Illfonic's Chief Creative Officer Jared Gerritzen has stated that comparing its latest release, Halloween: The Game, to Dead by Daylight is a flawed comparison, akin to contrasting cricket and baseball. Gerritzen emphasized that Illfonic focuses on creating bespoke experiences tailored to specific horror franchises and their dedicated fanbases. The studio, known for its work on games like Friday the 13th, Predator: Hunting Grounds, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space, crafts each title to honor its source material.
"We make a game bespoke for that franchise, for that group of horror fans, and for the people who love that monster," Gerritzen explained in a recent interview. He contrasted this approach with what he described as "mixtapes" made by others, suggesting that while those have merit, the fundamental differences make direct comparisons inaccurate. Gerritzen believes fans of specific horror properties, like Halloween, deserve games built entirely around their beloved characters and settings, rather than having those elements appear as secondary additions.
Illfonic's philosophy centers on creating an immersive experience of Haddonfield or embodying Michael Myers, rather than merely including characters as playable options. The studio selects IPs it is passionate about, aiming to translate that love into a compelling game. Gerritzen suggested that horror fans should embrace a wide range of experiences, drawing a parallel to how fans consume various horror films regardless of their director.
Addressing skepticism about the longevity of its titles, Gerritzen highlighted Illfonic's track record, noting that none of its published games have ever shut down their servers. While Friday the 13th faced unique circumstances due to rights issues, the studio's other multiplayer horror titles remain active. Gerritzen acknowledged that comparisons to Dead by Daylight have been a recurring theme since the studio's work on Predator, but stated that Illfonic is committed to proving its longevity.
"Predator has 30-some-odd predators right now. You know, we're talking about doing some really cool stuff with that. Klowns has all this great stuff. Like, we slow things down for sure. But it's not like Illfonic has ever shut a server down [or] closed down shop," he said. Gerritzen expressed confidence in Halloween: The Game's long-term potential, with substantial content planned. "Halloween has a lot of really long legs, and we've got a lot of stuff ready, you know, and it's exciting. So we can only prove them wrong. That's literally all we can do."
Halloween: The Game is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.