Devolver Digital made a lot of promises at the start of 2025. On December 31, 2024, the indie publisher dropped a cryptic tweet listing their upcoming releases for the year, including GORN 2, Shotgun Cop Man, Mycopunk, and BALL x PIT. But tucked among those announcements was one mysterious tease – an exciting expansion for a major hit. Now it’s December 2025, every other game on that list has been revealed, and this phantom expansion still hasn’t materialized. With The Game Awards happening December 11 and only weeks left in the year, speculation is reaching fever pitch about what Devolver is hiding.
What Devolver Actually Said
The original tweet from December 31, 2024, listed seven specific projects for 2025. Five of them came with descriptions making their identities obvious – a hilariously brutal VR experience turned out to be GORN 2, a precision platforming game with firearms was Shotgun Cop Man from the My Friend Pedro creators, the psychedelic co-op extraction FPS is Mycopunk, and the addictive roguelite with a unique twist became BALL x PIT. Devolver also teased a fresh installment in a clever narrative game which turned out to be Outside.
But two items on that list remained vague. One was “an exciting expansion for a major hit.” The other mentioned something related to creating your narrative, which got less attention. What makes this interesting is timing. That tweet dropped on the last day of 2024, meaning Devolver was confident enough about their 2025 lineup to publicly commit to releasing this mystery expansion within the calendar year. Now we’re in the final month and still waiting.
Katana Zero DLC – The Leading Theory
If you ask the community what expansion Devolver is hiding, the overwhelming consensus is Katana Zero DLC. The stylish neo-noir action game launched way back in 2019 from developer Askiisoft, becoming one of Devolver’s biggest indie hits. Players fell in love with its time-manipulation combat, synthwave soundtrack, and cryptic narrative about a samurai assassin unraveling a conspiracy while suffering drug-induced hallucinations.
The game ended on a cliffhanger that left fans desperate for answers, and developer Askiisoft confirmed DLC was in development. In early 2025, one of the developers mentioned on social media that Katana Zero’s expansion was nearing completion. That timing lines up perfectly with Devolver’s December 2024 promise about releasing a major expansion in 2025. The pieces fit together almost too cleanly.
Reddit user kodan_arma summed up the community sentiment perfectly – “I really hope it’s Katana Zero. That game was absolutely fantastic!” The comment got 57 upvotes, the highest in the thread, showing how badly people want this DLC. Another user, OrangeLightning7895, expressed cautious optimism about a surprise Game Awards release but remained skeptical it would actually happen. That skepticism feels warranted given Devolver’s history with delays.
Why Katana Zero Makes Sense
Katana Zero fits every requirement. It’s unquestionably a major hit for Devolver – the game sold incredibly well, received universal critical acclaim, and maintains an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam with over 50,000 reviews. The DLC has been in development for years with occasional updates from the developer confirming progress. And most importantly, Askiisoft specifically stated they were close to finishing, which would align with a late 2025 release.
A shadow drop at The Game Awards would be pure Devolver. The publisher loves surprising audiences with unexpected releases and guerrilla marketing stunts. Imagine Geoff Keighley introducing a Katana Zero trailer showing new footage, then ending with “Available Now” flashing on screen. The internet would explode, gaming discourse would be dominated by shocked reactions, and Devolver would cement their reputation as the most unpredictable publisher in the industry.
The Cult of the Lamb Confusion
Some fans initially thought the expansion referred to Cult of the Lamb, another massive Devolver hit from 2022. The adorable demon cult management sim became a breakout success, selling millions of copies and earning nominations for multiple awards. Massive Monster Studios released several free updates post-launch, and players hungry for more content seemed like a safe bet for major DLC.
The problem is that Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven was already announced in summer 2025 with a confirmed release window of early 2026. Since Devolver’s original tweet specifically listed 2025 releases, Woolhaven doesn’t qualify. The expansion will be massive – adding new mountain biomes, gameplay mechanics, and story content – but it’s not the mystery tease because everyone already knows about it.
This same logic eliminated Enter The Gungeon 2 from consideration. That sequel was also revealed earlier in 2025 but targeted for release beyond the current year. Devolver’s pattern suggests they only included projects actually launching in 2025 on that December 2024 list, excluding games announced for later windows even if they’re excited about them internally.
Other Possibilities
While Katana Zero dominates speculation, other Devolver titles could theoretically receive expansions. Hotline Miami 2 got mentioned in the Reddit thread, with user OozyOrphan joking “Hotline Miami 2 dlc baby!” The problem is that game launched in 2015, making DLC a decade later seem unlikely. Developer Dennaton Games has moved on to other projects, and while fans would lose their minds over new Hotline Miami content, it feels like wishful thinking rather than realistic expectation.
Some users suggested smaller Devolver titles could get expansions, but the “major hit” qualifier eliminates most of their catalog. Inscryption, Slay the Spire, Carrion, and other beloved games fit the indie success category, but most are complete experiences without obvious DLC hooks. Devolver tends to publish finished games rather than live service titles designed for ongoing content drops.
The phrase “major hit” also matters. Devolver has published dozens of games, but only a handful qualify as major hits. We’re talking about titles that broke through to mainstream gaming consciousness, sold millions of copies, and became defining examples of their genres. That narrows the field considerably to games like Katana Zero, Cult of the Lamb, Hotline Miami, and maybe a few others.
The Delays and Silence
Devolver Digital earned the nickname “Devolver Delay” over the years for good reason. The publisher has an infamous track record of missing release windows, as demonstrated by their 2024 “15th Annual Devolver Delayed Awards” where they cheerfully announced Baby Steps, Stick it to the Stickman, Skate Story, and Volvy’s Adventure DX all sliding from 2024 into 2025. This self-deprecating humor about delays has become part of their brand identity.
What makes the current situation different is the complete silence. When Devolver delays games, they usually announce it with their signature irreverent humor. Radio silence suggests either they’re still planning to hit the 2025 window and don’t want to spoil a surprise, or something changed internally and they decided not to comment on failed promises. Neither option inspires tremendous confidence.
Timeline shifts happen in game development constantly. The original tweet was posted nearly a year ago, and plans evolve. Perhaps the expansion Devolver referenced hit technical problems requiring more development time. Maybe business priorities changed and they decided to push it to 2026 for strategic reasons. Or they’re just waiting for the perfect moment to drop a trailer and surprise everyone.
The Game Awards Wild Card
If this expansion is happening in 2025, The Game Awards on December 11 represents the last realistic opportunity for a major announcement. After that, you’re looking at late December releases during the holiday dead zone when nobody pays attention. TGA gives Devolver a massive stage, guaranteed press coverage, and an audience of millions of engaged gamers who will immediately check out whatever gets revealed.
Devolver has used The Game Awards for surprise drops before. Their marketing team understands the value of that platform and how to generate maximum impact. A Katana Zero DLC shadow drop would be perfectly on-brand – unexpected, exciting, and generating instant buzz across social media. The only question is whether they actually have something ready or if 2025 is ending without delivering on that promise.
The alternative is admitting the expansion got delayed or cancelled, which Devolver would probably address with some self-aware joke about their delay habits. They might announce it’s coming in 2026 instead, or they could stay completely silent and let the mystery tease fade into internet history as a forgotten promise nobody holds them accountable for.
FAQs
What expansion did Devolver Digital promise for 2025?
On December 31, 2024, Devolver tweeted about their 2025 lineup and included “an exciting expansion for a major hit.” They didn’t specify which game, and as of early December 2025, this expansion still hasn’t been announced or released.
Is the mystery expansion Katana Zero DLC?
Most likely, but not confirmed. Katana Zero is one of Devolver’s biggest hits, developers mentioned the DLC was nearing completion in early 2025, and it fits all the criteria. However, Devolver hasn’t officially confirmed anything.
Could it be Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven?
No. Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven was announced in summer 2025 with an early 2026 release window. Since Devolver’s original tweet specifically mentioned 2025 releases, Woolhaven doesn’t qualify as the mystery expansion.
When will Devolver reveal what the expansion is?
Unknown. With 2025 ending soon, The Game Awards on December 11 represents the last major opportunity for an announcement. If nothing appears there, the expansion was likely delayed into 2026 or quietly cancelled.
What other games could get expansions?
Theoretically any major Devolver hit, but Katana Zero is the only one where developers publicly confirmed DLC in active development. Other possibilities like Hotline Miami 2 or older titles seem unlikely.
Has Devolver commented on the missing expansion?
No. The publisher has been completely silent about this specific tease since the original December 2024 tweet. They haven’t acknowledged delays or provided updates.
Could it be a shadow drop?
Absolutely. Devolver loves surprise releases and guerrilla marketing. A shadow drop at The Game Awards where they announce and immediately release the expansion would be very on-brand for them.
What is Katana Zero?
Katana Zero is a stylish neo-noir action platformer released in 2019 where you play as a samurai assassin with time-manipulation powers. It features one-hit-kill combat, a synthwave soundtrack, and a cryptic narrative that ended on a cliffhanger.
Why do people think it will be at The Game Awards?
TGA happens December 11, 2025, giving Devolver one last major platform to announce something before the year ends. After that, there’s no realistic window for a 2025 release given the holiday period.
Conclusion
As 2025 races toward its final weeks, Devolver Digital’s mystery expansion remains one of gaming’s most intriguing unresolved teases. Whether it’s Katana Zero DLC, something completely unexpected, or a promise that got quietly shelved, fans deserve answers. The Game Awards represents the last realistic opportunity for a dramatic reveal and possible shadow drop. If December 11 comes and goes without news, we’ll know this expansion either got delayed into 2026 or never existed in the first place. Until then, Katana Zero fans are keeping their fingers crossed that Askiisoft and Devolver deliver the DLC they’ve been waiting over five years to play. The clock is ticking, Devolver. Don’t let 2025 end without following through on what you promised.