April Fools’ Day is a day that makes our job much more difficult. We have to calibrate very well what is serious and what is a hoax, especially because many people try to push the boundaries of what is plausible. That’s why we especially like jokes that are clearly jokes and completely outrageous: they don’t pretend to pass as news, they are funny and fit well with the spirit of the day. Making jokes.
That’s why we’ve chosen a handful of our favorites. We’ve had to watch quite a few while doing our daily work, and with these, not only have we laughed, but we’ve also wondered what went through the minds of those who made them in a couple of particular cases. They are not hard to guess when you see them. But without further ado, let’s get to the topic.
Pragmata is a MegaMan (well, more or less)
There has been a very persistent fan theory that Pragmata is actually a covert MegaMan game where the girl, at the end of the game, will be revealed to be the mythical blue robot. At Capcom, they have heard these theories and must have had a good laugh about them, because they decided to do something with them. Adding MegaMan to the game? No. Adding a MegaMan skin for the human protagonist’s exoskeleton suit. Because if people are going to invent colorful theories, why not take advantage of them?
The DLSS 5 of Crusader Kings III
We have had few more bitter controversies this year than that of DLSS 5, a technology that nobody likes, adds nothing, and also requires an extremely expensive setup. And the team behind Crusader Kings III has decided to poke fun at it with their proposal: the CKSS. A super-scaling and AI technology that makes their game hyper-realistic. So hyper-realistic that it is the studio staff dressed as the characters from the game. A healthy touch of humor for the most toxic discussion of the year so far in the tech world.
In ARMA, they become farmers
Arma Reforger is known for being a tremendously realistic real-time combat simulation game set in the Cold War. But at Bohemia Interactive, they have grown tired and said, what if instead of wielding weapons, we farm a little? And thus Farma Reforager has emerged, a charming teaser for a hyper-realistic game about managing your little farm without any other worries in the world.
Drifting Drums in the Japanese Mountains
Taiko no Tatsujin is a very popular rhythm game in Japan where we have to hit two adorable drums to the beat set by the game. Drift Spirits is an equally popular mobile game where we have to compete in intense races where the most important thing is to drift intensely and precisely on extremely tight tracks. And since both licenses are from Bandai Namco, they said, what if the drums from Taiko no Tatsujin raced in Drift Spirits? And the result is this promotional video that is surely a joke, but if we want, it’s not a joke.
A medieval open world embodying a chivalrous pet
To conclude, there is nothing better than looking at one of last year’s hidden gems. Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a medieval open-world game in the style of Skyrim or Crimson Desert that has been gaining followers in recent months. And in its new DLC, they promise us to embody Qrko, a kind of huge and somewhat deformed axolotl capable of wearing armor and going on adventures. A crazy proposal, but let’s not kid ourselves, if they actually manage to do it, they might double the game’s sales.
