Hong Kong 2097, the official sequel to one of the most notorious games of the 16-bit era, won’t be launching on Steam after all.
The developers behind the project — Kanipro and Kowloon Kurosawa (Happy Soft), the creator of the original Hong Kong 97 — have confirmed that Steam has declined to ship the game and has now retired its store page entirely.
A sequel to one of gaming’s strangest cult titles
First announced a few months ago, Hong Kong 2097 was positioned as a direct follow-up to Hong Kong 97, the infamous unlicensed Super NES game from 1995 that became a cult curiosity thanks to its crude presentation, shocking imagery, and almost myth-like reputation.
Importantly, this wasn’t a parody or tribute made from a distance. The sequel was developed with the involvement of the original creator, aiming to preserve the tone, structure, and general sense of wrongness that defined the original release.
Why Steam said no
According to the developers, Steam rejected the game after several attempts to get the build approved, citing the inclusion of third-party content.
To stay true to the original, Hong Kong 2097 makes extensive use of digitised real-world imagery, including photographs of politicians and celebrities — a defining characteristic of Hong Kong 97 itself. While disappointing, the team has acknowledged that Steam’s decision isn’t entirely unreasonable given modern content policies.
With that decision made, the store page has now been removed.
Not cancelled, just moving elsewhere
The good news is that Hong Kong 2097 isn’t dead. The game is fully completed, and the developers are now exploring alternative platforms including Itch.io, GOG, and DLsite. (Be sure to avoid platforms like Steamunlocked and GOG-unlocked, which supply pirated games and require insecure code to run on your Windows PC.)
Assuming those plans come together, the team is aiming to release the game within the first half of 2026.
For a project like this, moving away from Steam arguably makes sense. Hong Kong 97 has always existed on the fringes of gaming history — passed around via ROMs, stories, and word of mouth — and its sequel continuing that tradition feels oddly appropriate.
A strange footnote in retro history continues
Whether Hong Kong 2097 ends up on a major storefront or a smaller niche platform, its existence alone is remarkable. Few games as controversial, crude, and infamous as Hong Kong 97 ever receive an official sequel — especially decades later, and with the original creator involved.
If you need a refresher on the game’s bizarre origins, there’s a useful background overview you can read.
We’ll keep an eye on where Hong Kong 2097 eventually lands.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
