A new ToeJam & Earl game is ‘in the planning stage’, co-creator reveals

A new game based on ToeJam & Earl is in the works, the series’ co-creater has revealed.

The original ToeJam & Earl on the Mega Drive / Genesis is something of a cult favourite, and was followed by sequels ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron on the Mega Drive / Genesis and ToeJam & Earl 3 on the Xbox.

The series was rebooted in 2019 with ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, and now it appears a fifth game could be eventually coming.

During a recent Ask Me Anything session on Reddit where he took questions from fans of his games, series co-creator Greg Johnson was asked if there was any news on a new ToeJam & Earl game.

Johnson confirmed that a new game is being planned, and that it will be based more on the original Mega Drive title and its sequel.

“I can say that the new game is in the planning stage,” Johnson replied. “We intend to make it happen. It’s going to be developed by a third party, design led by the infamous and talented producer of Back in the Groove, Nap, and will be a combo of games one and two and incorporate some of the design ideas of the original game 2 that never got made.”

Nap appears to be Anthony Napolitano, who’s listed in the credits for Back in the Groove under quality control. The credited producer for that game was Matt Conn, who had previously created GaymerX and was the CEO of MidBoss, before stepping down in 2018 after allegations of sexual misconduct, underpaying workers and workplace harassment.

After confirming a new ToeJam & Earl game is being planned, Johnson added an extra comment appearing to clarify that Conn will not be involved in the new game, with Napolitano taking over the sole producer role.

“I just realized I forgot to mention our original producer on Back in the Groove,” he added. “We actually had two great producers. Matt Conn was the original producer and the game never would have been released if it weren’t for him too. Matt and Nap are both ToeJam & Earl superstars.”

Elsewhere in the Q&A session, Johnson gave an update on the ToeJam & Earl set to be released by Amazon Studios in association with Story Kitchen, the company founded by Sonic the Hedgehog movie co-producer Dmitri M Johnson to specialist in movie adaptations of video games.

Asked whether the movie will be live action or animated, Johnson said he wasn’t sure because he wasn’t in control of much of the movie’s production, but that having read the script it could be both. He also noted that the film was currently “stalled” as the search for a director continues.

“I’m not 100% sure [if it will be live action or animated] as it’s out of my control but I expect it will probably be animated,” he wrote. “I’ve read the script and really it could be either all animated, or it could be a mix like Sonic, as it’s primarily on Earth.

“I’m as curious as you are as to what they will do. Right now they are still looking for a director so things are a bit stalled out. Hopefully that train will start moving again soon. The guys are Story Kitchen are great.”