While FuturLab’s PowerWash Simulator succeeded for many reasons upon its release back in 2022, one of its more interesting elements was the collaborations made between a ton of different and unexpected IPs. Alongside paid DLC which included Shrek’s swamp, Bikini Bottom and more, PowerWash simulator also offered two free crossover packs. Three years on from their initial release however, both the Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy VII DLCs are being delisted.

Taking to their blog to make the announcement, the team at FuturLab officially confirmed that “It is the last chance to get your gloves on the free Tomb Raider and Midgar Special Packs for PowerWash Simulator. At 3PM BST on May 19th 2026, these Special Packs will no longer be available to claim across all store fronts.”

As with most digital purchases however, those who already own the packs (or add them to their library soon) will be able to freely download and play them whenever.

It’s no coincidence that the two free crossover packs were related to Square Enix owned (or previously-owned) IPs, as the OG PowerWash Simulator was published by them. As expected however, given that its sequel was self-published, the deal between FuturLab and Square Enix has since ended, with the devs noting:

“Our team loved working on both of these beloved gaming IPs and we have been incredibly lucky to offer them until this point. This also coincides with the end of our formal relationship with Square Enix in June, who have been an incredible partner and have supported the publishing of PowerWash Simulator on PC and console.”

Given that these free DLCs are listed as separate products, it is worth adding both to your library even if you currently do not own PowerWash Simulator. There likely will never be another opportunity for you to scrub both the Croft Manor and Seventh Heaven otherwise.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Do you enjoy PowerWash Simulator’s crossovers? Which has been the most out-there so far in your opinion? What collabs do you hope to see with PWS2? Let us know down below.

One of the most contentious aspects of the Nintendo Switch 2 is its introduction of Game-Key Cards. Serving somewhat as a bridge between physical and digital media, for many it winds up being the worst of both worlds. That said, some developers have expressed praise towards this latest ‘innovation’, most recently claiming that Final Fantasy VII Remake’s Switch 2 port was only possible due to Game-Key Cards.

Taking part in an interview conducted by the publication Automaton Media, Naoki Hamaguchi – the director of the Final Fantasy VII trilogy – was asked about the team’s decision to go with Game-Key Cards as opposed to a standard cartridge release for the Switch 2 port. According to Hamaguchi:

“There’s simply no way around key cards in certain respects. If you compare loading directly from a game cartridge (containing all game data) to loading from the Nintendo Switch 2’s internal storage, the load speed difference is roughly double.”

The director continued, “Some have expressed concern that multiplatform development may impose constraints not only on graphics, but even on game design itself. However, this is precisely why we didn’t choose a cartridge.”

The full statement can be found HERE, but Hamaguchi made sure to emphasise the reasons behind this decision, adding that “in the past, when faced with practical issues related to load speed and storage capacity we couldn’t resolve, we had to decide not to release on Nintendo systems. However, Nintendo Switch 2’s performance is impressive, and with a key card format like FFVII Remake, releasing the games became possible. I believe the only thing I can do is continue to sincerely communicate that fact to users.”

While there is no denying that Game-Key Cards do have various faults (partly due to Nintendo’s lack of offering many alternatives), it appears as though in this case Square Enix feels truly justified in their decision. Of course, not all games are made the same, and so it is good to continue to question devs’ decisions on such matters.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Game-Key Cards? Has Square Enix justified its use? Let us know your thoughts down below.