Ron Gilbert Makes a Return to Monkey Island Later This Year

The best way to announce a sequel decades in the making is to announce it on your blog on April 1 so no one believes you. At least, that’s what LucasArts veteran Ron Gilbert did.

A prolific designer of genre-defining point-and-click adventure games from Maniac Mansion to 2017’s Thimbleweed Park, Gilbert announced his triumphant return to Monkey Island. Released earlier today, the trailer shows the game’s alluring 2D animated art and Gilbert’s signature sense of humor.

The project is a three-way collaboration between Gilbert’s studio Terrible Toybox, Devolver Digital, and the Disney-owned Lucasfilm Games—themselves a successor to original Monkey Island developer LucasArts.

Released in 1990, The Secret of Monkey Island tried to move the point-and-click adventure game past the trial-and-error play and frequent death that the genre was known for. It was only a minor hit at the time, but critics liked it, and its entertaining story and distinctive sense of humor made it a cult favorite among players. Gilbert directed a sequel in 1991, but didn’t work on the three Monkey Island games released afterward; this will be his return to the series he co-created after 31 years.

Not much else is known about the game, but you can keep an eye on the official website for future details. Gilbert’s most recent game, Thimbleweed Park, is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and mobile devices.