base game will ship with 50 tracks, over 20 outfits for each character, and more than 1,000 collectible plates (equipment cards) rated 4-star or higher. “Gacha” draws for enhancing plate rarity will be entirely free and unlimited. Additional DLCs are in development, promising extra songs, plates, and costumes from the original live-service iteration.
AUGUST reports that after the closure of Uta Macross: Smartphone De-Culture, numerous fans expressed a desire for the game’s return. This enthusiasm prompted members of the original development team to regroup and initiate a project to resurrect the title. Development of the new Uta Macross is overseen by xeen (the original developer), with AUGUST president Kei Hirono (formerly a producer at Bandai Namco and Square Enix) serving as the project’s producer.
Prior to launch, the team intends to launch a crowdfunding campaign on the domestic platform Campfire. The developers aim to use additional funding to expand to more platforms and incorporate new songs.
Uta Macross is set to release in Spring 2027 for PC (Steam), iOS, and Android. The crowdfunding initiative will commence on September 10 at 20:00 JST.