Square Enix has brought to light a new collaboration rumor through mysterious teaser that has everyone’s minds running wild. The gaming company’s Twitter account dropped a subtle hint saying, “Things a little strange, but somehow wonderful, are starting to take shape” paired with what looks like a teaser art, which stirred up the conversation about the possibility of the Indie universe created by Toby Fox intermingling with that of Square Enix, the gaming powerhouse.
The tweet is extremely obscure! Just like that, there’s no plus no announcements and only that cryptic phrase along with some visuals. However, it can be said that in such situations, the internet can be sparked with only a few words or visuals. Logic was the first thing that came to gamers’ minds, connecting the dots, and many of them had the same opinion that this was either Undertale or Deltarune given the timing and also based on Square Enix’s past indie collaborations.
The reactions to the tweet are apparently indicating the real situation here. One user, @KurinoMai wrote, “Omg after the light of the recent horrible news, this news dropped which not only made me feel better but also made me extremely hopeful since Live A Live the game that inspired Deltarune is my favorite Square Enix game”—which is quite a catch as it refers to both some recent community drama and the historical link between Square’s Live A Live and Toby Fox’s work.
Furthermore, numerous responses are referencing the drama by implying ‘the horrible news about SHAYY’ which apparently is some sort of community incident that happened recently? The timing of the teaser from Square Enix seems to have acted as a mood lifter after whatever the incident was. It is really surprising how gaming communities are having parallel dramas while the official companies are just doing their own thing.
There is no denying that the thrill is really here. User @diorcujoh practically screamed, “HELLO WHAT PEAK X PEAK” which could be the general tone of the audience—the idea of Undertale/Deltarune’s extraordinary charm meeting the production value of Square Enix has nearly driven people insane. Another user, @Drolltic, just kept on repeating, “WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT,” which is honestly the same kind of energy as the first one.
Yet, besides the excitement there is also some confusion in the replies, as Square Enix is quite characteristically, they have their hands full with several projects at once. The response section is filled with some Kingdom Hearts fans who are pleading for KH4 news instead with @agaetis_byrjunn stating very bluntly, “drop kh4 shit man,” and @LuxuYoz complaining “Everything but kh4 ..” So, not everyone is thrilled for this possible collaboration while they are waiting for others to come from their favorite franchises.
While it might be just the local gaming community that is expressing shock and disbelief, it surely is the international gaming community that is going to make their presence felt. Spanish speakers can be spotted in the replies saying “QUE DICES, QUE DICES, QUE DICES” (which is basically ‘WHAT ARE YOU SAYING’ thrice) and other languages sporadically popping in the thread that just goes to show that this teaser has a worldwide reach. On the other hand, some Australian gamers are whining about Square Enix’s claiming ‘worldwide’ while apparently ignoring their continent, which is pretty funny.
What is most fascinating is that this possible collaboration is not only logical but also has been fated for a long time. The bond that Toby Fox has always drawn between the past Square games and his works is undeniable—he has talked about the RPG mechanics, storytelling style and even specific references to Live A Live (the game which the fans in the replies mentioned) that have influenced him and his games. Seems collaborating with Square Enix is a great way to circle back to the original point.
Another angle that fans are keeping their fingers crossed for is the merchandising one. User @_barely_active_ picked up on the wording and asked, “Mysterious new merch you say, man?” implying that the project for game collaboration may encompass a special merchandise line. Given the popularity of the official Undertale merchandise line, it is highly likely that a Square Enix-backed collection will be sold out in a matter of minutes.
Moreover, the jubilation is accompanied by some fear, though. User @SuzakuGuardian warned “If UT/DR franchises get destroyed in the process, I’ll never forgive you, Squeenix!” which indicates that fans are really possessive about Toby Fox’s characters and they do not want any corporate interference that may dilute the originality of what makes them special. And @DrawaFuan was jokingly asking, “Are you going to be silent for 3 years on this too?” referring to Square’s sometimes… not so good communication strategies.
The timing for this teaser is indeed a perfect example of how expectations are all over the place and gamers are confused about what’s coming next on various gaming platforms.
