Japanese Horror Game The Convenience Store Gets Live-Action Movie in 2026
Japanese pop culture news edited by Patrick Macias
Hit Japanese indie horror game The Convenience Store (Yakin Jiken) will be released as a live-action film in 2026
Directed by Jirō Nagae, known for the Kisaragi Station series and urban legend-inspired works
Chilla’s Art, creators of the original game, highlight its 60 million YouTube views and 2,700+ Steam reviews
A Viral Horror Game With Global Reach
The hit horror game The Convenience Store (Yakin Jiken), developed by indie team Chilla’s Art, was first released on Steam in February 2020. It quickly grew into a phenomenon among Gen Z players worldwide. The upcoming live-action film adaptation, titled The Convenience Store, is scheduled for a nationwide release in Japan in 2026, with an official teaser already online.
From Indie Release to Streaming Phenomenon
Since launch, The Convenience Store has become a staple for streamers and VTubers, racking up over 60 million YouTube views as of August 2025. Its eerie realism, unsettling graphics, and shocking moments turned it into a social media trend, with clips of players’ reactions spreading rapidly across platforms. On Steam, it remains Chilla’s Art’s most-reviewed title, with more than 2,700 reviews and an impressive 83% positive rating.
Jirō Nagae Takes the Director’s Chair
The film will be directed by Jirō Nagae, best known for the Kisaragi Station series and his work with urban legends in Japanese horror cinema. Nagae shared his long-held ambition, stating, “I’ve wanted to make a live-action version of The Convenience Store for years. If anyone was going to direct it, it had to be me.”
For Chilla’s Art, the creators of the original game, the news is still surreal. “We never dreamed it would become a movie when we released the game back in February 2020. All we thought was, ‘If only people could play it soon,’” they said. “So many people played and supported it. And now, it’s becoming a film! Both players and newcomers will enjoy it.”
A Teaser That Captures the Fear of Late-Night Shops
The teaser for the The Convenience Store film draws directly from the game’s atmosphere, showing a dimly lit convenience store with fluorescent lights flickering in the night. It ends with a chilling chime sound echoing through the darkness, setting the tone for what’s to come. Director Nagae promised, “The terrifying events in a midnight convenience store will surely exceed your imagination.”