Terminator 2D: NO FATE — Everything We Know

How crazy is it that we’ve reached the modern age and evolved gaming into open-world 3D adventures, only to return to the past and restore the good old 2D-pixel art sidescrolling arcade gaming? No matter how simple the art style or gameplay itself, retro is the new king. It strips away all of the extra luggage, dialing it back to the roots of what makes gaming fun. 

For the upcoming Terminator 2D: NO FATE, you might presume it’s another one of the ports Nintendo Switch Online has been adding to its catalog. But it’s an entirely new game dipped in pixel art goodness. Watching the announcement trailer, you can’t help welling tears over finally playing the Terminator game we should have had three decades ago. 

While still in relatively early stages, we’ve compiled everything we know about Terminator 2D: NO FATE below.

What is Terminator 2D: NO FATE?

Terminator 2D: NO FATE is an upcoming 2D action side-scrolling game. It’s officially licensed to adapt the famed 1991 Terminator 2: Judgment Day film. Given the year the film was released, it’s unsurprising that the new game has chosen to use pixel art style graphics and arcade action. 

Story

Being an adaptation of 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day, you can look forward to familiar story events and characters. Sarah Connor and T-800 return, embarking on a variety of action-packed missions. You’ll be going up against T-1000, attempting to destroy Skynet’s plans of annihilating the human race. 

You’ll also lead the resistance, controlling John Connor in future war missions. Being the only hope of humanity in the War Against the Machines, it’ll certainly be a dangerous feat that you have no choice but to take on. 

While you’ll play through iconic scenes from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, the story intends to craft a unique experience. You’ll relive original scenarios that split into multiple endings. In the long run, the fate of humanity will lie entirely in your hands. 

Gameplay

Terminator 2D: NO FATE will be a single-player campaign. It intends to unravel via exciting pixel art graphics and intense arcade action. The gameplay will closely mimic the old days at the arcade. Since it adapts Terminator 2: Judgment Day, this certainly feels like the game we deserved in the ‘90s but never got. 

In any case, there’s no better time than the present. We’re living at a time when retro gaming is at its peak. So, the new game developers’ decision to develop authentic arcade gameplay, music, and pixel-perfect graphics feels right. With how retro the trailer looks, it’s a wonder that it’s all been built from the ground up.

Among the key features you can look forward to is a narrative campaign about reliving Terminator 2: Judgment Day’s iconic action scenes. However, whether controlling Sarah Connor, John Connor, or T-800, you’ll have leeway to carve out new paths that lead to multiple endings. As a result, the new game will offer both a mix of old scenes from the movie and also craft new Terminator story arcs.

The antagonist will be Skynet and Cyberdyne, who have unleashed an army of war machines. Enemies will vary in their attacks, arsenal, and bosses. T-1000 will also make an appearance across multiple levels, demanding clever shoot-outs, sneaking around, and escaping brutal fights.

For each level, there’ll be a score calculator. Your goal is to hit the highest rank and climb up the high score table to unlock arcade immortality. Meanwhile, the original music from the movie will be recrafted alongside all-new set cinematic pieces. Terminator 2D: NO FATE promises multiple game modes, including Story, Arcade, Infinite, Boss Rush, Mother of the Future, and Level Training.

Development

Developer Bitmap Bureau and publisher Reef Entertainment are working on Terminator 2D: NO FATE. Bitmap Bureau is renowned for developing fantastic arcadey games with glorious pixel art. 

They have released a behind-the-scenes trailer revealing how they managed to remain true to the original Terminator 2: Judgment Day film. It’s one of cinema’s most iconic films. Yet from the trailer, it’s clear the developing team has nailed the most unforgettable moments, capturing them in exciting arcade action. 

According to Mike Tucker, Design Director and Programmer at Bitmap Bureau, Terminator 2D: NO FATE is “a love letter to 80s/90s arcade games, and we feel it’s the T2 game we should have had back in our youth.”

Trailer

Check out Terminator 2D: NO FATE’s announcement trailer. Watching it feels like being transported to the past. The 2D-pixel art and arcade action are all reminiscent of the old days to an impressive degree. Yet it’s all been built from the ground up. Not to mention, the action sequences remain faithful to the original film.

Seeing young John Connor on that bike with T-1000 chasing the Terminator brings back fond memories from the film. Oh, and the trailer even shows that we’ll be playing as the Terminator naked. It doesn’t get any truer to the film than that.

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

It’s set in stone. Terminator 2D: NO FATE will be launching on September 5, 2025. You’ll access the game via PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Feel free to check out the respective stores to preorder the game. While preordering, you can opt for either of the following editions:

Day One Edition

• Terminator 2D: NO FATE base game
• Reversible Cover Sleeve
• “Unknown Future” Cloth Poster (50 x 70.7 cm)
• 25mm Collectible Metal Arcade Token
• Full-Color Manual Book
• Collector‘s Box

Collector’s Edition

• All Items in Day One Edition
• Collector’s Tin (Silver)
• SteelBook
• Art Book
• Flipbook
• Premium Metal Paperweight
• “Fiery Visions” Cloth Poster

Online Exclusive Edition

• All Items in Day One Edition
• SteelBook
• Art Book
• Flipbook
• Premium Metal Paperweight
• “Fiery Visions” Cloth Poster
• Online Exclusive Edition’s Tin (Black)
• “Steel Mill Showdown” Cloth Poster (137.4 x 39.5 cm)

For more updates, feel free to follow the official social media handle.