SweetieGames

I think everyone who was alternative/emo/on anime TikTok in 2020 was jumpscared in the most recent Nintendo Direct, which revealed a complete remaster of the classic Super Danganronpa 2. I don’t think a single person saw it coming or even asked for it, but it’s releasing pretty soon in 2026.

If you are unaware, Danganronpa is a murder mystery visual novel franchise that first appeared in 2010, when the first game Trigger Happy Havoc released on the PlayStation Portable. Two more mainline games followed, as well as spin offs, anime, light novels and manga. The franchise has always had a large following; in 2017, Danganronpa‘s iconic antagonist Junko Enoshima was recognised as the most cosplayed character in the world by Guinness World Records, a title she still holds today. However, a lot of people consider Danganronpa to be the epitome of lockdown 2020 TikTok, as many people played the games, cosplayed and discussed the franchise on the platform during this time.

I personally discovered Danganronpa in late 2016 when I bought the first game in a Steam sale. I was hooked on the murder mysteries, crazy plot twists and colourful characters, and I eagerly awaited Danganronpa V3‘s release in late 2017, where I got the Day One edition. I have a very strange love-hate relationship with the games now; I love them, I love talking to other fans about them but the crazy scenarios, twists and characters bring out all kinds of strange emotions in me.

It turns out I’m not the only one who feels this way about Danganronpa. When Danganronpa 2×2 was announced in the Nintendo Direct, fans were shocked to see series icon Nagito Komaeda in 2025. TikToks almost immediately emerged showing various streamers’ reaction to the infamous scene where Komaeda approaches the protagonist at the beginning of the game, which has now been remastered. Fanart from older fans began to reappear on social media, but it seemed like the artists were being forced at gunpoint to return to the franchise. I have to admit that I felt the same way; I hadn’t thought about the games in so long, and now if I like it or not I’m being dragged back for more.

Danganronpa 2×2 does feel rather strange. The Danganronpa franchise ended with Danganronpa V3, which had the polarising plot twist of the characters acknowledging they were in a franchise and that none of the current game or previous games were real even in the in-game universe. It was entirely fabricated, and the game commented on dragging a series out beyond its welcome and becoming old or stale. And now, I worry that the exact concept that V3 commented on is becoming reality with a rehash of a beloved Danganronpa title. Danganronpa 2 is considered by many fans to be the best game in the franchise, and this remake will not just be a facelift for the game but also will feature new scenarios that even change who lives and who dies. It’s interesting, and I’ll definitely be picking it up, but is it really necessary?

As a fan of the original Danganronpa games, I do worry that this remake’s new scenarios will just be there to provide fanservice and allow fan favourite characters to survive until the end rather than providing anything of real substance. I guess I’ll have to wait until 2026 when I can pick up a copy and see for myself. I may be apprehensive, but I’m also excited to see the characters I love and hate so much!