Halloween: The Game is set to launch digitally across all major consoles and PC on September 8, 2026, and physically on October 6, 2026. The developer IllFonic confirmed over the weekend that the game will not launch in Australia and New Zealand.
On August 9, 2026, the developer posted a 15-second promotional video on X with the caption, “Evil comes home in 30 days… Prepare to save or slaughter the residents of Haddonfield when Halloween: The Game launches on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC on September 8, 2026.”
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The post has attracted over 100 comments at the time of writing. One comment from @Harty_Hearts expressed concern that they couldn’t find the game on PS5. In response, the developer confirmed that the game was denied a rating by the Australian Classifications Board.
Halloween The Game playable civilians
“Despite every effort on our part, the Australian Classifications Board has denied ‘Halloween: The Game’ a rating,” the developer said.
“The denial was not based on the presence of the iconic slasher, Michael Myers, or the outstanding kills that can be performed in the game, but rather the presence of a controlled substance. Unfortunately, to our disappointment (and certainly yours) this means that we cannot sell the physical or digital product in both Australia and New Zealand.”
What is the “substance” of concern in Halloween: The Game?
Multiple reports have suggested that the “substance” referenced by the studio is cannabis. In Halloween: The Game, the use of the substance grants players controlling Michael Myers a gameplay buff. This detail has not been publicly confirmed by IllFonic.
The only alternative for IllFonic to sidestep the ban is to alter the game—if not for everyone, at least for the copies that will be sold in Australia and New Zealand. However, it is unclear if the developer will have the incentive to do so.
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This is not the first time that Australia’s classification board has refused to rate a game over the depiction of illicit drugs and violence. In 2024, the board refused to classify Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact due to “implied sexual violence”.
Do you think ACB’s refusal of Halloween: The Game classification for cannabis portrayal is justified, or is it a little too harsh? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
