Nintendo reveals the origins of Donkey Kong Bananza, and Epic Games enters a new era of Fortnite crossovers
Nintendo reveals Donkey Kong Bananza began as a prototype featuring a Goomba with giant fists. Epic Games announces a new Super Meat Boy crossover and ramps up store promotions with free skins. The FBI investigates malware on Steam, and legendary developers weigh in on AI in the gaming industry.
Nintendo reveals the unexpected origins of Donkey Kong Bananza
During the Game Developers Conference, Nintendo producer Kenta Motokura and programmer Tatsuya Kurihara revealed the fascinating genesis of Donkey Kong Bananza. The game, which blends 3D platforming with freeform destruction, began as a prototype built on ideas from Super Mario Odyssey – but instead of Donkey Kong, the starring role was played by a Goomba with giant fists.
After Odyssey was complete, Kurihara created a simple prototype using assets from the game, testing how it would feel to smash through walls and throw debris. The developer also admitted that the Elephant Bananza transformation, which enables the most destruction, "probably went too far, but it's fun, it feels good. And that's what matters most."
Fortnite x Super Meat Boy – a new era of crossovers
The Epic Games Store has announced another gaming crossover in Fortnite – this time with the upcoming game Super Meat Boy 3D. This is part of an ambitious plan to offer as many as 100 such promotions annually, encouraging purchases on the Epic store.
The list of current and upcoming deals includes:
- Resident Evil Requiem – Fortnite skin with purchase
- Crimson Desert – Fortnite skin with purchase
- Dumb Ways to Die – back bling and emote (promotion ended)
FBI investigates malware on Steam
The FBI has launched an investigation into fake games on Steam that infected players' computers with malware. Identified titles include: BlockBlasters, Chemia, Dashverse, Lampy, Lunara, PirateFi, and Tokenova. Players who downloaded any of these games between May 2024 and January 2026 are being asked to contact the FBI.
Game developers on artificial intelligence
Legendary developers are weighing in on the heated AI debate. Jeff Kaplan, former Blizzard boss, stated that current AI is "mostly a hot mess" and that "the human spirit is irreplaceable." Garry Newman, creator of Garry's Mod, used a more colorful analogy, comparing overrelying on AI in coding to watching too much pornography, which can deprive programmers of their creative thinking abilities.
Punch the Monkey – a game with a message
The heartwarming story of Punch, a macaque abandoned by his mother who found solace in an IKEA orangutan plush toy, has been adapted into the game Zoo Fighter. Players help the monkey fight bullies to reach a sanctuary instead of a zoo – highlighting the better conditions for animals in sanctuaries compared to traditional zoos.
