Okay, maybe that headline was a little melodramatic, but it’s hard not to be at the moment.

When studio Wayforward – now in its 30th year of making games – released the long-awaited fifth title in the Shantae series as an Apple Arcade launch title in September 2019, it didn’t actually give players the whole game. Only Part 1 was released,  with Part 2 set to come at an unannounced later date.

Well that unannounced later date has arrived – Part 2 hit your Apple Arcade collection as a free update to Shantae and the Seven Sirens today, along with a whole raft of improvements.

PC and console gamers were also treated to an announcement today by Wayforward, with the studio revealing the release date for those platforms.

“Apple Arcade users will notice numerous improvements to the game in the newly released update,” revealed Wayforward, “where they will encounter new environments, dungeons, and abilities, as well as enhancements such as new fully animated cutscenes, upgraded character portrait artwork, an improved map, customizable touch controls, a new unlockable mode, and various other fixes and refinements.”

As with many Apple Arcade games, I’ve only dipped my toe briefly into Shantae’s tropical paradise, but it was long enough to know I’ll be back someday to experience the whole shebang.

I’m gradually circling back to Arcade games that I’ve tried early on, and one by one taking them to completion, as mentioned earlier this week, with Cat Quest II being my current time sink. And by time sink, I mean awesome adventure.

So when I eventually do find my way back to Shantae and let this half-genie do her thing, it’ll be nice knowing that I’ll be doing so with the full game available, and an improved version at that.

One of Apple Arcade’s strengths is that players effectively have a season pass to all of the titles on the service, with any content updates coming at no extra cost. Sweet.

As for PC and console gamers, Wayforward also revealed May 28 2020 as the expected release for Shantae and the Seven Sirens, although the date did come with a slight caveat.

“While the May 28 release date for Shantae and the Seven Sirens is accurate to the best of our knowledge, rapidly changing global health concerns could potentially impact the timing in ways that are outside of our control. Keep an eye on WayForward’s social media channels for any updates and stay safe!” came the disclaimer from Wayforward.

And fair enough too, as the world becomes an increasingly strange and unpredictable place.

Finally, Wayforward today released a brand new trailer showcasing Shantae’s fifth outing.

Have a look:

If you’re new to The Apple TV Gaming Blog (ATVG), or just new to Apple TV gaming in general, or both, then the best place to get acquainted is our Best Apple TV Games of 2020 article. You’ll find a great collection of games to play, and a bunch of useful links to our previous site content. Welcome aboard. Enjoy the ride.