Konami's recent Silent Hill f has seen significant success, quickly becoming one of the franchise's fastest-selling titles. In parallel, the mystery visual novel Urban Myth Dissolution Center, developed by Hakababunko, achieved considerable acclaim in Japan, selling over 300,000 copies within three months of its release last year. This success has paved the way for the indie title's expansion into other media, including its own real-world mystery game. Now, two notable Japanese gaming successes from 2025, whose development teams reportedly admire each other's work, have launched an unexpected collaboration that features a free spin-off game.
While the partnership might initially seem unconventional, a connection exists between the two titles. Ryukishi07, the author of Silent Hill f, is primarily recognized for his influential visual novel series, Umineko and Higurashi. In the 2025 edition of Famitsu's annual game-of-the-year rankings, voted on by developers and producers, Silent Hill f producer Motoi Okamoto specifically highlighted Urban Myth Dissolution Center. The indie title ranked third in these developer-voted rankings, placing behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yotei, and ahead of Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World.
The collaboration features new artwork by Kera, the character designer and illustrator for Silent Hill f. Additionally, both games are available together in a specially priced bundle on Steam. More significantly, a new, free mini-game scenario has been released, playable directly in a web browser. This mini-game adopts the gameplay and visual style of Urban Myth Dissolution Center and includes characters from both Silent Hill f and the indie title. In this short scenario, Hinako from Silent Hill f finds herself in a desolate school environment, encountering various characters and unsettling phenomena.
The Japanese independent game development scene has been experiencing growth, with smaller creators offering unique alternative experiences to those from major publishers, attracting a growing audience both domestically and internationally. Konami has actively supported this scene through game jams and events. The collaboration with Urban Myth Dissolution Center, a highly regarded indie game from Japan, offers a chance to further highlight a title that has garnered significant appreciation from many of its developer peers over the past year.