History Main / AprilFoolsDay

* Late in March 2015, the creator of ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' linked to a Rainbow Monkey website that had a search bar. Various names from ''Kids Next Door'' could be entered into the search bar, which would return a single line answer. One term showed a countdown in strange alien numbers. Around the same time, a Galactic Kids Next Door video was uploaded on Website/YouTube; this video was apparently supposed to be shown when the countdown ended, but it was leaked. Strange messages from the original ''Kids Next Door'' voice actors suggested that some kind of revival was in the works. Problem was, the countdown would end on April 1st. Fans waited with baited breath to see what would happen when the countdown ended... and while a new video was released, it ended with the message "As of right now, there are no plans for a Galactic Kids Next Door Series. But... there ''should be''". It appears that the whole thing was part April Fool's joke, part ViralMarketing pitch.

* The mouthwash company Scope used the couple of days leading to April 1st, 2013 to advertise a bacon-flavored mouthwash. Consumer reactions were overwhelmingly positive, and there were plenty of people [[http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=12dc81a5-15ad-4ef6-8b8e-3c7014fb5983 ticked off to find out it was all a joke]].

* On April 1 2023, the producers of [[Film/M3GAN M3GAN]] released a spoof trailer for an Series/EmilyInParis crossover sequel.

* ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'': Kevin Tewart, a member of Upper Deck Entertainment, sent a letter claiming that the card [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Card_Trooper Card Trooper]] had been misprinted, making its effect vastly different. The first letter of each line spelled out "APRIL FOOLS".

* For the SlidingScale/MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness, some joker entered [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN5Mqr6tRlw Hugga Wugga]] from ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' under Level 7 ("Soprano and gravel"), and Cookie Monster's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye8mB6VsUHw C Is For Cookie (That's Good Enough For Me)]] under Level 9 ("Cookie Monster vocals - the TropeNamer"). Someone fell for it.

** 2008: ''{{VideoGame/Lego|AdaptationGame}} Franchise/{{Halo}}''. (Incidentally, [[http://www.megabrands.com/en/kids/halowars/ there are]] ''Halo'' [[MisaimedMarketing Mega Bloks]].)

* In 2020, Creator/PlatinumGames launched a teaser on April 1st for ''Sol Cresta'', an arcade game collaboration between the studio and Hamster Corporation on a new entry in the ''VideoGame/TerraCresta'' series. Unlike the previous teasers Platinum had done near April 1st (see its entry in Video Games for more), ''Sol Cresta'' was revealed to be in development the following year, and showed off its first gameplay trailer on April 2nd.

* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'': [[http://www.terrariaonline.com/threads/duke-fishron-and-the-aquarian-horde.137907/ In the form of a joke post about a new boss and new invasion that came alongside it.]] This became {{Foreshadowing}} when it turned out that the boss, Duke Fishron, was a real thing (sans the invasion). Further foreshadowing with the same boss, the April Fools post claimed that Duke Fishron demands a fair fight, and will scale its HP based on how many players are in the server. In 1.3's Expert Mode, this is actually the case, where Duke Fishron's HP will increase the more players there are.

* In 2012, Crunchyroll announced a new streaming app for UsefulNotes/GameBoy. The ''original'' [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-756509/april-fools-crunchyroll-app-for-gameboy Game Boy.]]

** 1993: Four fake games for the UsefulNotes/AtariJaguar.

** 1999: The [[XtremeKoolLetterz GameShortz]], which was just boxer shorts with UsefulNotes/PlayStation controllers attached.
** 2000: The return of the UsefulNotes/{{Intellivision}}.

* In 2008, users of the [[UsefulNotes/{{Unix}} Kubuntu Linux]] beta found that their wallpapers were now one of those sickeningly sweet unicorn images. And that the dialog boxes for changing the wallpaper were disabled.

** On the subject of Valve again, 13 indie games on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} saw odd updates relating to potatoes on April 1st, 2011. Surely enough, these potatoes served as the omen to [[http://valvearg.com/wiki/Valve_ARG_Wiki something]] [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} more]] [[AlternateRealityGame sinister]] than a mere foolish prank...

* Also in 2013, Creator/WayForwardTechnologies announced a game called ''VideoGame/CatGirlWithoutSalad'', which eventually saw an actual release on June 2016, available only on the Creator/HumbleBundle store. Seven years to the day after its initial announcement, ''CGWS'' made its console debut on the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.

* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' was confirmed for the 3DS, UsefulNotes/{{Wii U}}, and UsefulNotes/XboxOne on [[http://bindingofisaac.com/post/115192982234/rebirth-coming-to-3ds-wiiu-and-xbox1 April 1, 2015]]. Due to the timing, and a well-known history that [=BoI=] has previously run into issues being released on Nintendo's eShop service, some thought it really was a joke, prompting the game's creator [[https://twitter.com/EdmundMcMillenn/status/583164512330592256 to state on Twitter that it's no joke.]] The dev did take the chance to still add in some jokes though, by making [[http://bindingofisaac.com/post/115192982234/rebirth-coming-to-3ds-wiiu-and-xbox1 a joke post]] stating that the Nintendo versions would have three "subtle" changes -- Isaac will now wear a fig leaf, the voice Isaac's mother hears coming from Max the dog rather than God, and the [[JesusTaboo references to Christianity would be replaced by references to Scientology]]. A crossed-out section at the end claims that there are additional changes to the Nintendo versions such as replacing "blood" with "sweat" (a la the SNES version of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1992'') and "pills" with "lollipops."
* Creator/{{Nintendo}} made the announcement that they would indeed be holding a WebVideo/NintendoDirect on April 1, 2015, even stating in the announcement "despite the date, this Direct is no joke!" During said Direct they made announcements that caught many off-guard, such as releasing the first debut trailer for ''[[VideoGame/TokyoMirageSessionsFE Shin Megami Tensei × Fire Emblem]]'' (after two long years of not announcing anything besides a short teaser), announcing that the fifth entry in the ''VideoGame/FatalFrame'' series (for the Wii U) will indeed see a release outside of Japan (after the previous entry failed to see an official non-Japanese release), [[VideoGame/{{MOTHER 3}} Lucas]] will be the next DLC character for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and even the announcement]] that ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' will hit the UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole service after many fans previously thought the game wouldn't due to rights issues.

** The [[Newsletter/News202304 April 2023 edition]] was [[https://web.archive.org/web/20230402004026/https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/bulletin_list.php delayed a day]], with the "reason" being that the article was seized by TVTroops. The newsletter that released was retooled as Troop Report, complete with remade logo. Joke entries include but are not limited to CerberusSyndrome as an obscure trope, ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'' listed as a new work, a work listing entirely in phonetic Japanese, and a forum game that promotes rule-breaking. Like the years before, there are joke biographies as well as cameos from @/TheAdvertisementServer, @/{{system}}, @/{{request}}, and @/HastilyMadeSockPuppet.

* In 2010 TopShelfProductions released a cover for ''Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' [[http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/04/01/top-shelf-announces-league-of-extraordinary-gentlemen-1988/ 1988]], featuring among others [[Franchise/BackToTheFuture Doc Brown]] and [[Series/TheATeam Sergeant Bosco "B.A." Baracus]].
* In 2008, the official Franchise/{{Transformers}} Fanclub showed what they claimed to be a three-page preview of the upcoming BotCon comic, featuring a MirrorUniverse story where the Autobots were evil and the Decepticons were good...and then it became so popular that they {{Defictionalized}} it and it became ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass''.

* On April 1 2023, the producers of Film/M3GAN released a spoof trailer for a Series/EmilyInParis crossover sequel.

* On April 1, 1996, Taco Bell took out newspaper ads in several cities announcing that they had purchased sponsorship rights to the Liberty Bell, and it would subsequently be renamed the "Taco Liberty Bell." Millions of outraged people called the US Landmarks Commission in protest before the hoax was revealed, causing then-White House Press Secretary Mike [=McCurry=] to sarcastically (and in a surprisingly self-aware way for a bureaucrat) respond that Ford had also acquired sponsorship of the Lincoln Memorial, renaming it to the "Ford-Lincoln-Mercury Memorial."

** 1999 had an article featuring Pikachu from Franchise/{{Pokemon}} as a [=Y2K=] expert. However, his advice was completely useless since all he ever spoke was the iconic PokemonSpeak. The authors eventually turn to BillGates himself...who unfortunately also speaks in Pokémon Speak.

* In 1997, several comic artists swapped strips, producing such oddities as a ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' comic in the style of ''ComicStrip/TheFamilyCircus'' (which ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' author Scott Adams described as one of the signs of the Apocalypse), and ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} migrating to ''ComicStrip/{{Blondie}}'' while the new paintjob at his house dries (and he gets to eat a DagwoodSandwich while there).

* ''Anime/JustBecause'' was originally announced through a teaser site for an unnamed "April 1st Anime" project. When further details were announced in Megami magazine the magazine made sure to point out that it was not a joke. Part of the reason most people considered it a prank was because artist Kiseki Himura, typically known for his SliceOfLife cheesecake ''Webcomic/TawawaOnMonday'', was the character designer for a straightforward romance.

* ''Anime/JustBecause'' was originally announced through a teaser site for an unnamed "April 1st Anime" project. When further details were announced in Megami magazine the magazine made sure to point out that it was not a joke. Part of the reason most people considered it a prank was because artist Kiseki Himura, typically known for his SliceOfLife cheesecake ''WebOriginal/GetsuyoubiNoTawawa'', was the character designer for a straightforward romance.

** For those who don't follow DC, Johns has done both ComicBook/GreenLanternRebirth and ComicBook/TheFlashRebirth. ComicBook/{{Vibe}}, a [[TotallyRadical painfully-eighties]] inner-city kid with the meta-human ability to produce sonic waves, often through breaking dance, was a, uh, "less prominent character". Of course, Johns did eventually rework Vibe for the ''ComicBook/New52''.

** For those who don't follow DC, Johns has done "Rebirth" stories for Franchise/GreenLantern (Hal Jordan) and Franchise/TheFlash (Barry Allen). ComicBook/{{Vibe}}, a [[TotallyRadical painfully-eighties]] inner-city kid with the meta-human ability to produce sonic waves, often through breaking dance, was a, uh, "less prominent character". Of course, Johns did eventually rework Vibe for the ''ComicBook/New52''.

* In 2008, the official {{Franchise/Transformers}} Fanclub showed what they claimed to be a three-page preview of the upcoming BotCon comic, featuring a MirrorUniverse story where the Autobots were evil and the Decepticons were good...and then it became so popular that they {{Defictionalized}} it and it became ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass''.

*** Also in 2015, Andrea Libman tweeted that the show has been merged with ''{{Franchise/Transformers}}'', with Creator/MichaelBay set to direct it. The image tweeted is of Pinkie Pie (one of the characters she voices) in an Optimus Prime costume.

** Franchise/SpiderMan, with "Spider-[Troper's name]". [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/april_fools_2011_spiderman_3825.png]]

** In 2015, they advertised that what they were selling was bullshit. People ordered it, not realizing that what the developers said was NotHyperbole: they literally sent people [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the feces of a male bull]].

** The [[Newsletter/News202304 April 2023 edition]] was delayed a day, with the "reason" being that the article was seized by TVTroops. The newsletter that released was retooled as Troop Report, complete with remade logo. Joke entries include but are not limited to CerberusSyndrome as an obscure trope, ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh'' listed as a new work, a work listing entirely in phonetic Japanese, and a forum game that promotes rule-breaking. Like the years before, there are joke biographies as well as cameos from @/TheAdvertisementServer, @/{{system}}, @/{{request}}, and @/HastilyMadeSockPuppet.

* [[http://biosector01.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page Bionicle Sector 01]], the Toys/{{Bionicle}} [[TheWikiRule Wiki]], Lost quite a few of their images and pages a while ago, but managed to find some replacement images of the Toa Nuva, Mata Nui, and Makuta Teridax, thanks to a certain [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Derpy Hooves]]...

* In 2023, Creator/{{Sega}} declared that the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' franchise was moving in a new direction: [[OurHeroIsDead he's dead]]. They released a murder-mystery VisualNovel spin-off titled ''VisualNovel/TheMurderOfSonicTheHedgehog'' on Steam. (Though due to the fact that it was a worldwide release, some time zones had it happen while it was still March 31st.)

** 1995: Creator/{{Nintendo}} publishing a ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' game. (This became HilariousInHindsight when Nintendo was handed the Japanese publishing rights for ''VideoGame/MarioAndSonicAtTheOlympicGames''.)

* In 2023, Creator/{{Sega}} declared that Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog was moving in a new direction: [[OurHeroIsDead he's dead]]. They released a murder-mystery VisualNovel spinoff titled ''VisualNovel/TheMurderOfSonicTheHedgehog'' on Steam. (Though due to the fact that it was a worldwide release, some time zones had it happen while it was still March 31st.)

** In 2017, Creator/{{Toei}} released information saying that the next storyline would be the "Society Survival Saga", which cast the ''Dragon Ball'' characters as white-collar office workers trying to survive during an economic recession. This was accompanied by artwork depicting Team Universe 7 from the Universe Survival Saga (the '''actual''' next storyline) [[BadassInANiceSuit wearing nice business suits]].

* The first episode of ''Anime/TengenToppenGurrenLagaan'' aired on April 1, 2010.