Australian mobile game developer PlaySide Studioshas announced the latest entry in the Dumb Ways to Die franchise with Dumb Ways to Die 4.
Set to be released on May 2nd 2023, and with pre-orders now open for iOS and Android the cartoonish-but-dark puzzle game challenges players to solve puzzles representing the titular dumb ways to die inflicted on the cartoonish bean characters. The last entry in the franchise was released back in 2017 with Dumb Ways to Die 3, although PlaySide Studios says this game will be a return to form similar to the first two original games.
Dumb Ways to Die has seen a major resurgence in popularity on TikTok, with the titular song acting as a memetic accompaniment to various accidents and other comedic errors, with the brand’s social media capitalising on it with numerous “duets”.
Dumb Ways to Die was originally part of a public service campaign in Australia, specifically Melbourne where it was created for the Metro Trains operator to discourage people from acting dangerously around train-lines in the city. It was accompanied by the now iconic song and was a brief social-media sensation, encouraging the creation of a spin-off game. The Dumb Ways to Die franchise (such as it is) was acquired in full in 2021 by mobile game developer PlaySide Studios.
Dumber ways to die
The decision to resurrect the franchise with a new entry likely couldn’t come at a better time for PlaySide, as social media success can be relatively short-lived. Therefore, ensuring that Dumb Ways to Die 4 hits devices as soon as possible is key. It’s also proof that despite being over ten years old, the Dumb Ways to Die franchise and nature of the games remains a popular once for those with a more dark sense of humour.
Dumb Ways to Die is arguably one of the most popular mobile franchises to come out of Australia in recent years, itself a vibrant and interesting centre of game development. At the time of the acquisition, CEO Gerry Sakkas commented. “This is a strategic mobile franchise acquisition for PlaySide. Dumb Ways to Die is one of the largest Australian made gaming brands with a truly global organic reach,” he said.
