Digimon UP opens pre-registration, July launch promises nostalgic monster raising

Bandai Namco Entertainment has finally opened the door on Digimon UP, and the first prize on the table is already a real incentive for series fans: Gekkomon will be handed out once the game hits 100,000 pre-registrations. The new mobile RPG went live for sign-ups on May 1, and its pitch is squarely aimed at players who want the old Digimon loop back on a phone screen, from hatching a partner to training it up, pushing evolution, and chasing Mega forms.

The official DIGIMON UP site frames the project around a simple hook, “A Digimon journey that moves with your life,” and the structure sounds built to match that promise. Bandai Namco describes it as a free-to-play monster-raising RPG on App Store and Google Play, with support Digimon, skill trees, and a more traditional RPG progression path layered onto the familiar raise, battle, evolve rhythm. Newly drawn pixel art gives the game an old-school look, while Digivices and Digimon Card Game references tie it back to the franchise’s broader history.

The timing is also lining up for a busy summer release window. Bandai Namco’s own news page first flagged Digimon UP on March 22 as a 2026 project, and the pre-registration push that went live on May 1 is the next step in that rollout. Apple’s App Store listing now shows an expected release date of July 28, 2026, even though the official site still lists the launch timing as 2026 to be determined. A new pre-registration trailer also went live alongside the campaign, reinforcing that the game is moving closer to release.

The launch setup suggests Bandai Namco is aiming beyond a Japan-only audience. The App Store listing rates Digimon UP at 9+, marks it as free with in-app purchases, requires iOS 15.0 or later, and lists English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish support. That kind of language spread points to a broad mobile release, not a narrow nostalgia play.

For Digimon fans who grew up with handheld monster raising, the value proposition is immediate: pre-register now, clear the 100,000 milestone, and start the game with Gekkomon in hand. If Bandai Namco keeps the evolution grind satisfying and the pixel-art presentation sharp, Digimon UP could become one of the more watched mobile RPG launches of the summer.