Yooka-Laylee Release Date Revealed, Wii U Version Cancelled

Yooka-Laylee, the spiritual successor to classic Rare titles like Banjo-Kazooie, will launch on April 11, 2017, developer Playtonic Games has announced.

Costing £35 / US $40, the colorful platformer will be coming to PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, and Linux--though the Wii U version has been cancelled.

In a blog post, Playtonic stated, "Despite our best efforts and exploring every possible avenue, we've encountered unforeseen technical issues that unfortunately mean it will be impossible for us to release the game on Wii U as initially planned."

However, the game may still make its way to a Nintendo system: "We are now working very closely with Nintendo to look to bring Yooka-Laylee to the upcoming Nintendo Switch," the developer continued.

Those who backed the project on Wii U during its successful Kickstarter campaign will be given the opportunity to switch to another platform free of charge, or "upgrade" to the Nintendo Switch version early next year.

The game is available for preorder now on digital stores, and early adopters will get instant access to the Yooka-Laylee Toybox, a spoiler-free, standalone sandbox that offers a glimpse of the full game's mechanics and style. The final game will also be getting a physical release.

We got the chance to play the upcoming platformer at Gamescom; check out our full Yooka-Laylee preview for more.