Horror franchises that can be turned into video games like Illfonic's Halloween

With consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S being more powerful and capable of doing more, we're starting to see studios go back to classic franchises for new games. During the recent State of Play presentation from PlayStation, developer Illfonic announced they were releasing a game based on John Carpenter's Halloween series in 2026. This follows in the footsteps of some of their previous work, including Predator Hunting Grounds, Friday the 13th, and Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, in bringing back a beloved franchise for a brand-new asymmetrical multiplayer game. It's not the first time we've seen this happen for a classic horror series, as they also worked on the official Friday the 13th game from 2017.

With games like Halloween coming out fairly soon, it feels like multiple classic horror franchises are being looked at for game releases that would connect with die-hard fans on new consoles. But what other classic horror movie series would make for a good video game? There are tons of iconic and terrifying horror films that have resonated with movie-goers for years, and adapting them into a game would be very interesting. If they were made in the same way as Illfonic's asymmetrical games, they could be very fun to play. Here are a few horror franchises that can be turned into video games, just like Illfonic's Halloween game.

Leprechaun

Messing with gold

One of the more goofy horror series of the early 90s was about what happens when you mess with a pot of gold belonging to a leprechaun. The consequences are never as whimsical as one might believe, and no cereal was involved either. The original Leprechaun film starred Warwick Davis, the actor who played Thicket in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, as it saw him take on the title role of the mischievous being. The film also saw Jennifer Aniston as a teenager, before her popularity exploded with the television series Friends. The leprechaun hunts down those who stole his bag of gold, leading to a series of horrifying and somewhat funny scenarios. The original film was successful enough to spawn five sequels, and eventually a rebooted series that followed afterward.

Much like the Halloween and Friday the 13th games, a game based on Leprechaun could have asymmetrical horror gameplay that involves the leprechaun and multiple survivors. What could make it different from those other games could be something that incorporates the gold that the Leprechaun is trying to recover. One of the biggest parts of the film is the constant need for the leprechaun to recover his gold from others who are trying to steal pieces of it, which eventually causes him to murder them in creative ways. Whether that means having a game mode similar to a gold rush rule set, like in other multiplayer games, or using the gold as a means of bait to lure the leprechaun into a trap, this could make things a lot more interesting.

Scream

Fast-paced slashing

While the 80s were filled with classic slasher icons and other creative horror figures, the 90s were edgy with more brutal horror films inspired by their predecessors. One series that provided a lot of commentary on the horror genre was Scream, which is still going on with new entries to this day. The original Scream set up the formula for modern slasher flicks, which were heavily based off the classic setups by franchises like Halloween and Friday the 13th that came before. The main difference for this series, however, was the awareness that characters in the stories had about horror clichés. You still had a killer in the form of Ghostface, who went on to become an iconic horror character, as well as multiple victims that fit all the archetypes of a horror movie.

Ghostface has appeared in video games before, such as his guest appearance in Mortal Kombat 1. But a full game based on the Scream series could be similar to what Illfonic had done with Friday the 13th, just without the supernatural elements. As a horror icon, Ghostface is a typical person that is quick and clever in their pursuit of victims, which we see in multiple films. He could run fast, surprise victims from entrances, and be a genuine menace to other players. However, an interesting twist from the films could provide something crazy if implemented into the gameplay.

Besides one killer chasing other players, what if Ghostface had a spy among the group of survivors, or somehow to convert a victim to his cause? If you've seen any of the Scream films, then you know exactly why this could be a neat addition to a game made like this, which could mix up the asymmetrical formula as the game goes on. It could be equal parts exciting and terrifying for fans who love the series.

Nightmare on Elm Street

Freddy coming for you

Freddy Krueger may have already had his fair share of video game appearances, but there can never be too many for a horror icon. The Nightmare on Elm Street game for the NES is an iconic release for the console, which was loosely based on one of the sequels to the original movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. But despite Freddy appearing in multiple other video games, including Dead by Daylight and the Mortal Kombat series, there has never been a video game made that was inspired by the original A Nightmare on Elm Street film from 1984. And much like the Friday the 13th game from Illfonic, a return to the origins of the series could be exactly what horror fans would love to see in a game based on the dream master himself.

With a character like Freddy Krueger, an asymmetrical multiplayer game could open the door for more creative kills against players, more so than what we've seen with games like Friday the 13th and Predator Hunting Grounds. Because the series blends together elements of reality and the dream world, this could allow a developer like Illfonic to really flex their creative muscles with kill animations. Freddy is known to have a dark sense of humor with his victims, especially when his powers take advantage of the darkest parts of their minds. Exploring this could lead to some truly wild kills and crazy moments, where mind-altering dream powers could be more exaggerated than anything a character like Jason Voorhees or Michael Meyers could ever do.

Chucky (Child's Play)

Wanna play with this doll?

Dolls and the horror genre go together very nicely, especially when it comes to terrifying people. There's something naturally creepy about a doll that is possessed by an evil spirit, especially when it can move around and chase people with a knife. This is why the Child's Play films were so successful, and why its villain, Chucky, became a modern day horror icon. Unfortunately, there haven't been any home console games developed based on the killer doll or his franchise. The only video games based on Chucky or the Child's Play series were mobile, and homebrew games made by various people, but nothing that ever tapped into the content of the series in the same way that other horror movie characters were adapted into games.

Could a Child's Play video game be successful if made in the same way that Illfonic makes their various horror games? While Chucky isn't as big or intimidating as someone like Jason or Michael Meyers, a game could still work with him if approached differently. Something that focuses more on stealth for the killer and ambushing players in smart ways would be more fitting for something like Child's Play, especially when that is a big part of the series in multiple films. Chucky is a soul trapped inside a doll, so he won't be as forceful with victims compared to other slashers in the genre. But he can take advantage of their carelessness, which opens them up for the kill.

Imagine controlling Chucky in a game where you have to hide from victims in an environment, and wait for the right moment to pounce on them. This can be something like hide-&-seek in a twisted way, almost similar to the game mode we see in a Call of Duty game, where players disguise themselves as objects until they are found. It's very fitting for something like Child's Play, which plays with the idea of playtime being dark and demented. Chucky could roam a home or factory with dolls to hide or blend in, staying hidden from players trying to get around until it's time to take someone out.

More horror to play with

With Illfonic bringing Halloween to consoles in 2026, gamers are going to get another classic horror icon to play with. Their previous games that followed a similar formula grabbed the attention of horror movie fans and gamers alike, leading to successful launches that did justice to the franchises they were adapting. And while the studio has already done a bunch of games that brought back classic horror franchises from the dead, there are still plenty of great ones around to mine for ideas and new game releases. The thrills and chills are far from being over, because there's so much more to get scared about.