Patlabor | GameTrader.SG

Gameplay Modes

The Case Files ships with three distinct play modes:

Main Mission — you play as an SV2 Division officer piloting an Ingram through story missions drawn from the full Patlabor continuity

Another Side Mission — a unique perspective flip: you control an enemy Labor, staging incidents the SV2 team will have to respond to

Simulator Mode — a free-play area for learning the mechs and practicing combat without story consequences

The roster covers more than 20 playable Labors, including the fan-favourite Type-J9 Griffon — the Ingram’s recurring rival unit — alongside a range of civilian and criminal Labor designs from across the series.

AV-98 Ingram Labor standing in a maintenance gantry in Patlabor: The Case Files

Image courtesy of Good Smile Company

Kenji Kawai Scores the Soundtrack

Kenji Kawai — who scored both Patlabor theatrical films and is best known internationally for his Ghost in the Shell soundtrack — returns to compose the game’s music. The Digital Deluxe edition bundles the full 30-track OST alongside the early access window, making it the obvious pick for anyone who plans to spend time in Simulator Mode.

Patlabor: The Case Files — Official Third Trailer via GameTrailers on YouTube

Pricing and Editions

Standard digital is priced at USD 34.99; the Digital Deluxe edition — which adds the 30-track Kenji Kawai OST and three-day early access — is USD 39.99. Both editions launch simultaneously worldwide, with the game fully localised in Japanese, English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

Another Side Mission gameplay screen showing HUD and enemy Labor in Patlabor: The Case Files

Image courtesy of Good Smile Company

Where to Wishlist

The game is live on Steam and the Epic Games Store now for wishlisting ahead of the September window. A physical edition has not been announced at this stage.

We’ll have more coverage — including a hands-on impression if preview builds come our way — closer to the 14 September early access window. Check back at GameTrader’s game news section for updates.

Classic mecha anime Patlabor EZY is entering high gear — the second theatrical compilation, File 2, opens in Japan on 14 August 2026, and to celebrate, Bandai Namco Filmworks has kicked off Patlabor Intensive Month 2026, including free daily streaming of the original Patlabor TV series on YouTube. For fans who grew up with the franchise — or those who have simply always meant to catch up — this is the most active Patlabor has been in years.

Patlabor EZY File 2 theatrical poster — August 14 2026 roadshow — Image courtesy of Headgear / Bandai Namco Filmworks

What Is Patlabor EZY?

Patlabor EZY is the latest chapter of the Headgear franchise that began in 1988. Set in 2036 — 38 years after the events of the original TV series — it follows a new generation of pilots in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s Special Vehicles Section 2 (SV-2), still piloting the iconic Ingram Labor mechs but now policing crimes driven by AI and runaway automation. The core creative team behind the original franchise, including general director Yutaka Izubuchi, returned to build it, with legendary composer Kenji Kawai — who scored both the original Patlabor films and Ghost in the Shell — back on music duties. J.C.STAFF handles animation production.

The series runs eight episodes split across three theatrical films. File 1 opened on 15 May 2026 with the first three episodes; File 2 delivers episodes 4–6 as standalone stories on 14 August; and File 3 will close the series with a continuous arc.

Patlabor EZY File 2 — official 60-second trailer via バンダイナムコフィルムワークスチャンネル on YouTube (Japanese)

Patlabor EZY File 2: What’s in Store on 14 August

The File 2 trailer opens on a missing bullet case and quickly spirals into something stranger — a mysterious young girl, sudden landslides, and situations that push SV-2’s rookie crew well beyond standard police work.

The leads are Kuga Towa (voiced by Sumire Uesaka), the impulsive Ingram pilot, alongside her unit commander Atori Kippei (Kikunosuke Toya). Connecting EZY to the original run is Shigeo Shiba (veteran Shigeru Chiba), a part-time advisor who acts as a living encyclopedia of Special Vehicles Section 2 history — a welcome bridge for longtime fans.

Patlabor EZY File 1 theatrical poster showing the full cast lineup including Kuga Towa and Atori Kippei — Image courtesy of Headgear / Bandai Namco Filmworks

Patlabor Month 2026: Free Streams, Pop-Ups and More

Bandai Namco Filmworks has declared 17 July – 10 August “Patlabor Intensive Month 2026”, timed to build momentum for the theatrical run. The most accessible event right now: two episodes of the classic Patlabor ON TELEVISION (1989) are posted free on YouTube every day, uploaded at 9 PM JST on the official Bandai Namco Filmworks channel and available for 24 hours each. This started yesterday (17 July) — check back nightly to keep up.

Patlabor EZY — an Ingram Labor in action amid Japanese city signage — Image courtesy of Headgear / Bandai Namco Filmworks

The wider Patlabor Month calendar (most events Japan-based):

7–16 August: Pop-up shop at Marui Shinjuku Annex 6F, with new and classic merchandise
10 August (Patlabor Day): Special YouTube broadcast with cast and director Izubuchi at 9 PM JST; Fuji Soba third-round collab kicks off
10–31 August: AR Ingram Photo Contest on X — post with #全国出動ARイングラム for a chance to win director-signed bromides
11 August: Patlabor REBOOT (Yasuhiro Yoshiura’s 2016 short) streams free on YouTube for 24 hours
14 August: File 2 theatrical opening; Patlabor REBOOT arrives on U-NEXT
15 August: File 2 stage greeting at Shinjuku Piccadilly with cast and director
7 Aug – 14 Sep: Suntory TAG LIVE LABEL x Patlabor limited cans (¥900, seven random designs, select vending machines nationwide)

There is no confirmed Singapore or international theatrical date for File 2 at this stage. Fans planning a Japan trip this August will want to add a cinema session to the itinerary. For everyone else, the free nightly streaming of the original TV series on YouTube is the most practical way in — and 38 years on, the Ingram is still cool.

Tag Archives: Patlabor

Patlabor: The Case Files Hits PS5 and PC on 17 September — First Console Game in 20 Years