The developer of PowerWash Simulator has just teased its third DLC campaign, and it's a crossover no one expected. While previous ones, such as the Tomb Raider crossover, were undoubtedly strange too, this one breaks the tradition and brings in a franchise not associated with Square Enix in the slightest.
PowerWash Simulator is among the latest in an endless stream of viral multiplayer indie games released in recent years, and is also the latest of several to be in the increasingly popular simulator genre. Developed by FuturLab and published by Square Enix Collective, this first-person simulator has players control an anonymous guy in a hazmat suit, working odd jobs around the town of Muckington for an up-and-coming power-washing business and earning money to upgrade their equipment, allowing them to customize the gameplay to their liking. Despite mixed critical reception, the game has proven to be very popular, and its developers have worked hard to keep the momentum going with multiple DLC packs.
In a ten-second teaser on its official YouTube channel, FuturLab revealed that the game's latest crossover would be with SpongeBob SquarePants, a long-running Nicktoon that is no stranger to the video game world. Given the first-person perspective, the only parts of the campaign visible are the player's weapon skin, resembling one of Plankton's many gadgets from throughout the show, and the map taking place in Bikini Bottom's residential area, outside the iconic houses of Patrick, Squidward, and of course, SpongeBob. Nothing else is shown, aside from a vague summer 2023 release date.
Many fans in the comments appeared excited about this announcement, praising its unpredictability, which is even more off-the-charts than the Final Fantasy 7 crossover. Some stated that it would be enough to make them pick up the game again, while several jokingly commented on how a power-washer would work underwater, similar to several jokes that even the show itself has made in the past. Notably, a few drew parallels to the SpongeBob episode, "Reef Blower," in which SpongeBob attempts to clean up his lawn with a leaf-blower-like device, only to accidentally clean up the entire ocean.
DLC crossovers have become a very popular and ingenious trend in the video game industry, allowing for cross-promotion of multiple franchises in addition to keeping said franchises talked about within the public zeitgeist. With FuturLab teasing new content not too long ago and already on its third batch of downloadable content, it's anyone's guess as to what successful property this game might bring into the fold next.
PowerWash Simulator is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.