April Fools’ Day 2022 compilation

It is April 1 in some parts of the world, and the games industry jokes and gags have begun.

Find our annual roundup of games-related jokes below. The list will be updated as new jokes arrive, so be sure to check back every so often.

April Fools’ Day 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011

Added on April 1 at 6:45 p.m.

• Glowstick Entertainment: Dark Deception – Introduction for the Dark Deception Netflix original series. (Actually the new official introduction video for the game.)
• Idea Factory International – Announcing IFI: LoveD (If I LoveD). In the world of game publishing, the power of human emotion is harnessed as the Cost of Games to create new titles, but what happens when that emotion is too powerful?
• SEGA: Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis – Come on down to the Gravy Hut, where Rappies go to die, and flavor comes to rule with an iron fist.

Added on April 1 at 2:30 p.m.

• Aether Studios – Watch Aether Studios’ annual Rivals Direct, featuring the (real) announcements of Rivals of Aether 2 and the release date for Dungeons of Aether.
• Aniplex: Fate/Grand Order – The April Fools’ Day browser game Heap of Servants is now playable on the English version of the Fate/Grand Order website.
• FuturLab: PowerWash Simulator – Announcing the new and improved Ding 2.0 for PowerWash Simulator.
• Gaijin Entertainment: Enlisted – Introducing the Unknown War. “Seventy-six years ago, the Third Reich’s capital fell—that’s usually the end of any World War II storyline. But the Nazis had one last battle in a completely different place, and it is these undeservedly ignored pages of history that have been devoted to the new Enlisted campaign.”
• Gaijin Entertainment: War Thunder – Introducing Worm Thunder. From April 1 to 25, engage in the battle for resources on the desert planet, populated by giant sandworms.
• Mojang Studios: Minecraft – Leaked video reveals new Minecraft Java snapshot.
• Netmarble: Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds – The Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds mini-game “Stack Platypaws” now has its own official professional gaming team.
• OVERKILL Software – Announcing Payday Duel: The Exclusive Deluxe Collectible Trading Card Game.
• PUGB Studio: PUBG: Battlegrounds – Monster Chicken Royale: The king of monsters arrives in PUBG: Battlegrounds. Kill the monster or become the chicken feed.
• Riot Games: VALORANT – Go wide with Widejoy Mode. Available one day only, yesterday.
• Rocket Panda Games: Phantom Breaker: Omnia – In collaboration with THE ANNOUNCER, Rocket Panda Games will release the Phantom Breaker: Omnia Spicy Edition this summer for all platforms! This update will come with two scorching new levels of commentary.
• TAITO – A few hours ago, the BBC’s (Bub Broadcasting Channel) Special Reporting Team received this USB stick anonymously! The shocking footage contained within exposes Bob’s Broadcast for what it really is?!
• Velan Studios: Knockout City – EVERYTHING is in the mix today with the OOPS All Playlists! Available one day only.
• Witch Beam: Unpacking – Unpacking to get Dark Star Mode, a new mode where nothing goes where it should.

Added on April 1 at 8:40 a.m.

• Bandai Namco: Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle – Put your body to the test with Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Exercise. Watch the short trailer here.
• EXOR Studios: The Riftbreaker – Announcing improved voice-overs for The Riftbreaker.
• Koei Tecmo Games: Dynasty Warriors – Announcing the Dynasty Warriors Cherry Blossom Viewing Conference 2022, which will be held online.
  

  【鈴木P】
  「三國お花見会2022」オンライン開催のお知らせ

  覇を争っていた君主たちも、
  花見をしながら談笑。
  平和な世界。

  オンライン開催なので、
  世界中どこからでも参加できます！#PEACE#真・三國無双#エイプリルフール#エイプリルフール2022 pic.twitter.com/sWgR08cCOH

  — 真・三國無双 公式 (@s_sangokumusou) April 1, 2022

• Merge Games: SunnySide – Announcing ShadySide, a new horror spin-off of SunnySide.
• Otsuka Pharmaceutical – UNDERTALE creator and composer Toby Fox has provided his latest music for Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s health drink Pocari Sweat. This theme song was co-produced with imase, a next-generation artist who is popular among Japanese teenagers and PUNPEE, a rapper / producer who is widely acclaimed for his unique expression.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjufDl8JxlE

• Pathea Games – Watch the official trailer for Pathea: Survive, “a super serious film about serious stuff that we’re definitely doing, seriously.”
• PQube: Kitaria Fables – Kitaria Fables greenlit for Netflix adaptation.
  

  The secret is finally out 🙀

  Find out more here: https://t.co/nrhj7cMWap pic.twitter.com/nYyDLpHEx6

  — PQube (@PQubeGames) April 1, 2022

Added on April 1 at 12:45 a.m.

• Bandai Namco: Sword Art Online: Integral Factor – Eugeuo appears as a new heroine through the new in-game event “Rhapsody of Heroine Annihilation.”
  

  💙新ヒロイン登場💙

  新シナリオイベント「ヒロイン消滅の狂想曲」で大活躍！？
  ヒロイン「ユージオ」登場記念！

  フォロー＆このツイートをRTで1名様に《2500アルカナジェム》をプレゼント🎁

  ⬇️ヒロイン「ユージオ」の活躍はゲーム内をチェックhttps://t.co/LXZJBKslD6#SAOIF pic.twitter.com/j2Lc29jTkT

  — 【公式】ソードアート・オンライン インテグラル・ファクター（SAOIF） (@saoif_gameinfo) April 1, 2022

• Bandai Namco: Sword Art Online: Unleash Blading – The in-game April Fools’ Day event begins today, which sees the hero Yuuki and her party stand against Overlord Kirito, who is stealing all the LA Bonuses in the world.
  

  ＼本日よりエイプリルフールイベント開催！／
  この世の全てのLAボーナスを奪う魔王キリトを討伐すべく、勇者ユウキ一行が立ち上がる!?

  （※これは魔王キリトをどうしても見てみたかった開発チームの欲望から生まれた、エイプリルフールイベントです。）#アリブレ #SAO pic.twitter.com/Xc6lXTkTc4

  — 【公式】SAOアンリーシュ・ブレイディング (@saoab_gameinfo) March 31, 2022

• HyperX: Announcing the new line of “Touch Grass” keyboards tomorrow. “We’ve all had at least one person in our lives telling us to turn off the games, go outside, and touch some grass for once, but it’s time to finally put them in their place.”

  

• Innersloth: Among Us – Among Us to add Horse Mode.
• KLabGames: Yu Yu Hakusho 100% Maji Battle – Starting today, the “Maji Idol ~RMN idol project~” special quest is now available in Yu Yu Hakusho 100% Maji Battle.
  

  4月1日(金)0:00より『マジ☆アイドル～RMN idol project～』を開催！

  特別クエスト「マジ☆アイドル～RMN idol project～」に挑戦し、ぼたんとの親密度を高めよう！

  さらに今ならホーム画面が特別仕様に！ https://t.co/a3SZHfaYnp #幽遊白書 #マジバト pic.twitter.com/1v9rGPnU2L

  — 幽☆遊☆白書 100%本気(マジ)バトル 公式 (@yuhaku100) March 31, 2022

• PlatinumGames: – Watch the Neo Classic Aracade “Shocking 10” press conference announcing nine new titles following Sol Cresta.
• Pupuya Games: Little Witch Nobeta – An April Fools’ Day animated comic.
• Razer: Enter the metaverse with the Razer HyperSense Suit—a highly-advanced, full-body gaming suit powered by the next generation of Razer HyperSense haptic technology.
• Smilegate: Lost Ark – Announcing Lost Ark VR.

Added at Press Time

• 5minlab: Smash Legends – Introducing the new Smash Legends story, “Forgotten Story.”
• Aniplex: Disney Twisted Wonderland – Watch the Disney Twisted Wonderland Magical Motors Show.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVSgeA-1C7o

• Aniplex: Fate/Grand Order – This year’s limited time Fate/Grand Order April Fools’ Day game, Fate/Pixel Wars, is available now for iOS via App Store and Android via Google Play in Japan.

  

• Aniplex: Shadows House – Watch part of the Shadows House live-action movie early, right here.
• Arc System Works: Guilty Gear: Strive – Announcing Guilty Bear, a the latest next-generation fighting game from Arc System Works. Visit the official website here.
  

  ◤￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣
  　次世代対戦格闘ゲーム最新作
  　『GUILTY BEAR』発売決定！
  ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿◢

  徹底的にかわいさに拘ったバトルシステム⚔️
  癒されるファンシーサウンド🎧
  総勢20名のキャラクターが参戦🐻♪https://t.co/FvYlQKKMUD#ギルティベア#エイプリルフール pic.twitter.com/GFxD9k2gYi

  — GUILTY GEAR OFFICIAL (@GUILTYGEAR_PR) March 31, 2022

• Arika – Prayer to Death, Arika’s April Fools’ Day title from 2020, returns this year with actual gameplay.
• Bandai Namco: Tales of the Rays: Last Cradle – Otaota to join the fray on… December 15, 2005.
• Bushimo: BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! – April Fools’ Day browser game Girl’s Blossom Project now available.

  

• Coly: Stand My Heroes – The otome puzzle / scenario game Stand My Heroes will become the detective game Stand My Judgment. Prior to its launch in spring… 2222, you can play a demo via the Stand My Heroes until midnight JST today.
  

  スタンドマイヒーローズが推理ゲームになりました🔍
  『スタンドマイジャッジメント』始動！

  「真実」が裁かれる時、アナタは――#スタマイジャッジ　#スタマイ pic.twitter.com/byDj5JqPTb

  — 【公式】スタンドマイジャッジメント (@stmyjudge) March 31, 2022

• Cygames: Princess Connect! Re: Dive – The new Princess Connect! Re: Dive April Fools’ Day game Princess Connect! Grand Masters is available now for iOS via App Store and Android via Google Play for one week only. Visit the official website here.

  

• Cygames: Princess Connect! Re: Dive – Announcing the Princess Connect! Re: Dive Baseball Board Game. Available now via Cygames Store for 6,600 yen.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv12FUqnNPs

• Digital Crafter: Fight of Steel: Infinity Warrior – Announcing the Fight of Steel: Infinity Warrior and Fight of Animals crossover!
• Marvelous: Shinobi Master: Senran Kagura New Link – Shinobi Master: Senran Kagura New Link will change its title to simply Link.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6UKGWgSl_0

• NEKO WORKs – Announcing Inpuara: Dogs Paradise.
• NEXON: Blue Archive – Notice from Mischievous Straight: “Sensei, meet the new and improved us, as idols!”
• Nippon Ichi Software: void tRrLM2(); //Void Terrarium 2 – Nippon Ichi Software has launched the browser game “Pet Nanny,” which is based on the world of void tRrLM2(); //Void Terrarium 2 and can be played until midnight JST. Take care of Toriko by playing with her, cleaning up, and feeding her.

  

• Qureate – Announcing Final Princess (title tentative), the next entry in the Princess series following Prison Princess and Duel Princess.
  

  ＼プリンセスシリーズ最新作開発開始…！？／
  プリズンプリンセス、デュエルプリンセスに続くプリンセスシリーズ最新作「ファイナルプリンセス（仮称）」が本日より開発開始！
  果たしてどんな物語が描かれるのか！？ 紳士が喜ぶ要素はあるのか！？ 信じるか信じないかはお紳士様次第です…！ pic.twitter.com/Un09XlsKDX

  — qureate公式 (@qureate) March 31, 2022

• SEGA – In celebration of Sonic Frontiers, announcing the “Sonic Furontia” (a play on words that integrates the Japanese word for bath—“furo”) bath set. Details here.
  

  ═════════════════

  『#ソニックフロンティア』
  限定版特典
  ♨️『ソニック風呂ンティア』♨️

  ═════════════════

  ――湯気が運ぶは、声なき鼻歌。

  詳細⬇️https://t.co/anhV4WbBub#ソニック #エイプリルフール #AprilFoolsDay pic.twitter.com/WBqz5NWYKt

  — ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ【公式】 (@SonicOfficialJP) March 31, 2022

• Square Enix: Dragon Quest Walk – Introducing the Metal Storage Vault.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmWlbejC1gM

• Square Enix: Dragon Quest – Official Twitter account taken over by Dragonlord. He says, “Become my follower and I’ll show you something nice later. Will you follow me?”
• TAITO: Bub’s Broadcast – Bub’s younger brother, Bob, to replace Bub starting today.