New Lollipop Chainsaw Projects Announced, and Fans are Already Very Worried

The original Lollipop Chainsaw earned itself a passionate following on PS3 and Xbox 360. A cheerleader fighting zombies with the disembodied head of her boyfriend as her partner and ally might seem like an odd combination, but the game found an audience thanks to its unique sense of humor. It certainly didn’t hurt that the game featured the work of two unique creators: Goichi “Suda51” Suda and James Gunn. Suda51 served as one of the game’s directors, while Gunn was involved on the writing side (a few years before the first Guardians of the Galaxy).

Despite strong sales, Lollipop Chainsaw was largely abandoned as a series for more than a decade. A remaster of the game was released on modern platforms last year, and it appears this is just the beginning. After an announcement last week, owner Nada Holdings Corp has confirmed that a new game is now in development, which will include “key staff members who were involved in the previous title.” There’s also an anime adaptation in development. All of this should be cause for excitement, but instead reception has been largely negative online. Many fans are worried that the game will not be able to capture what made the original a cult favorite. Right now, there are a few things setting off alarm bells.

First of all, the new Lollipop Chainsaw does not seem to feature the involvement of Suda51 or Gunn. That hasn’t been confirmed, but neither creator was mentioned in the press release, which probably isn’t a good sign. Gunn’s lack of involvement wouldn’t be too surprising given his busy schedule with the rebooted DC movies (including this summer’s Superman). However, if Suda51 really isn’t involved, that’s a big hurdle to overcome; the director shaped a lot of that game’s appeal.

If that weren’t enough, the press release from Nada Holdings Corp has already raised quite a few eyebrows. The company specifically notes that “the development process will prioritize staying true to the distinctive tone and spirit of the original work, without imposing excessive creative restrictions in the name of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).” That line’s inclusion has resulted in a ton of negativity across social media. Fans of the first game are fearing that this project is already trying to push an agenda and appeal to the same kind of audience that has tried to stir up controversy around games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

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It remains to be seen how all of this will play out, but it seems like Nada Holdings Corp has already turned off a lot of the people that would normally be excited for new Lollipop Chainsaw projects. It’s possible perception could turn around in the coming years, but the seeming lack of involvement from Suda51 and Gunn alongside the company’s press release has led to a lot of early negativity.

Are you surprised by the negativity surrounding these new Lollipop Chainsaw projects? Do you think the company can turn early perception around? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!