Lucca Comics & Games 2025 is gearing up to unleash another year of… stuff. Yeah, stuff. Honoring France, because apparently Italy ran out of Italians to honor? 🤔 And get ready for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, because who doesn’t love walking simulators with confusing lore? 🚶♂️Pokémon will be there too, because gotta catch ’em all… again. 🙄 And of course, Stranger Things, because nostalgia is the only thing keeping us alive these days. 🕰️
So, France is getting the spotlight this year. Why? Because “Liberté, Créativité, Diversité” or something. 🇫🇷 Sounds like a fancy way of saying “we needed a theme.” Apparently, these values “perfectly match” Lucca’s values. Community? Inclusion? Discovery? Respect? Gratitude? Sounds like corporate buzzwords vomited onto a press release. 🤮
“French Kiss” is the theme this year. 💋 Because nothing says “comics and games” like a good ol’ smooch. The poster features a bunch of creatures about to lock lips, because…reasons? The festival describes a kiss as “a narrative and emotional detonator.” 🤯 I thought it was just swapping spit, but okay. A werewolf, a warrior, a vampire countess, a monster, a witch, and a “Lukawa” (whatever that is) are all involved. Sounds like a rejected script from a B-movie. 🎬
Video games are going to be HUGE this year! Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is making Lucca its final stop on its World Tour. 🎉 That means Hideo Kojima will be there, ready to confuse and amaze us with his cryptic genius. 😵💫 Keiichiro Toyama, the guy behind Silent Hill (which hasn’t been scary in years) and Slitterhead (which sounds like a rejected monster from a bad anime), will also be there. 🗣️ And Luca Galante, the creator of Vampire Survivors, will be there too. 🧛♂️ Get ready for demos, panels, and hands-on opportunities! 🎮 Meanwhile, Pokémon will have their “largest space yet.” 🌍 Prepare to be bombarded with Pikachu plushies and overpriced trading cards. 💰
Netflix is also getting in on the action, because streaming is the future… or something. 📺 Stranger Things will have a presence, with a “unique and unmissable event” anticipating the final chapter. 🚪 Get ready for more 80s nostalgia and questionable plot twists. 🍿
But wait, there’s more! LEGO Italia will have a 300m² space, because who doesn’t love stepping on tiny plastic bricks? 🧱 Red Bull Unforeseen is bringing a Tetris playground, because apparently people still play Tetris competitively. 🕹️ And the national Tetris final will be held on November 1st. 🏆 Other participants include Asmodee Italia, The Gundam Card Game (because we need more card games), Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson), Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles), and Cassandra Clare (Shadowhunters). 📚 So basically, something for everyone… if you’re into that kind of thing.
On the comic front, the creator of Fist of the North Star will be there, because old-school manga is still cool. 😎 The creators of Gachiakuta will also be there, because… reasons? 🤔 And a bunch of Italian creators will be returning, because Italy. 🇮🇹
Lucca Comics & Games takes place from October 29 to November 2 in Lucca, Italy. So, if you’re into crowds, overpriced merchandise, and questionable themes, this is the place to be! 🎉 Stay tuned to CGMagazine for all things Lucca Comics & Games. 📰 (Because we need the clicks.) 🖱️
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
