April Fools’ Day is here, and like previous years, the gaming industry is joining in on the fun with the announcement of games which probably won’t be coming to console or PC in the future. So far, studios have begun teasing wild new takes on their games, venturing into familiar dating sim territory, revealing strange new product lines, and looking to the past for inspiration. While dating sim spin-offs are a popular joke at this time of the year, the genre itself is still definitely worth exploring for some fantastic storytelling. Some of the examples below we’d genuinely play if they committed to the dating sim pivot.
There have also been a few mean-spirited jokes doing the rounds, and if you’re a Hollow Knight: Silksong fan, you might want to log off for the day before you’re caught out. We’ve rounded up some of the funniest examples below, and for a highlight reel of historical hilarity, you can check out GameSpot’s feature on the best April Fools’ Day jokes of all time.
Palworld is getting a dating sim
You’ve fought Pals in Palworld, enslaved them, and forced them to work on your assembly lines, but did you ever think of dating them? Palworld’s April Fools’ Day Joke is a dating simulator utilizing several of its creatures and characters, a fantasy where you can tour a high school straight out of an anime series and romance both humans and pals.
Dave the Diver is also venturing into romantic waters
Not to be outdone, Dave the Diver is also charting unknown romantic waters with a dating simulator based on Duff’s dream girl, called DokiDoki Leah’s VR. This one will be coming soon to Virtual Quest and PlayVacation VR consoles, which are totally real platforms.
The floppy future of Cyberpunk 2077
Worried about the future and want to preserve one of your favorite games on a physical storage medium? Good news! Cyberpunk 2077 is getting a re-release, this time on 97,619 3.5inch floppies. It might take a few months to copy all the data over, but at least you’ll have a handsome collection of old-school diskettes with which to build a yellow fort or something by the time you’re done. Shipping is probably going to cost quite a bit, to justify sending you a shipping container of retro storage tech.
Pokemon Sleep World Championship Tournament looks like a snoozefest
Top marks to The Pokemon Company this year for going all in on its joke, as seen in this video for a cozy competition of Pokemon Sleep. What if sports snoozing was a real thing, and you could watch competitors battle it out to be the first to grab 40 winks? You’d get this riveting relaxation event between slumbering superstars, a fun look at Pokemon and a video you shouldn’t sleep on.
Shovel Knight developers are branching out into organic skincare products
Shovel Knight developer Club Games wants you to finally go outside and touch some grass. Or better yet, the dirt beneath the grass, as the studio is launching its own line of skincare products. With expertise from esteemed dirtmatologist Shovel Knight, this is a (not) great way to take care of your skin.
Fanblue Grantasy Rises: Versing is certainly something
We’ve got no idea what’s happening in this video from Granblue Fantasy Versus developer CyGames, but all the animated one-button weirdness is downright hypnotic. Like The Matrix in 1999, it’s something you simply have to see for yourself. Good luck trying to understand it, because this is one bizarre video.
Naraka: Bladepoint throws hands
Damn, Naraka: Bladepoint got hands! This fake update for the game gives you a deadly arsenal of hands to wield in combat, as you’ll be able to unleash finger-guns, high-fives, and morale-boosting applause to thrive in this live-service game. Handy stuff, one would say.
Dead by Daylight introduces My Little Oni mode
Dead by Daylight players, prepare yourselves, because once you jump into the game you might find some big changes waiting for you. My Little Oni doesn’t just introduce a gigantic-sized killer to deal with, it also shrinks you down and makes the game comically unfair. This event will end on April 3, giving you a few days to avoid getting stepped on by a giant Oni. Think Honey I Shrunk the Kids but with a more homicidal flavor.
The Virtual Boy is making a comeback
15 years ago, IGN made one of the best April Fools’ Day jokes with a high-budget teaser for a live-action The Legend of Zelda movie. Now, the outlet has revived Nintendo’s infamous Virtual Boy console for the modern age, and even though it’s a joke, we kind of really want this to be real! Witness the fusion of a Switch, your face, augmented reality, and a real-life Tom Nook demanding a rent payment in this fun video.
Sonic the Hedgehog has a new ambassador
You might consider yourself to be a Sonic super-fan, but even your love for the franchise pales in comparison to the passion of Sonic Man. First introduced in 2006’s Sonic the Hedgehog, this fellow is now Sega’s new torchbearer for all things Sonic. If you’re interested in how Sonic Man has remained a Sega lifelong fan even after he starred in the worst Sonic game, you can read more here in this interview with him.
PowerWash Simulator goes too far
For years, PowerWash Simulator fans have been turning the world into a bright and sparkling clean place to enjoy. Well no more says developer FuturLab, as the next update for the game will allow you to become a filthy menace, spraying mud and sludge all over the pristine locations players worked so hard to clean. Oh yes, it’s grime-time.
Guilty Gear perfume in development, will arrive in 2174
What does Guilty Gear smell like? That’s a question you can answer with Guilty Gear perfume, a new fragrance inspired by the popular fighting game series. It’s still going to be a while before the perfume hits the shelves and your olfactory senses–150 years according to Arc System Works–but hey, at least your heart and your nostrils will be blazing when it arrives!
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