2026 Halloween horror video game promotions

During the 2026 Halloween season, several digital storefronts launched promotions centered on horror-themed video games.

Valve initiated the Steam Scream Fest V, a week-long sale running from October 26 through November 2, 2026. This event coincided with new releases and updates, including the digital restoration of the classic survival horror games Ecstatica and Ecstatica 2, and a public playtest update for the indie title LAG KILLS.

In anticipation of the Steam event, developer Brian Clarke, known for ‘The Mortuary Assistant’, released ‘Playable Archive’ as a free experience on Steam. Developed by DarkStone Digital and published by DreadXP, the project serves to preserve content from the cancelled horror game ‘Paranormal Activity: Threshold’. Utilizing a ‘found footage’ aesthetic, the experience follows a couple in New England encountering paranormal phenomena. While the full game will not be completed, the release is intended as a tribute to the work performed and a gift to fans.

Simultaneously, Fanatical introduced the ‘Build Your Own Frightmare Bundle’. This promotion allows customers to select varying numbers of titles from a pool of 14 horror games and collections, including The Evil Within series, Prey Digital Deluxe, and the TurnVex Horror Collection. The bundle remains available through November 26, 2026.