Summary

• Blumhouse Games has revealed a slate of horror titles, and the line-up may be more unconventional than players might have expected.
• Blumhouse is amplifying indie developers, delivering what looks to be fresh, unique, and creative horror gameplay experiences.
• The studio's trailer showcase at Summer Game Fest offers a glimpse into the diverse and exciting horror games to come.

During opening night of Summer Game Fest 2024, Blumhouse Games revealed a teaser showcase for its slate of new horror titles, and it looks like fans of the genre are in for a real treat. Blumhouse is known for blockbuster movies like MEGAN, Five Nights at Freddy's, and The Black Phone, however, the publisher's first lineup of games are a far cry from what I expected from Blumhouse, and I couldn't be more excited.

Summer Game Fest's Blumhouse trailer showcased six games in a very densely packed and exciting two minutes of footage. From what was shown, it looks like Blumhouse is intent on publishing something for every type of horror fan, which is a smart move in a genre that's started to lack creativity outside of indie spaces. In lending its name to a host of smaller indie developers instead of releasing something based on its own IP, Blumhouse has definitely piqued my interest as a horror fan - and got me excited about the genre in a way I haven't been for a while.

An Unexpected Horror Game Showcase From Blumhouse

No MEGANs In Sight

When Blumhouse first announced plans to move into game publishing, my expectation was movie tie-in games. Since we've seen a slew of multiplayer horrors based on big movie IPs recently - like Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the recently-released Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and the ill-fated Friday The 13th The Game, this is mostly what I expected to see except with Blumhouse IPs. This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing - movies like MEGAN have a huge fanbase - but with Dead by Daylight dominating the genre, it's almost impossible to compete (as unfortunately seen with the now-ended Friday the 13th).

While I am a big horror fan, I much prefer a spooky single-player experience to an online one, so to say I was pleasantly surprised by Blumhouse's Summer Game Fest trailer would be an understatement. At least from what was revealed, Blumhouse looks to be publishing a host of unique games with a vast variance in gameplay. With an FMV, a classic PS1-era survival horror callback, and other odd, esoteric, and unique-looking titles, Blumhouse really is starting off with a bang.

Of course it's worth mentioning that some of the most creative and exciting horror games in recent years have come from indie developers, and while there's a distinct lack of creativity in the AAA space, indie games have continued to experiment with horror in unique ways. Blumhouse becoming a publisher that amplifies some of these creators and enables more players to find their games, rather than working with its own movie IPs, is a great move for the horror genre as a whole.

Every Game Announced By Blumhouse At SGF 2024

Six Titles To Please Every Type Of Horror Fan

Crisol: Theatre of Idols

The first game revealed in the trailer was Crisol: Theatre of Idols. The game will feature a "twisted version of Spain where folklore and history come together to give life to Tormentosa, a mysterious town baptized by the sea." While the game's combination of horror and FPS immediately brings BioShock to mind, it promises a unique gameplay mechanic, explaining: "your weapons are thirsty of blood instead of bullets. Sacrifice your own life to defeat the profane creatures that threaten you, but keep a constant eye on your health or you will bleed to death."

Grave Seasons

Next to be showcased was Dead by Daylight dating sim. It's an intriguing premise for a bright and colorful horror that will hopefully stand out as a must-play.

Sleep Awake

Sleep Awake is described as a "first-person psychedelic horror game set in the far future," and it looks promising. Stylistically it has some visual similarities to In Sound Mind which is no bad thing, and I'm keen to see more. Currently the official Eyes Out website doesn't have much further detail on the release.

The Simulation

Next is The Simulation, which is perhaps the game I'm most excited for. Its mix of visual styles and its apparently fourth-wall-breaking narrative are things I'm very keen to see more of. The teaser seems to suggest the game's protagonist - a game designer - is able to manipulate and change the world around them, which was one of my favorite mechanics of Alan Wake 2. Details are thin on the ground for this one too, but it's definitely one I'm watching closely.

Fear The Spotlight

Blumhouse's initial release will be Fear the Spotlight, which first launched in 2023 before being pulled from Steam to make way for a "significant update." The game's official description reads as follows:

Fear the Spotlight is an atmospheric third-person horror adventure with a disturbing mystery to unravel. Sneak into school after hours with Vivian and Amy, survive a séance gone wrong, solve tactile puzzles, and, whatever you do, stay out of the spotlight…

The game is reviewed on Steam as "Very Positive" and has been praised for its nostalgic survival horror gameplay, though s did note back in 2023 that it was a short experience. Perhaps the promised update will beef it out with some new content when it's ready to re-launch sometime this year across PC and consoles.

What Is Project C?

The Final Game Of The Blumhouse Trailer

According to the Steam page, Project C is an FMV horror game, but not much else is known. The Steam page features blocks in place of text to create a redacted summary, though we do get the following cryptic tease:

For now we see through a glass, darkly;

but then face to face: now I know in part;

but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Notably, the game is from the visionary minds of Sam Barlow and Brandon Cronenberg. Barlow is already known for the FMV genre thanks to Her Story, but has also worked on two Silent Hill games: Origins and Shattered Memories; while Cronenberg is also extremely familiar with the horror genre as the director of horror sci-fi movies like Infinity Pool and Possessor. He is, of course, also the son of movie legend David Cronenberg himself.

Project C already has some promising names behind it, but the Steam page gives away a little more. Players can expect mature horror content including violence or gore, as well as a half-redacted promise of something "for the first time ever in a video game." While we can only begin to guess at what that feature might be, it certainly does suggest Project C is a horror game to keep your eye on. Unfortunately there's no release date yet.

While a game based on an existing Blumhouse IP might have been a big win for lots of players, I'm far more excited to see a big studio amplifying smaller developers - especially as they all seem to be bringing something creative and unique to the very over-saturated horror market. Hopefully this is the track Blumhouse Games continues down, because it's definitely a lot more exciting to me than another horror movie tie-in game.