Highlights
- August 2023 has multiple horror game releases, such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and console version of Phasmophobia.
- The horror game genre has already had a strong year in 2023 with hits like Dead Space remake and Resident Evil 4 remake.
- The upcoming horror game releases in August 2023 include Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare for PS4 and Switch, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle, and Phasmophobia for consoles.
August 2023 will see multiple new horror game releases, including The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and the console version of ghost hunting game Phasmophobia. August isn't usually known for its horror game releases, though August 2023 is clearly an exception to the rule.
2023 has already been an incredibly strong year for horror games. Things got started with the Dead Space remake, which earned a great deal of acclaim back in January. The Resident Evil 4 remake kept the ball rolling in March 2023, with the early access release of Sons of the Forest proving to be a smash hit as well. There are even more horror games to look forward to later in 2023, like Alone in the Dark and Alan Wake 2, but fans of the genre have some games to play in the more immediate future as well.
While it's possible some of the games could still get delayed, August 2023 is more stacked than usual when it comes to new horror game releases. The jury is still out on the quality of these games, so fans should keep that in mind, but anyone hurting for a new horror game to play should definitely keep the following horror games on their radar.
New Horror Game Releases for August 2023
- Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare (PS4/Switch) - August 17
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X) - August 18
- Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X) - August 30
- Phasmophobia (PS5/Xbox Series X) - TBA August 2023
This coming week will see two horror game releases. The first is on August 17 as Red Dead Redemption's horror-themed Undead Nightmare expansion will be made available to PS4 and Switch gamers. Bundled as part of the Red Dead Redemption re-release for those platforms, Undead Nightmare is an open world horror game that marries the Red Dead Redemption experience with a zombie apocalypse. Often pointed to as one of the best expansions of all time, Undead Nightmare is a must-play for zombie enthusiasts. The expansion will only be available to PS4 and Switch owners if they buy the expensive Red Dead Redemption re-release, though, so horror fans should keep that in mind.
A day after the Red Dead Redemption re-release drops, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game hits the market. Developed by Sumo Digital and published by Gun Interactive, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game is an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game where a team of killers, including the iconic Leatherface, try to kill a group of unlucky survivors. Primarily based on the original 1974 film, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game seems like it will especially appeal to fans of Dead by Daylight or anyone that's still upset that Friday the 13th: The Game is being shut down. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a multiplayer-only game, and so it remains to be seen if it will have the ability to maintain a dedicated audience long-term, but fans will find out when it launches on August 18.
It's also worth pointing out that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game will be available on Xbox Game Pass. Anyone on the fence about it should certainly consider giving it a shot through Microsoft's subscription service, as they can access all its content without actually buying the game.
The return of Undead Nightmare and the launch of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre should make this coming week an especially exciting one for horror game fans, but there's even more to look forward to later in the month. On August 30, horror game fans can try Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle, an indie horror game that takes inspiration from the Resident Evil franchise. Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle is a prequel to Daymare: 1998, which admittedly earned mixed reviews at the time of its release in 2019. Horror game fans may be more skeptical about Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle thanks to the mixed reaction that Daymare: 1998 received, but it will be interesting to see if the new game addresses complaints about the original and delivers a more compelling horror game experience.
And finally, the hugely popular ghost-hunting horror game Phasmophobia is finally coming to consoles this month. An early access version of Phasmophobia is scheduled to drop on PS5 and Xbox Series X at some point before August is over, though it still lacks an official release date at the time of this writing. Phasmophobia's PC release has been hugely successful, so one has to imagine that the game will prove quite popular on consoles as well. Hopefully a specific release date is announced sooner rather than later so horror game fans can mark their calendars accordingly.
If the new horror games for August 2023 live up to the hype, then this month will be one to remember for fans of the genre. And if anyone is disappointed by the new horror game releases for August 2023, they still have many more new horror games to look forward to in the months ahead, like the previously mentioned Alan Wake 2 and Alone in the Dark re-imagining.