Jason Voorhees will make his way onto PC and consoles after Adam Sessler revealed Friday the 13th: The Game via Kickstarter.
Developed by Gun Media, Friday the 13th the game will feature asymmetrical gameplay where one player controls Jason Voorhees as he hunts down seven user-controlled camp counselors in the “semi-open world of Camp Crystal Lake.” Fans of the classic horror franchise have been promised “no shaky cam, no found footage,” according to the developers. “We want you to know we’re revitalizing the golden era of slashers, and putting you at the controls of each horrific, blood-splattered moment.”
Gun Media recognizes the stigma behind asymmetrical multiplayer, but is reassuring fans that overcoming that stigma is the focus behind the gameplay. “We’ve dedicated an incredible amount of time to balancing out counselor vs. Jason scenarios to ensure fans are every bit as excited by the possibility of slaying jocks, nerds, and cheerleaders as Jason Voorhees, while simultaneously giving you that sense of challenge and fear from being a counselor,” the studio says.
The game is actually an adaptation of Slasher Vol. 1: Summer Camp that was modified after franchise creator Sean Cunningham reached out to Gun Media.
“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,” the developers said “After several incredible meetings over the next few months, Sean surprised us by offering the Friday the 13th video game license.”
So why Kickstarter and not a traditional publisher? The developers explain that going through a publisher may limit their ability to implement the blood, gore, and nudity they have deemed necessary to capture the Friday the 13th experience. They said, “We wanted to make certain that this game delivers the same kind of fun, brutal scares and creative kills that the franchise is known for and didn’t want to risk having to tell our story with a “T” for Teen rating.”
The page teases that while the game was conceived solely with multiplayer in mind, the possibility of adding a single-player mode that allows the player to experience the story through Jason’s eyes exists if the campaign can raise enough money. VR implementation is also being considered if funding allows.
The campaign is asking for $700,000 to fund the game, with stretch goals to be announced upon meeting that goal. As for now, the game is scheduled to launch in October 2016 with backers able to secure a digital copy of the game for $25.