It looks like a Death Note game could be on the way, thanks to a listing by the Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee.
As reported by Gematsu, the Taiwanese committee has rated what seems to be an unannounced Death Note game for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The publisher is listed as Bandai Namco; IGN has reached out to Bandai Namco for comment.
Gematsu notes that the title listed by ratings board translates to Death Note: Shadow Mission. However, manga publisher Shueisha first ignited rumors back in June by submitting trademark applications for the name Death Note: Killer Within in Europe, Japan, and the U.S.
This most recent development, though, is the strongest signal that a Death Note game could be imminent. Death Note initially ran as a manga from 2003-2006, following young genius Light Yagami after he finds a notebook, originally owned by the shinigami Ryuk, that grants him the ability to kill anyone by writing their name in the pages. It leads to a cat-and-house game between himself and a Japanese task force, led by the unusual detective L.
The manga would spawn a hit anime series, three live-action films in Japan, and an American live-action remake for Netflix in 2017, as well as three Nintendo DS games from Konami. Netflix also announced in 2022 the development of another live-action adaptation of the manga and anime, this one a TV series from Stranger Things creators the Duffer brothers.
In short, while the ratings board listing isn’t official confirmation that a Death Note game is on the way, there’s still plenty of interest in the property, even nearly 20 years on from the conclusion of the manga.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
