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Yooka-Laylee has gone gold, will release on April 11

Kickstarter backers can finalize their platform choice ahead of the release date.

David Craddock

January 30, 2017 1:18 PM

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Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic Games announced that the 3D platformer has gone gold.

"We couldn't have reached this moment without the incredible support of our backers, fans, family and friends across the games industry," members of Playtonic wrote in a statement. "Thanks again for your unwavering enthusiasm for our studio."

The game will release on April 11 for Xbox One, PS4, Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. A Switch version will follow, with details regarding its release to come later. "We'd like to thank our many Nintendo fans for their continued patience and understanding while we form our plans," Playtonic said. "We hope to make your platform of choice a great place to experience Yooka-Laylee in the future."

Now that the studio has cemented Yooka-Laylee's release date, fans who backed the game on Kickstarter need to finalize their choice of platform. "Very soon we will unlock BackerKit surveys and allow you to make final adjustments to your game platform including Nintendo Switch, plus the opportunity to upgrade to a physical version for PS4 and XB1," the developer explained in a new Kickstarter update.

Additionally, fans who initially selected the Wii U version can opt for a refund. Playtonic made the decision to cancel the planned Wii U version, moving development resources over to Nintendo's Switch, due out on March 3.

Yooka-Laylee is a platforming game made by ex-Rare developers who worked on the Donkey Kong Country trilogy for Super NES and Banjo-Kazooie for Nintendo 64. Playtonic sought crowdfunding through Kickstarter and raised its goal of 175,000 British pounds in record time, closing at $3.5 million, or two million pounds.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.