Tanuki: Pon's Summer
BMX mail-delivery adventure, date not announced
- PC
- Switch
- Xbox Series X|S
- Xbox One
Release date
Date not announced
The story so far
What we know about Tanuki: Pon's Summer
TANUKI: Pon's Summer is a delivery adventure developed by Denkiworks, a Kyoto-based studio, and published by Critical Reflex. Players take the role of Pon, a laid-back tanuki who works at the post office. There is one month to restore a shrine before summer ends, which means delivering packages by BMX, making friends with the townsfolk and finishing activities before the Tanuki Festival.
The Steam page describes four towns inspired by Japanese cities, sports and activities that unlock rewards, and shrine building, upgrading and decoration. Gematsu's earlier coverage names baseball, fishing, sumo wrestling and bug catching among the activities.
The game was first aimed at late 2025, but in December 2025 the developer delayed it to 2026 to add a minimap and player-placed tags, more flexible mission order, more activities and a whole new island town. No exact release date has been announced yet, and the Steam page still reads Coming soon.
What to expect from Tanuki: Pon's Summer
Based on what the developer and publisher have shown so far.
- 01
BMX deliveries
Pon delivers packages across four Japanese-inspired towns by bike, with the post office job as the main loop.
- 02
Activities and rewards
Sports and hobbies unlock rewards, and earlier coverage mentions baseball, fishing, sumo and bug catching.
- 03
Shrine restoration
The goal is to restore, upgrade and decorate a shrine before the Tanuki Festival at the end of the month.
- 04
Post-delay changes
The developer says the extra time goes to a minimap, player-placed tags, objective markers, free mission order and a new island town.
See it for yourself
Confirmed. Unconfirmed. Clear.
A quick way to separate official information from speculation.
Confirmed
- Developed by Denkiworks and published by Critical Reflex; single-player, listed as Coming soon on Steam.Steam
- BMX package deliveries across four towns inspired by Japanese cities, with sports and activities that unlock rewards and a shrine to build and decorate.Steam
- The Steam page lists 15 languages with subtitles and a PC minimum of a quad-core 2.6 GHz CPU, 8 GB RAM and 3 GB storage.Steam
- Announced for Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch and PC.Gematsu
- Delayed from late 2025 to 2026, with a minimap, objective markers, more activities and a new island town added.Nintendo Everything
Not confirmed
Exact release date
Only a 2026 window has been given since the December 2025 delay. Any specific date seen elsewhere is a placeholder.
Game Pass
Early coverage said the game would come to Game Pass, but that predates the delay and the Steam page does not mention it. Check Xbox for current status.
Price
No price is listed on the Steam page yet.
Rumours are labelled and linked to their source.
Timeline
The road to release, from announcement to launch.
September 2024
Announced for Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch and PC. Gematsu
February 2025
Release window set for late 2025. Gematsu
24 December 2025
Game delayed to 2026 with new features announced. Nintendo Everything
Waiting for Tanuki: Pon's Summer? Play these
Our best guesses until it is out, picked for the same kind of experience.
A Short Hike
A cosy, small-scale exploration game with a relaxed pace and charming characters.
Lil Gator Game
A lighthearted open adventure about helping locals and trying activities at your own pace.
Spiritfarer
A warm, character-driven management adventure with a gentle tone.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
A relaxed life sim built around daily routines, hobbies and decorating.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to what people search for most.
When is TANUKI: Pon's Summer released?
No exact date has been announced. The developer delayed it from late 2025 to a 2026 window, and Steam still lists it as Coming soon.
Which platforms is it coming to?
PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One were announced.
Is it coming to Game Pass?
It was announced for Game Pass in early coverage, but the Steam page does not mention it and the delay may have changed plans. Check Xbox for the latest.
Who makes the game?
Denkiworks, a Kyoto-based studio, develops it, and Critical Reflex publishes it.