I adore a proper April Fools’ joke, legitimate or not, and each year the geek industry musters a couple decent gags. 2016 lavished us with a false Netflix series (Star Wars: Fury of Maul) and Big’s Big Fishing Adventure 3: The Trial, a playful Flash game starring the Sonic the Hedgehog character. Parodied and produced by the imaginary developer Sega of Virgin Islands, it’s quite something.
Just try it for yourself.
But I’m partial to hoaxes that could – by some miracle – exist in this universe or another. Dark Souls III – The Movie is that type of hoax. Sewn together from in-game footage, Bandai Namco stitches VHS scan lines, a grizzled narrator, and low-resolution title cards between hard cuts to Dark Souls III action.
Don’t forget the cheesy synopsis, either. It’s a grindhouse-meets-‘80s-horror-film homage:
A long time ago, in a world deep in the darkest ages, hellish fiends ruled over this land. But one man, will rise up, and raise a whole lotta hell. When you pick a fight with the devil, you’d better be stronger than hell! Dark Souls III – The Movie; a brand new chilling adventure by Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.
I’m getting goosebumps just looking at the mock box art. I’d add that artistic masterpiece to my collection any day.
What about you? Share your thoughts on this prank and whether you’d buy Dark Souls III – The Movie at a store near you!