April Fools’ Day 2026 compilation
NieR: COSMIC HORROR, Re:ZERO otome game, and more.
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Gematsu‘s annual April Fools’ Day games industry jokes and gags roundup, featuring the new NieR project NieR: COSMIC HORROR, otome game Re:ZERO – Starting Office Life in Another World, and more.
April Fools’ Day 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021| 2019 | More
(This post will be updated with new jokes throughout the day.)
■ Added on April 1 at 4:00 p.m.
● Brace Yourself Games / Rift of the NecroDancer
● Konami / Silent Hill 2
■ Added on April 1 at 12:00 p.m.
● Young Horses / Bugsnax
Announcing Rebungered!! That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Bunger, “a real and actual text adventure from the Young Horses.” Play it here.
■ Added on April 1 at 11:00 a.m.
● Awaken Realms Digital / Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
Announcing the downloadable content “Qrko’s Journey.”
“Experience Avalon from a completely new perspective. Play as Qrko, the cutest and bravest pet Kamelot forces have ever seen. Equip the shiniest armor, ready your trusty steed, and go show them all that size doesn’t matter!”
● Crytivo / Autonomica
● Remedy Entertainment / CONTROL Resonant
■ Added on April 1 at 10:00 a.m.
● Bohemia Interactive / Arma Reforger
Introducing Farma Reforger. It ain’t much, but it’s honest work.
● Double Stallion Games / Surfpunk
Surfpunk renamed Surf (But Also Walk on Land) Punk. All enemies replaced with Bingus.
● Owl Cat Games
Introducing Owlbrick, the first console for CRPGs.
● SEGA
■ Added on April 1 at 9:00 a.m.
Introducing BubsyPaws, Bubsy’s OnlyPaws site for fans of feline feet.
● Gaijin Entertainment / Enlisted
All Loud on the Western Front.
● IGN
Introducing the PlayStation 5 AI copilot “Project Playmo.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vQKrQbyEjo
● Rusty Lake / Servant of the Lake
● SEGA / Sonic the Hedgehog
Official “Sanic” t-shirts available today only via SEGA Shop.
Today’s edition of Square Enix Party Chat brings together Namazu (Final Fantasy XIV) and Moogle (Final Fantasy XIV), who share “riveting tales, fun anecdotes, and more from their adventures.” If only anyone could understand what they’re saying…
● Ubisoft / For Honor
Introducing the “Mirror Mode” event, running from today until April 2 at 6:00 a.m. PT / 9:00 a.m. ET.
■ Added on April 1 at 8:30 a.m.
● 505 Games / INGAME STUDIOS / Crime Boss: Rockay City
A new TV show is about to hit Rockay City’s televisions—The Adventures of Baker Buddy!
● CD Projekt RED / The Witcher
“Some ideas strike you like a hoof to the head. Ten years ago, our team was inspired with a brand-new idea: revolutionize gaming with a controller unlike any other. This April 1, we’re introducing R.O.A.C.H., a controller to make your next adventure in the Continent more realistic and tactile than ever before.”
● GSC Game World / S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
“If you gaze long into the Zone, the Zone also gazes into you.”
(Also available in Japanese.)
● MoreFun Studios / Arena Breakout: Infinite
● Keen Software House / Space Engineers
● Kuro Games / Wuthering Waves
● Mythwright / Brighrock Games / Kaiju Cleanup
Introducing Kaiju Cleanup: Vegan Edition.
AI upscaling comes to Crusader Kings III with CKSS.
● Red Rover Interactive / Enginefall
Announcing P.E.A.K.O.
● Starbreeze Entertainment / OVERKILL Software / PAYDAY 3
Introducing the new “Non PAYDAY Character” game mode. Live your life until your the victim of a PAYDAY character robbery.
● Yostar / Stella Sora
■ Added on April 1 at 3:00 a.m.
● FuturLab / PowerWash Simulator 2
Announcing the PowerWash Simulator spin-off dating simulation game Date the Dirt, coming to “Wii and other major platforms” on October 67.
● Gentle Troll Entertainment / Tavern Talk Stories: Dreamwalker
Announcing Tavern Talk: Love Shack, a new story expansion.
■ Added on April 1 at 2:00 a.m.
● Crytek / Hunt: Showdown 1896
● Los Angeles Dodgers
■ Added on April 1 at 12:00 a.m.
● Devolver Digital / Francis Coulombe / Look Outside
● iDreamSky / Strinova
● Koei Tecmo Games / Team NINJA
● Kuro Games / Wuthering Waves
(Also available in Japanese and Korean.)
● LEVEL-5
Announcing LEVEL-5 Land, a LEVEL-5 theme park opening… someday.
(Also available in Japanese.)
● Sunborn Network Technology / GIRLS’ FRONTLINE 2: EXILIUM
■ Added on March 31 at 10:30 p.m.
● Arc System Works / Guilty Gear
Announcing the next-generation fighting game Guilty Bear!
● TiMi Studio Group / Delta Force
■ Added on March 31 at 10:00 p.m.
● Falcom
Introducing Ys x KUUKIYOMI: Consider It.
● miHoYo / Petit Planet
Here’s your rundown of today’s April Fools’ special from Shortwave News Buzz:
- The Galactic Bazaar’s “See Through the Mask” contest is taking the Starsea by storm.
- Cafe Untamed’s “Million Locations” Plan: One small step beyond the Starsea, one giant leap for its ever-growing empire.
- Plus, an exclusive from the official Petit Planet spokesperson: a mystery announcement drops tomorrow!
Thanks for tuning in. See you tomorrow!
(Also available in Japanese.)
● Netmarble / Solo Leveling: ARISE
(Also available in Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese.)
■ Added on March 31 at 9:00 p.m.
● SHIFT UP / Goddess of Victory: NIKKE
Announcing Goddess of Victory: NIKKE World. Pre-registration begins on April 1, 2036.
■ Added on March 31 at 8:00 p.m.
■ Added on March 31 at 7:00 p.m.
● Bandai Namco / Tales of
On April 1, 4141, Uriko takes over as the protagonist in… URIKO!
● PONOS / The Battle Cats
The Battle Cats TV anime announced.
■ Added at Press Time
● ALICESOFT
ALICESOFT enters the soft-serve ice cream industry.
● Aniplex / Disney Twisted-Wonderland
Twisted Drama Project: April Fools’ Day 2026. Starring Kent Ito.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpQ0eExcG-M
● Aniplex / Fate/Grand Order
An graphics glitch is causing the in-game illustrations to change to illustrations by Riyo. This is also affecting some images on the official website and social media accounts.
● Aniplex / Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story: Magia Record
“Madoka-senpai’s Kioku” Madoka-senpai 3★ Kioku arrives April 1.
(Also available in Japanese.)
● Bandai Namco / Dragon Ball Legends
SPARKING “Farmer Goku” joins the fight!
● Bandai Namco / Taiko no Tatsujin x Drift Spirits
Introducing Taiko no Tatsujin Spirits.
● CCMC Corporation / holo Indie
The legendary baseball game Bases Loaded (Moero!! Pro Yakyuu) returns as holoBase (Moeru!! Holo Yakyuu). Go for a homerun with hololive gamers. Wishlist it now on Steam. Read more here.
The “Happy Panicky Baby” event has begun. All of your allies have turned into babies. Help return them to their original forms.
● Cygames / Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond
● Cygames / Uma Musume
A Midori no Makibaou x Uma Musume TV anime collaborative opening.
● Imagineer / Medabots S
● Kadokawa Corporation / Re:ZERO – Starting Life in Another World
Introducing Re:ZERO – Starting Office Life in Another World, an otome visual novel featuring the boys from Re:ZERO – Starting Life in Another World.
● KRAFTON / PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
Introducing “Prop Hunt,” a limited-time April Fools’ mode that brings a playful twist to the battleground experience.
In Prop Hunt, players are split into two roles: Props and Hunters. Props disguise themselves as everyday objects scattered across the map and attempt to stay hidden, while Hunters search for anything out of place and eliminate them before time runs out. The mode blends stealth, strategy, and deception, offering a lighthearted alternative to traditional combat gameplay.
Each match features 12 players divided into three Hunters and nine Props, played across three rounds. At the start of each round, players can choose their preferred role, with teams automatically balanced as needed.
Matches unfold in phases. During the preparation phase, Hunters remain in a restricted area while Props select disguises and position themselves. Once the round begins, Hunters must carefully identify and eliminate Props—firing at incorrect objects reduces their HP, adding risk to each decision. Near the end of each round, a brief “Fever Time” grants Hunters increased firepower and removes penalties for incorrect shots.
Props have access to a variety of abilities to stay alive, including deploying decoys, switching disguises, and using stun or flash effects to disrupt Hunters, encouraging dynamic and unpredictable gameplay.
Ahead of the launch, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS also released a teaser campaign styled as a home shopping showcase, introducing the mode in a playful and unexpected way.
● Key
Key states that since it is full-speed ahead on development for anemoi, it has no April Fools’ Day joke this year.
● Konami / Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball
Jikkyou Powerful Pro… Kabuki Baseball?
DAVE THE DIVER x Real VR Fishing collaboration announced. Coming in June 2026.
(Editor’s Note: This appears to be a real announcement.)
● NEOWIZ / Brown Dust II
Introducing “WHITE REAPER (Yodel Ver.)”
This yodel version of “WHITE REAPER” reimagines the original’s fierce determination to overcome darkness and trials, transporting that fighting spirit to the pristine, snow-capped peaks of the Alps.
The original’s heavy, tension-filled beats are now interlaced with the light, rhythmic vocal breaks characteristic of yodeling. The oppressive atmosphere of the battlefield has been transformed into a buoyant energy that dances across the mountain ranges. In place of cold, metallic textures, the rich resonance of the accordion and the playful plucking of the ukulele take center stage. This arrangement evokes the spirited stride of a hero preparing for a festival, rather than the solitary shadow of a reaper, refreshing the listener’s senses.
The soaring scats and “Yo-ho-ho” vocal motifs translate the resolve to confront challenges into a display of both playful charm and masterful technique. The vocal echoes, rising and falling like mountain ridges, reflect the composure of a victor effortlessly navigating rugged terrain.
While the lyrics still hold the firm resolve to face every battle without retreat, the bright tonal palette of the yodel softens the gravity of that vow, turning it into a “joyful challenge.” The powerful declarations of the chorus are reborn through sophisticated vocal flips, leaving behind a light, jubilant exclamation of victory rather than a somber decree.
By expanding “WHITE REAPER”—once a symbol of intense struggle—into a festive soundscape set on an Alpine meadow, this arrangement highlights the technical beauty of high-difficulty vocal transitions and clear articulation. We invite you to begin your journey with a light heart, accompanied by the “WHITE REAPER (Yodel Ver.)”—where even trials become a song.
(Also available in Japanese and Traditional Chinese.)
A four-minute “Dust Direct” has also been released.
● Smilegate / Chaos Zero Nightmare
Introducing the new Trading Card Game Mode!
(Also available in Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese.)
● Square Enix / Dragon Quest
A liquid metal slime has been discovered on the ocean floor.
● Square Enix / Dragon Quest Walk
Dragon Quest Walk collaborates with the Yanboh and Marboh Weather Forecast.
● Square Enix / NieR
Introducing the new NieR project—NieR: COSMIC HORROR.
● Sunrise / Gundam
Celestial Being (the movie) will be released in 2314 AD.