If you can’t wait for IllFonic’s new asymmetrical Halloween game, you’re in luck: the studio is debuting their first-ever playable demo for the game at this year’s PAX East convention next month. The company has announced that they’ll be bringing the game to the event for a special celebration, featuring a star-studded panel and special surprises in addition to offering a sneak peek at the new game.
PAX East’s Main Theater will be host to a special Halloween panel on March 28, featuring a behind the scenes look at how the game honors its cinematic roots while evolving into a new medium, with original director John Carpenter appearing virtually. Later that same day, fans can gather for an ambitious attempt to break the Guinness World Record for largest gathering of people dressed as Michael Myers, alongside being able to demo the game’s Haddonfield map.
In Halloween the game, players can step into John Carpenter’s iconic film as either a civilian fight to protect Haddonfield or as Michael Myers himself, allowing players to terrify and attack others in the asymmetric horror game. The first map, Haddonfield Heights, puts players right in the heart of the town that serves as the franchise’s centerpiece, with front yards and side streets that allow them to explore every nook and cranny and face what’s hiding in the shadows.
“This neighborhood allowed us to reimagine the tension of Haddonfield in a way that feels both intimate and terrifying,” said IllFonic’s design director Jordan Mathewson. “We wanted players to feel the comfort of the neighborhood they recognize from the film right before we turn it into panic. Every hedge, hallway, and backyard was built to heighten suspense and reward clever play, whether you’re hunting or being hunted.”
The gameplay of Halloween is similar to that of Dead by Daylight, a popular asymmetric horror game that’s featured plenty of horror icons in its past, including Michael Myers himself, as well as Leatherface, Freddy Krueger, and the kids from Stranger Things. Halloween also serves as the successor to games like Friday the 13th: The Game and Evil Dead: The Game, both of which recently bit the dust and had their servers shut down.
Halloween drops on PlayStation 5, Xbox, and the Steam store on September 8, 2026.
