Halloween: The Game Removes Controversial Mini-Game After Disturbing Glitch Featuring a Deceased Actor Goes Viral
There are plenty of pros and cons to Halloween: The Game, but players have had some questions about one of its mini-games that can take place during matches. Ever since its release, players could engage in a sex mini-game, tucking away inside closets or other hiding places with another player to do the deed. This reflects the overly stimulated nature of teenagers often seen in horror movies like Halloween or Friday the 13th, but one oversight made this feature highly controversial to fans.
Although the violence is pretty brutal in Halloween: The Game, the game has been banned in different regions for other reasons, including the intercourse-related mini-game. The mini-game, also called “Two-Person Power-Up,” is something that two players can engage with at any time, but it applies to every character in the title. Since some characters featured in the game are using the direct likeness of at least one real actor from the original Halloween movie, the pairings go from being a cheeky nod to the genre to something uneasy.
Developer IllFonic Removes Sex Mini-Game Following Endgame Characters Accidental Involvement
The mini-game doesn’t actually show anyone getting steamy with one another directly, as it’s just a cut to the outside of a closet with some hushed noises, similar to what you’d be shown during a classic slasher flick. However, the game has zero limitations on who can actually participate in the mini-game, meaning that even figures from later in a match are able to get hot and bothered. In one viral clip from X user @TheOnlyMonto, they managed to get the Halloween character Dr. Loomis into the mini-game with the high school character Lynda van der Klock within the final stages of match.
Dr. Loomis is listed as an “end-game reinforcement character,” showing up with special abilities to help the players deal with Michael Myers’ assault. However, Dr. Loomis being able to have sex with underage people is an obvious oversight on the developer’s part. A recent interview with IGN by developer Illfonic has confirmed as much, with the recent hotfix for Halloween: The Game removing the mini-game entirely for now. This is likely due to the fact that Dr. Loomis’ likeness is based on the actor Donald Pleasence, who played the character in the original film series, but passed away in 1995.
The estate of Donald Pleasence was probably not too happy that the actor’s character could do an illegal act in Halloween: The Game, so the quick removal of the possibility makes complete sense. Called an “unintended issue,” and a “major oversight,” the glitch will hopefully not be seen again for the game’s life cycle in the near future. As of this time of writing, Illfonic plans plans to support the content and other mini-games available in Halloween: The Game post-launch, focusing instead on other immediate needs players have been voicing.
Other Adjustments To Halloween: The Game Will Hopefully Honor The Legacy Of Movie Actors Used For The Experience
Without the glitch to the mini-game, Dr. Loomis is a well-represented aspect of Halloween: The Game, representing a major role in the direction of matches. This reflects his character from the movies, where he was perhaps the only one who understood Michael Myers’ true nature as a force of evil. In gameplay, Dr. Loomis can be an important character for players to call upon and embody, sometimes swinging a match in the players’ favor. However, the glitch has somewhat tarnished the character’s legacy, marking another reason why the mini-game was removed so fast.
Thankfully, removing the mini-game now means that other references or character additions to Halloween: The Game don’t run the same risk. In fact, without the implication of whatever returning character having a chance to get down and dirty, they can be implemented properly into the game loop of this title. Much like Dead by Daylight‘s continuing roster of iconic killers and survivors, perhaps Halloween: The Game has planned to add more characters from the Halloween movies into the title at some point.
At the same time, other modes and content drops should allow players to explore other, safer homages to horror’s roots from the Halloween and other related films. With some fixes on the way already besides the removal of the mini-game, Halloween: The Game could have a bright future in the asymmetrical multiplayer horror space.