Scott Pilgrim returns to games in chaotic new retro brawler EX

Scott Pilgrim, all his friends, and the many of the creators who have brought his world to life over the years, are all back for a new game set for release in 2026. 

As revealed at Summer Game Fest on Friday, Scott Pilgrim EX is a “time-warped brawling adventure” that sends Scott, Ramona Flowers, and five other playable characters battling across a Toronto ravaged by robots and demons. The new title comes from Tribute Games, the retro-minded studio formed by members of the original Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game team, and comic creator Bryan Lee O’Malley, who worked closely on crafting the new story. The chiptune group Anamanaguchi also returns for the soundtrack. 

“In a way it’s kind of natural, and the genesis of Tribute, to go back to that IP,” Tribute marketing and publishing manager Eric Lafontaine told Polygon at a press briefing before the SGF stream. “It’s in our DNA in a way, and it’s just coming back through those roots and doing a great different game. It’s just natural.”

Tribute’s “games that play like you remember them” philosophy worked wonders for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, and the studio’s upcoming Marvel Cosmic Invasion, set for later this year, looks just as promising. And while Scott Pilgrim EX shares some creative energy with those games — detailed pixel art, high-impact combat — producer Remi Lavoie says Scott Pilgrim EX is slightly different than those more straightforward brawlers thanks to a non-linear play style.

“This game happens in a really big world of interconnected areas, which you’ll explore at your own pace,” he said. The map, which is fully unlocked when players begin the game, is inspired by the classic NES beat-’em-up River City Ransom, which broke ground with an “open-world” approach to staging. While the quests in Scott Pilgrim EX will have linear progression, players will be able to jump around and get right down to business, as all of their moves and combos will be available from the get go too.

“Scott Pilgrim is really more of an adventure game where you progress through the world and complete quests, [while] Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a bit more similar to the traditional beat-’em-ups with completing stage after stage,” Lavoie said. “So they’re both very different, even in the combat mechanics: [Scott Pilgrim EX] features a lot of weapons, everyday objects that you can pick up and use as weapons.”

Lavoie said the team really leaned in on the chaos of the experience for Scott Pilgrim EX, which also counts Scott Pilgrim Takes Off writer BenDavid Grabinski as a creative partner and is technically set after the events of the anime. “Part of it is embracing that wacky timeline,” he said. “It’s a story written with Bryan and it’s really its own thing, but technically it happens after the events of the animated series.” And the loopy quality of the story is reflected in the art and play; the stages in EX are overflowing with classic game references while the number of objects that can be deployed as weapons should make the game’s four-player co-op (in person or online) a total circus. 

Both Lavoie and Lafontaine agreed that there were very few hurdles that Tribute had to clear to make their dream version of Scott Pilgrim EX. The history of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game isn’t just a legacy, but a foundation on how to produce a top-quality installment of this unlikely franchise.

“The fact that the team is so small and we’re so close with Bryan and Universal, it’s such a quick environment for us to be creative, balance ideas, get things approved, make things happen,” Lafontaine said.

Scott Pilgrim EX is currently on track for a 2026 release on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation platforms, Windows PC, and Xbox platforms.