February 10th marks the two year anniversary of Bendy and the Ink Machine, the popular horror game created by Kindly Beast, formerly known as theMeatly Games. After teasing some kind of announcement, Mike Mood of Joey Drew Studios (the publisher behind the original game, and also the name of the company within the storyline) has released a mysterious teaser. Players of the game will recognize Joey Drew's voice. The final part of the teaser is what's getting everyone excited.

Bendy is indeed coming back. The teaser is played through a recording, much like the audio logs in the Ink Machine. Now, the obvious thought that comes to mind is if this is a direct sequel to the Ink Machine. Surprisingly, according to Mike Mood, the teaser is not hinting toward a sequel, nor a prequel.

"What I can say regarding Bendy and the Ink Machine is, we are not making a sequel, we are not making a prequel and there is no Bendy and the Ink Machine 2," Mood said in an interview with Newsweek. "However, Bendy will return."

This is definitely a strange thing to unpack. The teaser states Bendy will be back, but we don't know in what format. If it's not a sequel or prequel, it sounds like it could be a game set in an alternate universe. Perhaps this game takes place in the actual cartoons. However, the teaser also does not promise an actual full-fledged game. It could be an expansion, or DLC for the Ink Machine. It's hard to say, but one way or another, the character of Bendy is returning in some capacity.

Bendy and the Ink Machine originally released beginning in 2017. It was released in five chapters for PC. It was then collected as a complete physical release for all the major consoles - PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. Rooster Teeth (the company behind popular online series such as Red vs. Blue and RWBY) helped publish the physical edition as a GameStop exclusive. The game is also available on mobile.

Bendy and the Ink Machine is played from the first person perspective of Henry Stein, a retired animator at Joey Drew Studios. The founder of the company, Joey Drew, invited Henry to come back to the studio for some kind of surprise. As Henry traverses the seemingly abandoned studio, he realizes that something very wrong has happened inside the studio. The game captures a unique atmosphere, as the setting mimics a cartoon studio from the 1930s. Inside, you'll often find videos of cartoons styled to appear like early Walt Disney animation shorts. It's a very memorable, unique experience. The game's original trailer does a good job showing what to expect.

There is no other information available on this new Bendy project, and hopefully it's not too long before the next update. In the meantime, Kindly Beast also unveiled an untitled project for release in 2019, which already looks to capture an intriguing atmosphere. For more Bendy, scholastic is releasing a handbook in late July.

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