Polygon - April Fools' Day 2015: All the news of video gaming's biggest day other than the Monday before E3https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/42931/favicon.ico2015-04-01T17:30:02-04:00http://www.polygon.com/rss/stream/80894822015-04-01T17:30:02-04:002015-04-01T17:30:02-04:00An April Fools' Day gag to rival Metal Gear
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OBBfxDLjAaDQn7ZtjWgup3zcFho=/0x0:1280x720/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46025440/WarThunder_ST-1_1.0.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<p>The team at Gaijin Entertainment has released, for today only, a pair of alarmingly entertaining tanks. One has legs, and the other is made of rubber, and both are playable in-game today only.</p>
<p>The Soviet ST-1 is "the first and the only model of a walking tank" says the elaborate back story for the vehicle posted to <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516586&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwarthunder.com%2Fen%2Fdevblog%2Fcurrent%2F757&referrer=polygon.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polygon.com%2F2015%2F4%2F1%2F8327465%2Fwar-thunder-April-fools-metal-gear" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">War Thunder's devblog</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>In April 1937, Armour Command of the Red Army sent the military operational requirements to Factory #184, these were the requirements for the development of "an armoured machine of a new type" with a maximum mass of 50 tons, protected by at least 60mm of armour and the option to install different weapon types. Depending on the task of the battle machine, a 107mm cannon, a 122mm howitzer or...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8327465/war-thunder-April-fools-metal-gear">Continue reading…</a>
</p>
https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8327465/war-thunder-April-fools-metal-gearCharlie Hall2015-04-01T16:30:31-04:002015-04-01T16:30:31-04:00Bungie's April Fools' Day gag is a silly Destiny dance party
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cl_NNKCTDvf2E9JIBx_TK-5d5-E=/0x0:1280x720/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46025258/destiny_party.0.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<p>Bungie didn't go all out for April Fools' Day this year, but it did give <em><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="/game/destiny/3649">Destiny</a></em> players a little something to amuse themselves with today: a Guardian dance party on <a href="http://www.bungie.net">Bungie.net</a>. <em>Destiny</em> players who logged in to the site and checked out the Legend tab are treated to an endless dancing-with-yourself routine from their Guardian(s) alongside some color-cycling fun. There's video of my Titan getting down above — the dance moves will look very familiar to <em>Destiny</em> players — with some added music for effect.</p>
<p>It appears that you'll only get one shot at seeing your Guardian dance, so if you're interested, make it count.</p>
<p><em>Music credit: "You Can't Unfeel The Rhythm (DJ JC Radio Edit)" by <a style="line-height: 16px;" href="http://www.upitup.com">Pierlo</a></em></p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8327117/destiny-april-fools-day-bungie">Continue reading…</a>
</p>
https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8327117/destiny-april-fools-day-bungieMichael McWhertor2015-04-01T11:36:36-04:002015-04-01T11:36:36-04:00Behold! The world's first literal Steam Machine
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5jRh4cI-veIvP6KvpM03wUHVjCs=/0x262:600x600/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46022642/iljn_steam-powered_steam_machine_moody.0.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<p>Welp, ThinkGeek committed the greatest of April Fools' Day sins: The online retailer created a fake product that we want to buy.</p>
<p>This <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516586&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thinkgeek.com%2Fproduct%2Filjn%2F%3Fpfm%3DHP_Carousel_SteamPoweredGamingCabinet_3&referrer=polygon.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polygon.com%2F2015%2F4%2F1%2F8325663%2Fthinkgeek-steam-machine-april-fools-2015" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">$399.99 Steam Machine</a> is fantasy, but we wish it weren't. Who wouldn't want a state of the art miniature boiler mechanism that creates enough steam to power a wooden gaming device? Sure, we're going to have to find out where to get a truckload of anthracite coal. And there's the problem with, you know, ventilation. But you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.</p>
<p>And now that we think about it, the combustible fuel might probably generates enough heat to make cooking easy.</p>
<p align="middle"> <figure class="e-image">
</figure>
</p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325663/thinkgeek-steam-machine-april-fools-2015">Continue reading…</a>
</p>
https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325663/thinkgeek-steam-machine-april-fools-2015Dave Tach2015-04-01T11:01:17-04:002015-04-01T11:01:17-04:00Rounding up April Fools' Day 2015: The best of the rest
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2qLH9KsFi2DMUpdvtLQ6ccyWlt4=/0x0:2400x1350/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46022558/steve-martin-clouseau1.0.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<p>Another year, another onslaught of April Fools' Day jokes courtesy of the video game industry. As always, some are good, and some are cringe-inducingly bad. For example:
</p>
<ul>
<li> <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8324941/ace-attorney-dog-video-capcom-april-fools" style="line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">Capcom's masterful <i style="line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">Dog Ace Attorney</i></a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325261/corsairs-new-mouse-has-big-balls-too-bad-its-fake" style="line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">Corsair's slightly crude new mouse</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325663/thinkgeek-steam-machine-april-fools-2015" style="line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">Think Geek's Steam Machine. (literally)</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325289/hearthstone-april-fools-day-patch" style="line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">Hearthstone's latest patch notes.</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/31/8322667/dying-light-april-fools-day" style="line-height: 1.5; background-color: #ffffff;">Dying Light's actual April Fools'-only changes.</a></li>
</ul>
<p><span>Here's the best of the rest, from an </span><i style="line-height: 1.5;">Angry Birds/FarmVille</i><span> mashup to a Tekken game with 700-plus playable characters. </span><span>We'll continue to update this article throughout the day with the best and worst of what we find.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p class="p1"> <figure class="e-image">
</figure>
</p>
<h3>ROMANCE CENTRAL</h3>
<p class="p1">Harmonix reimagined their dance franchise as <a href="http://www.harmonixmusic.com/romance-central/" target="_blank">a playable dating sim</a> (you'll need the Unity player plug-in). Unlike...</p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325493/april-fools-day-2015-video-game-jokes">Continue reading…</a>
</p>
https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325493/april-fools-day-2015-video-game-jokesDave TachOwen S. Good2015-04-01T10:30:02-04:002015-04-01T10:30:02-04:00Corsair's new mouse has BIG balls, too bad it's fake
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mV0y0ETn38mPD3yw_TCEoCsZlfI=/12x0:835x463/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46022268/Screen_Shot_2015-04-01_at_9.59.11_AM.0.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The Corsair M63MM RGB (the extra M stands for mechanical) fits right in to the current slate of gaming mice that seem to be flooding the market. But this retro ball-mouse is actually an April Fool's Day joke.</p>
<p>Check out the video to hear the team at Corsair talk about their work examining balls and making tons of ball jokes.</p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325261/corsairs-new-mouse-has-big-balls-too-bad-its-fake">Continue reading…</a>
</p>
https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325261/corsairs-new-mouse-has-big-balls-too-bad-its-fakeBrian Crecente2015-04-01T10:15:19-04:002015-04-01T10:15:19-04:00Hearthstone's latest patch notes seem a little ... foolish
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2H9HkMzgexaK-cJrFmtkYBIIl6k=/0x0:627x353/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46022234/Screen_Shot_2014-09-12_at_2.20.56_PM.0.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Brace yourselves. April Fools' Day is fully upon us and Blizzard, whose résumé is rather robust on this over the years, has just weighed in with <a style="line-height: 16px;" href="http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/18554123/hearthstone-patch-notes-4012015-4-1-2015" target="_blank">patch notes for <i>Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft</i> "version 4.0.1.2015."</a></p>
<p>Among the gems:</p>
<ul>
<li><span>After many bouts with brain freeze, Snowchugger now eats snow at a more reasonable rate.</span></li>
<li><span>We've fixed a bug with Animal Companion that sometimes caused the spell to not summon Huffer.</span></li>
<li><span>After sensitivity training, Ancient of Lore, Ancient of War and Ancient Mage will now be known as Senior Citizen of Lore, Senior Citizen of War and Harold respectively.</span></li>
<li><span>Snowchugger is now an 8/8 because it's too cute and people are not taking it seriously enough.</span></li>
<li><span>Call Pet card text now reads, "Hello, this is dog."</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span>T...</span></p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325289/hearthstone-april-fools-day-patch">Continue reading…</a>
</p>
https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8325289/hearthstone-april-fools-day-patchOwen S. Good2015-04-01T08:45:36-04:002015-04-01T08:45:36-04:00Capcom does April Fools' right with 'Dog Ace Attorney'
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/h8hP1qxvTfuZ3yuemC3yvJ7jMYc=/1x0:607x341/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46021810/Screen_Shot_2015-04-01_at_8.38.10_AM.0.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Today is April Fools Day, a holiday invented in 2006 by the video games industry and affiliated media to promote themselves. Many don't do it well, but there are a few gems each year. This video from Capcom, <i>Dog Ace Attorney</i>, is one.</p>
<p><b>Update:</b> Capcom, for some unknown, lame reason, took the video down. We found a copy and put it back up.</p>
<p>See, it's all in the disguise. This would not work for Electronic Arts or Activision. Capcom expertly exploits the fact it has Japanese and Western release cycles for some of its series, and that Americans often take a language they can't even read or speak as God's truth for what's coming next. Thus we have the cast of Ace Attorney reimagined as canines. Let the cognitive dissonance flowwww through you.</p>
...
<p>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8324941/ace-attorney-dog-video-capcom-april-fools">Continue reading…</a>
</p>
https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/1/8324941/ace-attorney-dog-video-capcom-april-foolsOwen S. Good2015-03-31T17:43:02-04:002015-03-31T17:43:02-04:00Dying Light is going to get real weird on April Fools' Day
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OeWg23PWl4Ur2G3Iog-h56jYPhU=/0x0:1920x1080/640x360/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46018852/ss_488226f013287012e0feaed2fb7799dbe038fd00.1920x1080.0.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<p>Techland's open-world zombie game <i><a href="/game/dying-light/13366" class="sbn-auto-link">Dying Light</a></i> is celebrating April Fools' Day in a way that will "radically change the game experience for one day only." On April 1, for 24 hours, players will be more powerful than ever, capable of drop-kicking the undead the length of a city block.</p>
<p>The makers of <i>Dying Light</i> justify their April Fools' Day gag with an in-game explanation: A tainted batch of Antizin, the game's treatment for the zombie-making Harran virus, will cause unusual side effects in players. They'll experience "excessive strength and aggression" and an "obsessive-compulsive need to kick stuff." You can see how that plays out in the preview video above.</p>
<p><i>Dying Light</i>'s April Fools' Day weirdness will kick off at 12 a.m. PT on April...</p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.polygon.com/2015/3/31/8322667/dying-light-april-fools-day">Continue reading…</a>
</p>
https://www.polygon.com/2015/3/31/8322667/dying-light-april-fools-dayMichael McWhertor