Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Summer Game Fest
  • New games for 2025
  • Upcoming Switch 2 games
  • Switch 2 stock
Recommended reading
Resident Evil Requiem
Horror Games I've never felt as much camaraderie as I did with the Resident Evil 9 hopefuls absolutely crashing out over Capcom's SGF prank: "Not gonna trust this dude anymore ever"
Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2
Action RPGs Nintendo Switch 2's kickflipping cow, 50-ft woman, and steampunk t-rex showed there's still great power in absurdity
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Events & Conferences Everything announced at Summer Game Fest 2025
Oblivion Remastered "Sir Vancealot"
The Elder Scrolls This Oblivion Remastered Easter egg is forcing me to confront a difficult truth about early 2010s meme culture: It was never funny, actually
Best Xbox 360 games: a screenshot of an Xbox 360 console next to a controller and a collection of games.
Games 25 Best Xbox 360 games of all time
Future Games Show Summer Showcase 2025 logo
Games Everything announced at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase 2025
No Man's Sky
Survival Games No Man's Sky boss assures fans Hello Games "did not have a secret room hiding deaf kids" following the survival game's unfortunately auto-captioned Switch 2 trailer
  1. Games
  2. Action

The best gaming April Fools Day pranks of 2013

Features
By Henry Gilbert published 2 April 2013

Did any of these posts fool you?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A proud tradition of lies

A proud tradition of lies

April Fools Day may be one of the most annoying days to read the Internet, simply because you never can be sure whats real. Every site seems out to trick you--though we at GR would never do that to you. But its not just enthusiast sites that get in on the act. Many of the biggest game publishers in the world arent above having a little fun at their fans expense.

2013 was no different, as we saw clever DLC, non-existent merch, and even a few things that might actually be on sale some day. Think you caught every good joke out there? You should double check this list just to be sure.

Page 1 of 14
Page 1 of 14
Journey Rocket Death Match DLC

Journey Rocket Death Match DLC

Journey was highly esteemed by gamers of all walks last year, and it made our shortlist for the best games of 2012. It was just so different from everything else on the market, but it was clearly missing something: twitchy gunplay. Developer thatgamecompany finally intends to fix it with the imaginary Rocket Death Match DLC, which adds explosive firefights to the formerly somber affair. If you read the YouTube description youll see that the DLC is planned for spring of 2014, perhaps a final inside joke about Journeys lengthy development.

Page 2 of 14
Page 2 of 14
Starcraft 2s Warhound returns

Starcraft 2s Warhound returns

Gamers hate to be teased with content only to have it ultimately stripped away, even if the content is removed for balancing reasons. That was the case with Starcraft 2s Warhound unit. The Terran powerhouse was cut from multiplayer post-beta despite the grumbling of some fans, but the mech makes its triumphant return in Blizzards April Fools announcement. In a somewhat catty blog post Blizzard revealed that all three of the races would now get access to the Warhound as a worker unit. Yes, they work exactly the same as the normal builders save for their appearance, but a little Warhound is better than none, right?

Page 3 of 14
Page 3 of 14
Dishonoreds special developer commentary

Dishonoreds special developer commentary

We like watching developer commentary on a game as much as the next professional games journalist, but some of those videos can get too dry and boring. Thats not the case with this special Dishonored walkthrough. Here the devs throw out a number of absurd facts about the game, including that they worked for years on a single light bulb, or that the NPCs age in real time. If only even one of these were true.

Page 4 of 14
Page 4 of 14
ThinkGeeks BMO and Creeper toys

ThinkGeeks BMO and Creeper toys

At this point, April Fools Day should be officially renamed ThinkGeek R&D Day. The nerd-friendly online store has a history of making joke items that eventually become actual retail products, and this year is no different. Adventure Time fans should be crossing their fingers that the BMO mod for iPad Minis gets manufactured, because it will finally allow fans to enjoy Finn and Jakes console/robotic friend of choice in the real world. Meanwhile, the Creeper body pillow might seem too strange for most people, but we bet there are at least a few Minecraft fans that wouldnt mind hugging up on this cuddly green guy. Let's hope he doesn't explode in the middle of the night.

Page 5 of 14
Page 5 of 14
Deus Ex: Human Defiance

Deus Ex: Human Defiance

Rumors are running rampant that a new Deus Ex game is soon to be announced, but now it seems like Square Enix Montreal was teasing us the whole time. After a cryptic update the night before, the Deus Ex Facebook page announced the thoroughly retro Deus Ex: Human Defiance. It takes conflicted protagonist Adam Jensen into the second dimension, and the developers call the move a natural evolution. Will this de-make actually happen if the Deus Ex Facebook page reaches 250,000 likes? Or will an actual, full-fledged Human Defiance show up tomorrow? Well likely have a better idea once April Fools Day is finally over.

Page 6 of 14
Page 6 of 14
The Retromator 4000

The Retromator 4000

Good Old Games is one of the better online stores for purchasing classic PC games, but older fans are no doubt troubled by all the newfangled games on the service. Today GOG introduced a fanciful fix to the problem: The Retromator 4000. The fictional program transforms modern games into 1990s era point-and-click titles or image-free text adventures for the excessively old fan. If only this lovely invention were real, because that would give fledgling PC gamers a chance to see what a world before HD monitors was like.

Page 7 of 14
Page 7 of 14
Pop n Music Body pillow

Pop n Music Body pillow

The US isnt the only group in the mood for April Fools shenanigans. Japan has jumped into the spirit relatively recently, at least when it comes to online jokes. Of the few weve seen today, the best had to be Konamis Pop n Music body pillows. We get the sense that body pillows are slightly more common in Japan than they are in the West, but we like to see that they can also get into the absurdity of sleeping next to your favorite video game character.

Page 8 of 14
Page 8 of 14
The Star Trek Gorn commercial

The Star Trek Gorn commercial

Younger fans might have been confused by the use of the Gorn as the enemy in Namcos upcoming Star Trek: The Video Game, but older Trekkies will remember Captain Kirks epic (if low budget) battle against a hulking Gorn in the original series. This new commercial resumes the classic contest decades later with todays William Shatner and the impressively well-aged Gorn. This may not have been a traditional April Fools joke, but it made us laugh on April 1st, which is all that really matters.

Page 9 of 14
Page 9 of 14
Star Wars just got served

Star Wars just got served

Lightsaber battles may have impressed us at age 10 (and, admittedly, through 25), but the bright colored wands just arent enough for us these days. Based on its April 1 announcement, The Old Republic looks to be done with laser swords duels as well. The Dance of the Hutts update will add dance battles to the MMO. Preferably the loser will be fed to a Rancor. Also, this theoretical update will finally allow players to have Hutts as a mount. We cant wait to explore Tatooine at 3mph.

Page 10 of 14
Page 10 of 14
Guild Wars 2 Super Adventure Box

Guild Wars 2 Super Adventure Box

You have to give Guild Wars 2 extra credit for going the extra mile to actually release this bit of April Foolishness. The Super Adventure Box reskins the world as a tribute to gamings past with allusions to Pitfall and Zelda. You can enjoy this great bit of fan service all month long, and youll hopefully unlock the Super Adventure Box weapon skin so you can treasure this adventure forever. You can learn more about the new quest here.

Page 11 of 14
Page 11 of 14
Cat Girl Without Salad!

Cat Girl Without Salad!

We're big fans of WayForward, so we were ecstatic when it announced a new game: Cat Girl Without Salad! And then we read the description and remembered what day it was, and, well yeah. The game puts you in the space boots of Kebako--a female space bounty hunter and four-star chef--and the gameplay is a mix of genres, including puzzler, platformer, shmup, action, shooter, adventure, strategy, fighting, rhythm, arcade, horror, tactical, RPG, TPS, RTS, and visual novel, and will come out this fall exclusively to Nintendo 3DS, DS, Wii, Wii U, XBLA, PSN, PC, Vita, iOS, and Android.

Page 12 of 14
Page 12 of 14
Segas Goat Processing

Segas Goat Processing

Sonic thought he had the edge over Mario in the 1990s thanks to its vaunted Blast Processing tech on the Genesis. Now Sega has a new technology to give it a similar edge in 2013: Goat Processing. Could this mean Sonic will soon be getting a new goat friend in his next title?

Page 13 of 14
Page 13 of 14
Did you get fooled?

Did you get fooled?

Those were our 10 favorite tricks from today, but did you see any others that are worth looking up? Let us know in the comments.

Need more foolishness? Check out the 10 greatest gaming April Fools and a similar roundup from 2010.

Page 14 of 14
Page 14 of 14
CATEGORIES
Android iPad iPhone PC Gaming Wii-u Nintendo PlayStation PS4 Xbox Xbox One Platforms Mobile Gaming
PRODUCTS
Journey Guild Wars 2 Dishonored Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut
Henry Gilbert
Henry Gilbert
Social Links Navigation

Henry Gilbert is a former GamesRadar+ Editor, having spent seven years at the site helping to navigate our readers through the PS3 and Xbox 360 generation. Henry is now following another passion of his besides video games, working as the producer and podcast cohost of the popular Talking Simpsons and What a Cartoon podcasts. 

See more PC Gaming Features
Read more
Resident Evil Requiem
I've never felt as much camaraderie as I did with the Resident Evil 9 hopefuls absolutely crashing out over Capcom's SGF prank: "Not gonna trust this dude anymore ever"
Mario Kart World screenshot Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2's kickflipping cow, 50-ft woman, and steampunk t-rex showed there's still great power in absurdity
Summer Game Fest logo for Summer Game Fest 2025
Everything announced at Summer Game Fest 2025
Oblivion Remastered "Sir Vancealot"
This Oblivion Remastered Easter egg is forcing me to confront a difficult truth about early 2010s meme culture: It was never funny, actually
Best Xbox 360 games: a screenshot of an Xbox 360 console next to a controller and a collection of games.
25 Best Xbox 360 games of all time
Future Games Show Summer Showcase 2025 logo
Everything announced at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase 2025
Latest in Action
Link is in a barrel in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch 2
Twink Link is being freed: Nintendo apparently backtracks, says you are allowed to call yourself Twink Link as it works to unban a Switch 2 it "flagged by accident"
Protagonist Jordan in a screenshot from the reveal trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Naughty Dog boss Neil Druckmann is leaving HBO's The Last of Us season 3 to turn his "complete focus" to Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and the studio's "future projects"
Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot
Death Stranding 2 has a "completely hidden mechanic" that lets you fire lethal rounds, meaning voidouts are now inevitable
a robot being shot with a gatling gun but still approaching menacingly
Rockstar remembers Red Dead Online exists and puts out a new update trailer for the first time in 4 years, leaving fans hopeful it's not dead after all: "Are we back?"
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Nintendo Switch 2 could revolutionize Zelda technology: Tears of the Kingdom tinkerers confirm lasers are way deadlier now – "We always knew 60 fps would be insane, but I didn't expect it to be this insane"
Death Stranding 2 Sam touching Lou and Fragile
Hideo Kojima says he "kind of hates" the AI assistant in his phone, which is why Death Stranding 2's message is that people shouldn't just rely on technology
Latest in Features
María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer
James Gunn's Superman may be setting up The Authority movie with its enigmatic villain The Engineer
Sam sits in a bike looking across at a city in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
70 hours in, Death Stranding 2 is one of few open world games that justifies having such a huge map
Nintendo Switch 2
I can't use the Switch 2's handheld mode, so I'm hoping a Lite is on the horizon
Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mister Miracle as the Justice Gang in Superman
The Justice Gang explained - The non-Justice League in James Gunn's Superman may be influenced by team of classic DC supervillains
Team Fortress 2 characters looking at a map
I have 464 games on my Steam wishlist, 23 games in my Steam Summer Sale shopping cart, and I can feel my already overstuffed library giving me the side-eye
Heavy Metal Death Can demo screenshot
I got a nicotine rush and set zombies on fire in this PS1-style survival horror demo, and it's basically Resident Evil on a submarine
  1. Sam fires at the ghost mech squid boss in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
    1
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  2. 2
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  3. 3
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  4. 4
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  5. 5
    Dune: Awakening review: "Both extremely compelling and extraordinarily boring, sometimes at the same time – yet still a true Dune love letter"
  1. A T-rex in Jurassic World Rebirth
    1
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  2. 2
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  3. 3
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  4. 4
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  5. 5
    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...