The Halloween video game is officially coming out this year, and as a massive horror fan, I'm beyond excited about it. Based on John Carpenter's 1978 masterpiece, Halloween, the upcoming horror game gives you the chance to play as a slasher survivor or the famed masked killer Michael Myers himself.
If you are a fan of the best horror movies and rewatching all the best Halloween movies every year like me, you are likely buzzing for the chance to swing an oversized kitchen knife at some unsuspecting teens. Similarly, I'm also keen to live out my best Laurie Strode life as we try to escape Michael's deadly stalking. So that's why I've been keeping an eye on all the new details and news as they arrive. And, luckily, IllFonic's new outing already has a ton of information for us to unpack in this guide.
Halloween: The Game release date
Halloween The Game has a release date of September 8, 2026. That means that we are less than a year away from getting our hands on the slasher title.
The game was first revealed during Gamescom 2025 before its release date was shared a month later during a State of Play showcase. So far, it seems that we won't be getting any delays since there have been multiple trailers shown already, and the game appears to be in a good state. We'll keep you posted if anything changes.
Halloween: The Game platforms
Once it releases, Halloween: The Game will land on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. PC players can access the game either via Steam or Epic Games, depending on their preference.
Unfortunately for Nintendo horror fans, it doesn't look like the game will be added to our list of upcoming Switch 2 games anytime soon. The game isn't confirmed for any Ninty consoles, and out of IllFonic's catalog only a few titles, such as Friday the 13th: The Game and Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, have ever been released on Switch. We'll keep you updated if there is any news, but at least we can rest easy knowing that Halloween: The Game will be heading to all the other latest-gen platforms.
Halloween: The Game trailer
The first Halloween: The Game trailer came our way during the Future Games Show as part of the Gamescom 2025 schedule. In the teaser above, we hear a voice-over of someone who sounds very similar to Dr Loomis from the original movie as they describe Michael Myers's backstory about killing his sister years prior to the events of the game. The eerie story is told as the camera hovers over suburban houses at night, all decorated for the spooky season with jack-o-lanterns and cute ghost cut-outs swaying from the windows.
As John Carpenter's iconic score swells, we then see a survivor being followed by Michael himself in the trailer. It's very atmospheric, and the visuals are very much in line with the '70s flick. Honestly, we may just have one of the best horror games of 2026 on our hands here, folks, and we are hopefully optimistic that Halloween: The Game lives up to our high expectations.
Halloween: The Game gameplay
Halloween: The Game is an asymmetrical horror sandbox that lets you play as either a Haddonfield hero or as Michael Myers.
Like IllFonic's other titles, such as Friday the 13th: The Game, and Predator Hunting Grounds, multiplayer gameplay will be available. However, Halloween: The Game also offers single-player modes.
"Asymmetrical multiplayer games can be a little bit more hardcore, too. And the stress of being the killer versus a bunch of bullies can be pretty daunting," explains Chief Creative Officer Jared Gerritzen in an interview with IGN. "And so we really wanted to make a way that people can play a single-player game, get a bit of a story, get deeper into the universe..."
According to footage seen during the State of Play Showcase (which you can watch for yourself above), if you take on the role of Michael Myers, your goal is to find, stalk, and kill Haddonfield folks before Halloween night ends. Michael apparently has a ton of skills in his arsenal to help him out. However, in the gameplay reveal trailer, the one we got to see in action was "The Shape Jump," which saw Michael turn into a speedy shadow that makes him invisible to the naked eye.
Now, for years, Michael's supernatural status has been a touchy subject for fans. Let's be honest, when he is portrayed as supernatural, the movies tend to go downhill (cough, The Cult of Thorn, cough), versus the fear you get from just a very strong human devoid of empathy. While The Shape Jump isn't a human skill at all, the team clarified that it's simply their interpretation of how Michael can pop out of the shadows so suddenly. So, no matter what camp you fall into, the fandom should be happy.
If you play as a survivor, you'll need to warn your neighbors about Michael Myers before it's too late. You'll need to run around and find an active phone to get the police involved. You'll be able to slow Michael down by successful attacks, but you won't be able to kill him, so the only way to win is by working together.
Halloween: The Game development
Halloween: The Game is made on Unreal Engine 5 and is being developed by IllFonic. Now, if you are unaware, IllFonic is the team behind Friday the 13th: The Game, Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game, and Predator: Hunting Grounds. Basically, when it comes to making games based on iconic horror movies and franchises, you don't get more experienced than IllFonic.
To make the game even more exciting regarding its link to the original '70s film, Nick Castle (aka the original Michael Myers actor) did motion capture for the upcoming game. Original director John Carpenter is also "intimately involved" with the project, serving as executive producer.
So yeah, not only does development seem to be going smoothly, but keeping the title as immersive and close to the vibes of the film that we all love so much seems to be a major driver too. Considering how iconic Michael Myers is, standing arguably above Jason Voorhees and definitely the Yautja from Predator in terms of stature in the genre, IllFonic's approach is a good call.
For more future releases, check out our lists of all the other upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games heading our way.
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