Fans of rolling up the world into gigantic spheres of chaos and fun have reason to celebrate: Bandai Namco Entertainment has officially announced the return of the beloved Katamari franchise. Titled Once Upon A KATAMARI, this latest game marks the series’ first entirely new entry in 14 years and is set to roll onto PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on 24 October 2025.
In a familiar yet freshly expanded premise, the King of All Cosmos once again finds himself in a bit of cosmic trouble, inadvertently destroying the Earth and the stars in the sky. The task of cosmic reconstruction falls, as usual, upon the tiny shoulders of the Prince. However, players will now roll their katamaris through an all-new dimension: time itself.
Players will travel across history and prehistory alike, navigating vibrant, quirky worlds from the Wild West and ancient Egypt to the lush jungles of the Jurassic Era. The classic Katamari gameplay remains intact – rolling objects of various sizes into massive katamaris – but is now enhanced by new power-ups. These helpful new features include a rocket, boosting the Prince to blazing speeds; a magnet, effortlessly drawing nearby items into the katamari; and even a timer, temporarily pausing time itself to maximize object-gathering within tight time constraints.
Alongside these upgrades, players can look forward to welcoming new characters, with 68 quirky cousins joining the adventure, each fully customizable alongside the Prince. Customisation will play a key role in the new multiplayer mode called “KatamariBall,” a fast-paced, four-player competitive experience. Participants race against each other, striving to roll up the largest katamari possible and exchanging their creations for points. KatamariBall offers both online multiplayer against friends and offline matches against AI.
True to the franchise’s history, Once Upon A KATAMARI also promises an eclectic and catchy original soundtrack, capturing the playful spirit and rhythmic energy that is synonymous with the franchise.
