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

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. 

Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.