Halloween vs Dead By Daylight comparison makes no sense
As the spooky season kicks off, the gaming world is buzzing with new asymmetrical horror experiences. This year, Halloween: The Game has arrived, but like every new entry into the genre, it immediately draws comparisons to the decade-long titan of the genre, Dead by Daylight.
This comparison, while easy to draw, often misses the point entirely. Illfonic chief creative officer Jared Gerritzen argues that equating the two is like comparing cricket to baseball—it’s a simplistic visual similarity that hides profound differences. “It’s literally cricket versus baseball,” Gerritzen explained during a recent call. “It’s so easy to see an image of cricket and say it’s exactly like baseball; it’s like, really, is it? No, it’s not. Like, here are all these differences.”
The core of the argument rests on the idea that games built bespoke for a specific franchise offer a unique kind of horror immersion that generic comparisons can’t capture. Illfonic’s philosophy is clear: they create experiences designed specifically for devoted fans of a particular monster or film. “We make a game bespoke for that franchise, for that group of horror fans, and for the people who love that monster,” Gerritzen noted.
Gerritzen suggests that other games, while having their own merits, are too different to directly compare. He posits that the true joy comes from creating something purely focused on the theme. “How could you not want something that is built purely for Halloween? If you’re a horror fan, you should consume everything,” he stated, suggesting that the best experience comes from embracing the full spectrum of horror media, rather than focusing on one specific title.
The goal, according to the developers, is to put the player inside the world they love. Instead of simply using a character as a playable figure, they aim to construct the setting itself. “We don’t want to make it [only] playable. We want to make it Haddonfield. We want to make it Michael Myers. We want to make Michael’s abilities and put all these characters that were beloved into it,” he elaborated.
This commitment to deep, character-driven world-building is backed by a strong track record. Illfonic has a history of publishing successful horror games across various IPs, including Friday the 13th, Predator: Hunting Grounds, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space.
Despite the genre’s intense focus on player counts, the team’s history proves they are not afraid to push boundaries. When asked about the fear of the genre shutting down, Gerritzen highlighted the unique stability of their studio. “How many Illfonic-published games [have shut down]?” he asked rhetorically. The answer is none. While some projects faced rights issues, the team has continued to develop and maintain titles in this genre today, showing that they are focused on creating lasting experiences rather than chasing ephemeral trends.
For players who love horror, the focus should be on the passion behind the IP. By creating experiences tailored to the specific love for a movie or monster, developers can deliver something truly amazing, proving that devotion to a franchise can create a unique, unforgettable horror world.
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