And so we wanted... Koei Tecmo has once again banned giving gifts to its characters for the upcoming holidays
The Japanese company Koei Tecmo has officially confirmed that it will maintain the ban on accepting gifts from fans for Valentine's Day and White Day in 2026. This decision applies to offerings addressed to both studio employees and game characters.
The tradition of sending sweets to beloved characters in Japan is enormous in scale, and in the past, the company's office was literally flooded with boxes of chocolate. However, Koei Tecmo's management decided not to change the policy adopted during the pandemic.
The main reasons are logistical difficulties and hygiene concerns: processing, storing, and disposing of perishable products require enormous resources and time, distracting staff from working on games.
Instead of physical gifts, the company encourages fans to express their love in digital format. The developers are happy to receive messages on social media, fan art, and warm feedback about their projects. Moreover, Koei Tecmo emphasized that the best gift for them would be the purchase of new games or expansions, as this directly supports the creators and the development of beloved franchises.