Ask any horror fan worth their salt to rhyme off their favorite locations from film history and you’ll likely encounter a spine-chilling concoction of answers that includes the Overlook Hotel, the USCSS Nostromo, and the Evans City Cemetery from George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead .
But there’s another iconic locale that has stalked our nightmares ever since Mrs. Voorhees first drew blood in 1980, and that’s Camp Crystal Lake. Known affectionally as Camp Blood among the franchise’s impassioned fanbase, this is a summer camp that has achieved notoriety through countless murders and care-free teens, where nightmare fuel festers amongst the shrubbery of a quaint and, crucially, isolated forest.
And though it initially began life as Slasher Vol 1: Summer Camp before Gun Media gained access to the license, Friday the 13th: The Game is all set to take a deep dive into one of cinema’s time-honored franchises, resurrecting Jason Voorhees in the process. It’s important to stress that only the multiplayer portion of Gun Media’s horror title is launching later this week, with the single-player experience due out this summer . Stay tuned for more on that one.
So, you’re ready to venture forth into the unknown? Not so fast! In anticipation of its launch on May 26, we’ve scoured the four corners of the internet — and the PSLS archives — to compile all the necessary information you could ever need pertaining to Gun Media’s licensed title.
Essential Reading:
Friday the 13th info dump
Friday the 13th: The Game - EYNTK
Camp Crystal Lake and its many horrors await, but are you ready?
What is Friday the 13th: The Game?
It's the licensed horror title from Gun Media and Illfonic that mines inspiration from one of the most well-known horror franchises in cinema.
Per Gun Media, Friday the 13th: The Game is best described as "a third-person horror, survival game where players take on the role of a teen counselor, or for the first time ever, Jason Voorhees. You and six other unlucky souls will do everything possible to escape and survive while the most well-known killer in the world tracks you down and brutally slaughters you."
What's the Story?
Gun Media is yet to disclose concrete details regarding that single-player component. What we do know is that May 26 heralds the multiplayer portion, with the full, comprehensive experience expected to launch sometime this summer.
Here's a refresher:
"For the first time since 1989, you have the opportunity to help bring a Friday the 13th video game to life! Stalk camp counselors across Crystal Lake as Jason Voorhees, or assume the role of a helpless camper and attempt to survive the night. Come be a part of this incredible moment in video game and horror history! We definitely can't do it without you."
How Does it Play?
As we alluded to before, this is a third-person horror experience, with the multiplayer taking the form of a 1v7 experience. That means one player will assume the role of Jason. Eek!
"The entire focus of Friday the 13th: The Game is multiplayer. Survival is entirely up to you as you either stealthily hide from Jason or work together as a team to escape. Think you can take Jason on? You and the other counselors will have that chance as well. Be warned though, nothing is ever certain and no one is ever safe!"
A Kickstarter Darling
Two years ago , Gun Media officially launched its Kickstarter campaign for Friday the 13th: The Game — just in time for Halloween, too.
Setting its sights on $700,000, the campaign managed to raise $823,704.
"This has been a rollercoaster ride from the start. From announcing Summer Camp, to becoming the official Friday the 13th game, and now we have the backing of a legion of fans? To say I’m excited would be putting it lightly. I’m downright ecstatic!
"This is a game that pairs well with me like fine wine and a steak or a dead body and a tight crawl space. I’m extremely honored to be working on this game and I can’t wait to show everyone how awesome this game truly is. Anyone and everyone who calls themselves a fan of the horror genre will enjoy this game. The weaker minds? Well, they may need to sleep with the lights on for a while…"
A Storied Development
Birthed under the title Slasher Vol.1: Summer Camp , here Gun Media reflects on the moment its horror title became Friday the 13th: The Game :
"Sean came to us in early 2015, but we quickly discovered these weren’t the normal business conversations you would have when you try to secure a license as important as Friday the 13th. It was totally different. It was a conversation built on mutual admiration and respect for what each had created. Sean immediately noticed the passion we had for Friday the 13th, and after several incredible meetings over the next few months, we decided to upgrade our plans for Summer Camp and embrace the Friday the 13th video game license.
"After several incredible meetings over the next few months, Sean surprised us by offering the Friday the 13th video game license. It was literally a dream come true for a group of lifelong fans. He knew he could trust us with the most coveted horror IP ever, and we plan to make good on that promise to both him and you, the millions of loyal Friday the 13th fans around the world."
Multiplayer Only…For Now
Late last month, Gun Media finally announced a firm release date for its nerve-shredding horror title — albeit with one caveat. Friday the 13th's single-player won't be with us until later this summer.
"The game will launch with multiplayer-only game play allowing players for the very first time to take on the role of Jason Voorhees in his various incarnations throughout the storied franchise spanning three decades! This 1v7 asymmetric multiplayer title will pit Jason against seven counselors as they try to survive in three maps spanning Camp Crystal Lake, Higgins Haven and Packanack Lodge."
Camp Crystal Lake
It's a name that ought to send chills down the spine, and sure enough, Gun Media is engineering Camp Crystal Lake in such a way that you'll likely be sleeping with the lights on for a long, long time.
"Mirroring Camp Crystal Lake from the Friday the 13th series, players will try to survive in a camp ground setting. Complete with a lake, cabins, and crazed killer who won’t stop until you die a gruesome death."
The Cast
Not unlike Supermassive's Until Dawn — itself loosely inspired on Hollywood's slasher horror genre — the core cast of Friday the 13th is a melting pot of stereotypes and one unhinged psychopath who lurks in the shadows. IMDb has credited the likes of Kane Hodder (Jason Voorhees), Marisha Ray (A.J. Mason), Cherami Leigh (Tiffany Cox), Kristina Klebe (Jenny Myers), Cristina Valenzuela (Deborah Kim), and Ben Diskin (Chad Kensington/Eric Lachappa) with voice roles in the game.
Lovingly Crafted
Gun Media has continually stressed its desire to create a game worthy of the Friday the 13th moniker. It's a tall order, of course, but all signs point to a competent and, perhaps most important of all, thrilling experience.
"Every aspect of Friday the 13th: The Game is drawn straight from movies you know and love. We’ve carefully crafted this world to remind you of everything you remember about Friday the 13th, right down to the visual fidelity of the 80s. This is exactly how you remember it."
Priced at $40
Slated for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Gun Media has confirmed that Friday the 13th: The Game will set you back $40 at launch .
Steeped in the Franchise's DNA
Not only does Friday the 13th herald the return of Jason, Gun Media has also rendered three maps in the form of Camp Crystal Lake, Higgins Haven and Packanack Lodge.
"Mirroring Camp Crystal Lake from the Friday the 13th series, players will try to survive in a camp ground setting. Complete with a lake, cabins, and crazed killer who won’t stop until you die a gruesome death."
A Long Time Coming
Once slated for fall 2016, Friday the 13th: The Game has spent a little longer in the oven than many had anticipated.
Its latest delay, for instance, signalled the addition of a single-player mode.
"The first thing people are going to read here is ‘delay.’ We want everyone to be assured that coming to our decision to delay was no easy matter, but we believe that the positives far outweigh the negatives. We’ve been reading day in and day out on our social media feeds that single player and Tommy Jarvis were in such a demand that we couldn’t ignore our fans. After securing funding, we’re here to tell you that it is a reality and we’re making this game even bigger. It sucks that there’s a delay, but the wait won’t be too long and it’s going to offer more for fans in the long-run!"
Extended Gameplay
Curious to take a look at Friday the 13th in action? We've got you covered .
The Many Masks of Jason
He's the unrelenting devil that stalks the shadows of Camp Crystal Lake, and in Friday the 13th: The Game , you'll be able to don that iconic hockey mask yourself.
Be it the costumes from Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan or Friday the 13th Part 9: Jason Goes to Hell , long-time horror fans will be pleased to note that Friday the 13th: The Game comes packing a raft of models, all lovingly designed by franchise stalwart Tom Savini.
No Console Pre-Orders, But the Game is 3.5GB
Per Gun Media , there won't be any console pre-orders for Friday the 13th: The Game .
No Censorship — Not Even in Germany
Per Twitter, Gun Media confirmed: "If you are in Germany, we have good news! We just got final confirmation of our rating at USK18+. The game will in no way be censored!"
Digital Only at Launch, But a Retail Version is Coming
Taking to Twitter , the studio also confirmed that Friday the 13th will be "digital only at launch via XBL Marketplace, PSN and Steam. Physical copies will happen after launch, stay tuned!"
ESRB Rating
It's official: Friday the 13th: The Game has been rated M for Mature, with the classification citing "intense violence, blood and gore, suggestible themes and strong language." And really, we wouldn't have it any other way.
Our Final Verdict
Ahmed Mohamed will be taking point for PSLS. Look for his review of Gun Media's slasher horror to hit the site over the coming days.