We still don’t have a release date for Danganronpa 2×2, but it’s set to be released sometime this year.

It’s also my most-anticipated game of 2026, so I’ve been thinking about it quite a bit.

In case you’ve forgotten, Danganronpa 2×2 is not only a remake of Danganronpa 2, but it also includes a whole separate scenario with new victims and culprits.

We know next to nothing about this new scenario, so there’s been a lot of speculation. I have a few predictions of my own, so I’d like to lay out what I think will happen in Danganronpa 2×2’s new scenario.

The rest of this post will include Danganronpa 2 spoilers. If you don’t want to see spoilers for the original Danganronpa 2, stop reading now.

And so, here are my predictions:

It’s a secret sequel

They might be describing the new scenario as “what if” or alternate universe scenario, but I’m not so sure I trust that. Instead, I think it’s actually a new sequel in disguise. Reading the “2×2” in the title as “4” is the obvious conclusion, but that might be too easy. What if it’s instead more like “2-2,” or a sequel to 2?

Danganronpa 2 ends with the survivors determined to find a way to revive the classmates who died during the events of the game, since their bodies are still alive. I think 2×2’s new scenario might actually be linked to that, as they use the Neo World Program once again.

On the other hand, that would mean the new scenario would almost certainly spoil the original game, so not marketing it as a sequel would be an odd choice.

It… also would be kind of depressing if they revived everyone and then got caught up in another killing game, and I can’t imagine how it would play out without that happening.

Still, however, I can’t help but be suspicious of what that “2×2” actually means.

Hajime is still the protagonist

This feels almost like a non-prediction. The protagonist will be the protagonist, of course. Still, I’ve seen a lot of theories that revolve around Hajime dying in the first case and a new character taking the lead. I don’t think they’ll do that. I think we’ll still play as Hajime, although possibly a slightly different Hajime if my theory about it being a sequel are actually true.

As for other characters, however…

Nagito will die first

This is probably one of the most common predictions, just because Nagito has such a strong presence throughout the original story. If you want something to derail the plot and send things on a completely different course, killing Nagito is the way to go. His actions during the first case even provide the perfect setup for him to be the victim.

On the other hand, I felt Nagito was the most interesting character in the game, and I’m not sure how I’d enjoy it without him.

If my second theory is wrong and there is a protagonist shift, Nagito is a good candidate for that, too. His wild card factor won’t be as impactful to players familiar with the original game, and there is precedent with him having that short playable section already. Still, though, I can’t imagine spending an entire game in Nagito’s head, so maybe that’s a bad idea.

The imposter will survive

Related to my second prediction, I also believe the Ultimate Imposter will be one of the game’s survivors this time around. He’s one of the characters we get to know the least, since he dies in the first case and spends all of it pretending to be someone else. On top of that, his resolve to keep everyone alive means having him around throughout the game could make a significant difference in how things work out.

Much like how I said Nagito’s unpredictability won’t be as impactful to players who already know all about him, the Imposter’s original role has a similar problem. When you first see him, it raises questions about why Byakuya is there, and it’s a shock when he dies. Neither of those points remains once you know he’s not Byakuya. Letting him stick around and be fleshed out as a character opens much more potential.

There’s a new mastermind

I can’t imagine who the mastermind would be, especially in my stealth sequel idea, but it’s not going to be Alter Ego Junko. It will probably still be someone using Monokuma, because it wouldn’t be a Danganronpa game without him, but whatever we reveal in the final chapter will be completely new.

…I wish a I had a more fleshed out theory than that, but I don’t. I just can’t see them giving us a whole new scenario only for the mastermind to be the same.

Anyway, these are just my main predictions for the new scenario in Danganronpa 2×2! What do you think will happen?