According to Eurogamer.net, a mysterious new game titled Life is Strange: Reunion was rated by the European PEGI board in January 2026, with the filing originally published back in March 2025. The rating, which has since been removed from the official site but is still viewable on Gematsu, lists the game as PEGI 16 and reveals a plot where Chloe Price seeks out Max Caulfield at Caledon University, haunted by nightmares with a campus-destroying inferno looming in three days. The description also confirms the game will feature the use of illegal drugs and include purchasable outfits for real money, alongside a digital deluxe upgrade. This discovery comes just over a year after the release of Life is Strange: Double Exposure in November 2024, a game that reportedly was a financial loss for publisher Square Enix and was followed by layoffs at developer Deck Nine.
A surprise sequel
So, here’s the thing. This is… fast. And a bit confusing. Double Exposure just came out in late 2024, and by all accounts, it didn’t set the world on fire—either critically or commercially. The developer faced layoffs, the publisher called it a loss. The standard playbook would be to let the franchise breathe, or maybe even put it on ice for a while. But instead, we get a rating for a brand-new game, Reunion, that seems to dive right back into the series’ most iconic duo: Max and Chloe. It feels like a course correction, almost a panic move. “You didn’t like our new mystery? Okay, here are the fan favorites you actually care about.” But is that enough?
The plot and the problems
The described plot is pure, uncut Life is Strange drama. Chloe haunted by “impossible memories”? A three-day deadline before an inferno? Max already in crisis? It’s all there. But that’s also part of the potential problem. The series has always wrestled with the weight of its own nostalgia. Double Exposure was criticized for trying to revisit old memories, and now Reunion seems to be doing the same thing, just more directly. I have to ask: can this formula still feel fresh, or is it becoming a predictable loop? The mention of purchasable outfits for real money is also a notable, if unsurprising, detail. It points to the ongoing live-service/microtransaction pressure even on narrative-driven games, which is its own whole challenge.
What this rating really means
Now, a PEGI rating doesn’t mean the game is coming out tomorrow. These filings often happen months, sometimes over a year, before release. But its existence, and the fact it was publicly visible, tells us development is far enough along for classification. The quick pivot back to Max and Chloe suggests Deck Nine and Square Enix had this in the pipeline concurrently with Double Exposure, or greenlit it extremely quickly after seeing that game’s reception. Basically, they’re betting the farm on proven IP strength to stabilize the franchise. It’s a risky bet, because if Reunion also stumbles, what’s left? The fan goodwill for these characters is deep, but it’s not bottomless.
A franchise at a crossroads
Look, I love Max and Chloe as much as anyone. Their story is why most of us are here. But a franchise can’t live on nostalgia alone. The layoffs at Deck Nine, the commercial disappointment—these are signs of an IP under real stress. Life is Strange: Reunion feels like both a lifeline and a potential trap. It could be the heartfelt return that reignites passion for the series. Or it could be seen as a cynical retreat, proof the creators are out of new ideas. The pressure on this one, whenever it officially launches, is going to be immense. Let’s hope the “impossible memories” lead to a possible future for the series.
