People are suddenly pre-loading Psychonauts 2 with the Xbox app

Though it looks like the option has since been removed

I don’t know how I let such a long-time-coming game like Psychonauts 2 sneak up on me, but it kind of has — assuming it’s coming out soon, I mean. The latest official word on launch day is still “this year,” but after a recent Microsoft Store listing (with a few fun details) and the newfound ability to pre-load the game from the Xbox app (it’s 27-ish GB), the sequel feels imminent. That’s super exciting!

For what it’s worth, the pre-load functionality in the app has since been removed. Was this all just a slip-up? Either way, there are a bunch of eyes on the game this week and I’m now among them.

eating some “Bold” Chex mix at the moment. what’s going on?

— Double Fine (@DoubleFine) May 5, 2021

If you wanted some new high rez stuff, you coulda just asked… pic.twitter.com/VFYzFU6Ep0

— Double Fine (@DoubleFine) May 4, 2021

With all of this pent-up energy swirling around, Double Fine also shared a few new screenshots. They look great to me, as do the screens on the store page — except for that tunnel of teeth. Eesh.

Maybe I’m reading too far into these things, but after such a lengthy buildup behind the scenes, it feels like it’s almost time for Psychonauts 2. And when we do get that next big reveal — June’s here before we know it, which means E3 too — I bet it won’t be much longer until we’re reuniting with Raz.

Back to that store page: the listing reiterates Xbox Play Anywhere support, and it also shows an Optimized for Xbox Series X/S badge with a bullet point for 4K Ultra HD support. Crank it.

I get that some fans are nervous about the sequel given how much the original game resonated. I’m mostly just thinking about how great it will be to have another creative 3D platformer from this studio. Between Psychonauts 2 and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, I’m expecting a lot of jolliness this year.