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| The thumbnail for New Blood's Tip Line |
If you thought April Fools’ Day gags were supposed to disappear by April 2, you clearly haven’t been paying attention to New Blood Interactive. The indie publisher behind cult-favorite boomer shooters like ULTRAKILL, Dusk, and Gloomwood pulled a delightfully old-school prank last month: they set up a 1-800 tip line and invited players to call in with questions, feedback, or just whatever was on their minds.
Except now it’s May, the joke is still very much alive, and that phone number — 1 (800) 325-9727 — has been flooded with over a thousand voicemails. What started as a lighthearted April Fools’ stunt has turned into an unexpected, surprisingly wholesome hotline connecting developers directly to their most passionate fans.
From gag to genuine feedback machine
On April 1, New Blood released a YouTube video titled “Call the New Blood Tip Line Today” — a characteristically chaotic minute-long sketch featuring voice actor Gianni Matragrano (the Gloomwood Huntsman) and composer Andrew Hulshult (Amid Evil, Dusk). The tone was pure New Blood: irreverent, energetic, and just the right amount of absurd.
But the phone number was real. And people actually started calling.
A month later, the line is still active, and the studio’s answering machine is running around the clock. On May 1, New Blood shared an update on Bluesky that summed up the delightful chaos:
“We’ve listened to over 1,000 of your voicemails so far. Thank you for your questions, kind words, food orders, and concern about the status of our refrigerator. We’ll have some answers soon.”
Yes, you read that correctly — “food orders” and “refrigerator status.” Because when you give gamers a direct line to one of the most beloved indie publishers in the business, they’re going to do more than just talk about video games.
The voicemail that stole the show
Among the legitimate gameplay feedback, pizza delivery requests, and classic “Is your refrigerator running?” prank calls, one message stood out enough for New Blood to share it publicly. A fan called in with a surprisingly sharp observation:
“Hey, you ever think about making a game where you fight bugs? It’s all the rage these days, and you’ve got so many bugs to choose from.”
For context, bug-slaying has become a massive subgenre in 2024-2025, thanks to hits like Helldivers 2 and the enduring popularity of Starship Troopers-inspired coop shooters. But the fan’s sly nod to New Blood’s own development process — “so many bugs to choose from” — was a cheeky double entendre that didn’t go unnoticed. After all, anyone who’s played an early access ULTRAKILL build knows that bugs (the software kind) are part of the journey.
How a retro prank became a community lifeline
There’s something genuinely heartwarming about the tip line’s unexpected success. In an era where game developers often feel distant — hidden behind corporate PR statements, support ticket systems, and moderated Discord servers — New Blood has accidentally created a direct, unfiltered, and deeply personal channel.
No chatbots. No automated menus. Just an old-school answering machine and developers willing to listen.
Fans aren’t just calling to complain or ask for cheat codes. They’re leaving encouragement, sharing memories of discovering Dusk during quarantine, asking about Gloomwood’s next update, and, apparently, trying to order cheeseburgers. One caller reportedly asked if the team needed a new refrigerator — a callback to the classic prank that has now become an inside joke between the studio and its community.
For a publisher built on nostalgia for ’90s shooters, the tip line feels like the perfect extension of that aesthetic. It’s low-tech, personal, and wildly unpredictable — exactly like the games New Blood makes.
Watch the original announcement that started it all:
Call the New Blood Tip Line Today — YouTube
What’s next for New Blood (and that phone number)
While the tip line continues to ring, the team at New Blood is hardly idle. ULTRAKILL, their breakneck first-person shooter that blends Devil May Cry style combos with Quake movement, recently dropped a massive update for Act III: Godfist Suicide.
The new content, Layer 8: Fraud, throws players even deeper into hell with:
- Four brand-new campaign levels
- A new Prime Sanctum (for those who enjoy suffering)
- A secret level that the community is still frantically trying to map
And there’s more on the horizon. The ninth and final layer — appropriately named Treachery — is still in active development. Given New Blood’s track record, it’s safe to assume that “final” doesn’t mean “quiet.”
Meanwhile, Gloomwood — their immersive sim inspired by Thief — continues to grow in early access, and Dusk remains a gold standard for modern retro shooters. And if the tip line voicemails are any indication, fans are hungry for whatever comes next. Including, perhaps, a bug-fighting game. (New Blood hasn’t commented on that one yet, but the idea is undeniably intriguing.)
Can you still call?
Yes. As of this writing, 1 (800) 325-9727 is still active. New Blood hasn’t announced any plans to shut it down, and given the overwhelmingly positive response, they might keep it running indefinitely. Just don’t be surprised if you get a busy signal — apparently, a lot of people are still asking about that refrigerator.
So go ahead. Call with a question about ULTRAKILL’s secret P-2 boss. Call to thank them for Dusk’s endless Halloween updates. Call to order a large pepperoni pizza. Or just call to leave a weird voicemail that might end up on their Bluesky feed.
In a gaming industry that often feels increasingly automated and impersonal, New Blood’s accidental hotline is a reminder of something simple but powerful: sometimes the best way to connect with players is to just pick up the phone.
For updates on the tip line and all things New Blood:
Follow New Blood on Bluesky
Have you called the tip line? Share your story — or your favorite refrigerator joke — in the comments.