I “Got In” a Real Cockpit and Piloted the Gundam Helix—A Report on the Special Hands-On Demo for *GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT* [TGS2026]

Hey everyone, do you like the Gundam series? I think there are a lot of fans of the Gundam series who have at least once fantasized about “actually getting inside a Gundam”—it’s one of those dreams many of them have had. Well, there’s a place where that dream can come true.

It’s the area dedicated to the new action game *GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT*—scheduled for release on Friday, March 5, 2027—at the Bandai Namco Entertainment booth at “TGS 2026.”

While the booth features standard demo stations, there’s also a special one set up. It’s a demo station that realistically recreates the cockpit of the protagonist’s mobile suit, the “Gundam Helix,” which players will pilot. I was lucky enough to experience it myself, so here’s what it was like.

The Experience of Having the Cockpit Right in Front of You

As soon as I stepped into a corner of the booth, I was left breathless.

The entire wall behind me was covered with an image of the Gundam Helix’s upper body—its green compound eyes glowing—drawn on a scale that seemed life-sized, and the cockpit unit was positioned as if a hatch had opened from its chest and was reaching out toward me.In other words, the composition depicts the mobile suit’s chest open, with the pilot climbing inside—a scene straight out of the game, brought to life right before my eyes.

The cabinet itself is incredibly detailed, featuring armor in shades of gray and white accented with gold and red lines. The seat is shaped to resemble the mobile suit’s chest armor, and the headrest is embedded with what appear to be spherical sensors.Control sticks with red grips extend from the left and right armrests, and there are even foot pedals firmly in place at your feet.

And in front of you is a single gaming monitor suspended by an arm. Since the actual gameplay is controlled using a PS5 controller—you don’t physically grip and move the joystick—the immersive experience of this “seat” was nonetheless overwhelming.

When you sit down, your field of view becomes “inside the craft”

As you settle into the seat, the hatch canopy covers your head, you’re surrounded by armor on both sides, and almost your entire field of view is taken up by the interior of the craft. The pedals are right where your feet rest, and your back is firmly supported by the rigid seat.You can truly feel, to the fullest extent, that you’re “sitting in the Gundam Helix cockpit.”

To be honest, I was already highly satisfied even before the trial session began. As someone who has been following the Gundam series, this experience reaffirmed for me that the very act of “sitting in the cockpit” is a reward in itself.

A 15-Minute Immersive Cockpit Experience

At the demo event, I was able to play the mission titled “Battle for the Rail Bridge.” It’s a stage where you can enjoy combat within the game’s sci-fi universe, offering a full range of experiences from battles against grunts to fights against mid-bosses.

You select your mobile suit from a set of preset configurations. Assemblies tailored to specific weapon types—such as “Assault Sword,” “Whip Sword,” and “Sword Lance”—are available, and the one you choose directly determines your combat style.

The controls give you a sense of the robot’s weight while allowing you to gain mobility through boost. However, the pace is quite fast, and the dynamic combat—shifting between ground and air while assembling your attacks—feels great. The Assault Sword is a well-rounded choice that’s easy to handle in any situation, thanks to its unique “Anchor” skill, which lets you close in rapidly while conserving boost.The Whip Sword is a wild horse that constantly drains your boost gauge in exchange for the outstanding firepower of its area-of-effect “Whip Mode.” The Sword Lance is a weapon suited for aerial combat, allowing you to gain altitude and deliver thrusts from above—each of the three mechs has its own distinct personality.

And the core of this game lies in the strategic management of the Tactical Gauge. Both powerful “Tactical Skills” and “Shift”—which lets you dodge just before taking damage—consume one bar each from the same gauge.Should you use the gauge—of which there are only four in total—for offense, or save it as a lifeline? Because this decision is constantly on your mind, even the short demo session was filled with intense tension.

Even with the same content, playing from the cockpit makes it a completely different experience

Since I’d already played this game once at a media preview event, this was my second time playing it. …And yet, this experience felt like it was on an entirely different level.

Surrounded by armor, the Gundam Helix races through space right in the center of my field of view, engaging enemies.The fact that I was inside the mobile suit brought the events on screen even closer to me, making them feel more personal. When I took damage after failing to parry a boss’s attack, I instinctively sank back into my seat—and I’m pretty sure that wasn’t just my imagination.

It was an experience that honestly left me in awe—I was genuinely amazed at how much a difference “where you sit to play” can make. In terms of that special feeling you can only experience at the venue, this was surely one of the best booths of the year.

The booth also featured a Gundam timeline and figures

In addition, the booth offers other highlights beyond the demo stations.

There’s a display of the Gundam timeline featuring all the series’ entries, as well as a figure of the protagonist’s mobile suit, the Gundam Helix—all of which you can take your time admiring while waiting for your turn or before and after your play session. Although this title is set in a completely new universe, seeing it placed alongside this long history really brings home the fact that it represents a new step forward.

Sit in the cockpit, check the controls on the skill panel, and pilot the Gundam with a view framed by the hatches. The special demo station for *GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT* not only offered an early look at the game but also fulfilled the dream of “piloting a Gundam.”

If you see it at the event, be sure to take a seat there. You’ll understand the moment you sit down.

*GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT* is scheduled for release on Friday, March 5, 2027. Supported platforms include PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.

©SUNRISE,

*Screenshots are from a work-in-progress version.