Level-5 Reveals Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain in Development

In addition to a release date for Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, Level-5 had an additional big announcement in the latest Nintendo Direct Presentation: Yo-kai Watch is back! The ghost-capture monster collecting series returns to western shores after a long hiatus (and many missing games) with a remake of Yo-kai Watch 2 for PS5, Switch, 2, and PC, titled Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain.

Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain Reveal Teaser Trailer

The trailer is little more than a teaser, showing protagonist Nate, his ethereal guide Whisper, and series mascot Jibanyan in a cozy Japanese town. The visuals certainly look impressive, though the trailer is purely CG, and given Level-5 President Akihiko Hino’s frequent comments on generative AI usage, I’d forgive anyone for being skeptical.

That being said, Yo-kai Watch 2 was a great game on the 3DS, giving Nintendo’s Pokémon franchise a real run for its money in the competition for the monster collecting RPG crown. The focus on comedy (Yo-kai actually converse with humans and are usually based on different urban legends, Japanese folklore, or everyday misfortunes that get blamed on spirits) and the engaging time travel plotline were highlights in the robust 3DS RPG lineup. One of the biggest issues with Yo-kai Watch 2 in the West was that the content was split between three separate versions, something a big name like Pokémon can get away with, but hamstrung the potential success of a new contender. If Haunted Domain combines the content from all three versions and meaningfully expands on the gameplay, this could be another hit from a company that’s been on a tear recently with hits like Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time and Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road.

I honestly thought the franchise was dead and buried after the announcement of Holy Horror Mansion, a clear spiritual successor, but this announcement has breathed some new life into an oft-forgotten franchise that deserves a reevaluation by the gaming public. The trailer itself is light on details, with no hint of a release window, but stay tuned for more information to come in the future. For now, we know that Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain is in development for PS5, Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

Since there’s no real screenshots yet… have this logo: