Beavis and Butt-head Do Hollywood (lost build of unreleased PlayStation action-adventure game based on MTV sitcom; 1998)

A screenshot from the game.

Status: Lost

Beavis and Butt-head Do Hollywood^[1] is the working title of a Beavis and Butt-head video game (previously called by its previous name: "Beavis and Butt-head In Hollywood"^[2]; the title would later be renamed into just "Beavis and Butt-head"^[3]in a February 1999 review on the game.^[3]) that was developed by GT Interactive and New Level Software Inc^[4]^[3] for the PlayStation 1^[4]. The game was frequently advertised in monthly gaming magazines from 1998-1999 and even was previewed at E3 1998^[2], but unfortunately, the game mysteriously went under the radar and was never released.

Background

The earliest known information about the game is that it was shown in E3 1998, which took place from May 28-30 of 1998^[2]^[1] with a video uploaded in 2014 from said E3 that contains footage of an earlier render of the game, which was showcased in said E3^[2]. The game, which still had its previous title: "Beavis and Butt-head In Hollywood" featured early models of Beavis and Butt-head taken from the original show, and featured walking animations and the game's HUD, with unfinished graphics of the town the game took place in.

In October 1998, the game was featured in both the Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine's 114th issue and the Game Informer magazine's 66th issue. Both magazines feature images of the game with better designs of the characters and its setting^[4]. On the 114th issue of the Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), the game is known to be an action-adventure video game with jokes from the typical Beavis and Butt-head humor included in the game^[1], and the game was to be titled "Beavis and Butt-head Do Hollywood"^[1]. The 66th issue of the Game Informer, on the other hand, listed the game as "80% Complete"^[4] and was set to be released on November 1998^[4], a month after the issue had been published. They've also included that you can control both Beavis and Butthead's lines in the game manually. The Game Informer issue also listed a synopsis for the game, which goes as follows^[4]:

"In the duo's first appearance on the PlayStation, the boys have just finished filming their newest Hollywood movie. Anxious to get back to the couch and watch TV, the two soon realize they have no money (their paychecks have been mailed home). The adventure begins when they submit their labors for hire. What new wacky, crazy, and lazy work details will Beavis & Butt-head encounter?"^[4].

November came and went with no release, or signs of release for that matter. It wouldn't be until 3 months later that we would later see more information about the game itself when the Electronic Gaming Magazine once again included it in the February 1999 issue of their magazine run. This time, the game title was just shortened to "Beavis and Butt-head"^[3], with the issue giving us more information and pictures of the game compared to the previous issue it got featured on. The game features small stages with a series of puzzles^[3], and the information that the players do need to control both characters at certain points in the game such as to lure and manipulate objects^[3]. The game reportedly still manages to give the same "Beavis and Butt-head" humor we had adjusted to from the original show such as the twins abusing each other as much as possible^[3]. One thing that is contradicting and strange however is that this EGM issue listed the game as "40% Complete"^[3] and was set to be released on February 1999^[3], a month also after this issue got published, which is contradicting to the Game Informer's October 1998 issue which listed the game as "80% Complete" and to be released on November 1998.

Cancelation

After multiple contacts with various developers, it was discovered upon contacting one developer from New Level Software Inc. by LMW user Bigdgaming that the game had not received payment for their work from the publisher. This likely serves as the primary reason for the cancellation. The game was reported to be 50% complete when the game reached cancellation, contradicting both EGM and the Game Informer magazines.^[5]

Availability

February 1999 came and went, and the game never got released. No information about the game has since resurfaced then.

Due to limited information about the game itself, it is unclear what likely happened to the game and what will likely happen to the game moving forward. As of 2023, only videos and screenshots of the game exist online, and no builds or prototypes of the game have seen the light of day and remain very unlikely to resurface.