That Hotline Miami tease was a hoax, and we fell for it

By Sam Loveridge, Heather Wald
published

Hotline Miami 2 brought the series to a conclusion, and it seems that's all we're getting

Hotline Miami 3
(Image credit: Dennaton Games)

UPDATE: Apparently we all got fooled by that alleged Hotline Miami teaser, because the Twitter user has now informed us that it was all a big joke. 

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Everyone got so excited by the thought of something new in the Hotline Miami universe happening that we all got swirled up in the hype. So much so that the official Hotline Miami account had to comment on the teaser. 

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So it seems nothing Hotline Miami-related is coming soon. Sorry folks. 

Original story: The ultra violent neon tinted shoot em’ up Hotline Miami was brought to a conclusion in its second instalment Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. But Hotline Miami 3 could be being teased by a Twitter account with the handle Jacketisnotdead ('Jacket' being the nickname of the main hero), seemingly trying to bring the series back to life with a short teaser video of what could either be one very cool fan-made film, or the less likely idea that it’s hinting at sequel. 

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The short video is suitably stylised with Hotline Miami flare and takes us on a tour of a moment in a fight, with a bat floating through the air and bullets spraying. While it doesn’t really reveal what it’s directly hinting at, it does end with the promise of releasing a “full trailer soon". 

The idea of Hotline Miami 3 has been hotly debated in recent years thanks to a menu screen for the third instalment being shown after the credits roll in Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number. The second instalment was marketed as the conclusion to the series, and back in 2015, game designer and artist Dennis Wedin said on Twitter that Hotline Miami 3 was taped over by the second game “because it sucked” - essentially confirming a third instalment wasn’t on the way. 

Interestingly, the Twitter account only follows a handful of other users, all of which are people and developers associated with the game, including Abstraction games who are responsible for publishing the game on all platforms including the PS3. Since the Twitter account isn’t verified and nothing is in the air about an official announcement, it is probably a fan-made film inspired the games. But if the teaser which pays homage to the style and soundtrack of the series is anything to do by, it's probably going to be a pretty darn good one. I for one will definitely be keeping an eye out for more. 

Sam Loveridge
Sam Loveridge
Global Editor-in-Chief, GamesRadar+

Sam Loveridge is the Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar, and joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.