Nintendo Teases Cryptic New Horror Game, ‘Emio’

Nintendo has shared a cryptic trailer for what appears to be a new horror game. On June 10, Nintendo released a 15-second video on their YouTube channel titled “Emio” with the only thing in the description being “#WhoIsEmio.”

The only thing that appears in this trailer is a figure in a trench coat adorned with a paper bag with a drawn-on smile covering his face. The kanji “笑み男” is the only other thing to appear in the video, translating to “emio” or “smiling man.” Nintendo has marked this trailer as age-restricted due to the unsettling nature of the video, likely meaning that the game will be rated M.

Despite being known for its family-friendly games, Nintendo is no stranger to horror games. On the GameCube, Nintendo published the cult classic game Eternal Darkness, and more recently published Fatal Frame: Maiden of Blackwater. Even still, the cryptic nature of this trailer comes as a surprise to fans of the company. The only information on “Emio” currently available is the 15-second video and a website with the same figure that appears in the trailer.

Who Is Behind Emio?

Although nothing beyond this trailer is known about “Emio,” fans are already speculating on who could be behind this new horror game. The most likely culprit as of now seems to be Bloober Team, known for its work on Layers of Fear and the upcoming Silent Hill 2 Remake. In 2023, Bloober Team said they were working on a new title for Nintendo systems codenamed Project M. It seems likely that Project M evolved into “Emio.”

Bloober Team on X: “We’re working on a new game! For over a year now, #BlooberTeam has been conducting pre-production works on a title codenamed Project M. Now the game enters the production phase, and @DrawDistanceDev (creators of the Serial Cleaner franchise), has been chosen as its developer!

Nothing is yet confirmed as to who is developing the game, or what “Emio” actually is. Fans will have to wait for more insight into what this horror game has in store.