Last Updated on Sep 8, 2026 @ 15:22:49 PM.
Hellraiser: Revival is the latest video game licensed IP to be releasing in 2026, hot on the heels of Halloween: The Game and before SAW: Genesis, both of which are asymmetrical escape-based games. Hellraiser: Revival, on the other hand, is anything but. A singleplayer adventure where you delve into the depths of hell to rescue your partner after she’s kidnapped by Pinhead and the Cenobites, there’s barely any escape, and a lot of discomfort, graphic violence, drug use and nudity. You’re be forgiven for wondering if Hellraiser: Revival will suffer a similar fate to many other games, in that it’ll be banned in countries across the world. Well, it turns out that this was a goal of the developers when setting out to make the game, albeit, somewhat of a joke goal.
Talking to me at Gamescom 2026, Game Director Emil Esov and Narrative Director Antony de Fault chatted about various bits and pieces about the upcoming horror game, including their wishlist for future licensed IPs, and whether they worried at any point about ‘going too far’ and not getting rated as a result. De Fault said:
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“Well, really, the goal was to fail to get rated in at least one place. So we knew we had to push the limits in a purposeful way, like not just for shock value, but in order to allow the player to explore some stuff that they might not be able to explore in other games. So we knew we needed to push it. And we always had in the back of our minds that if we’ve done this correctly, there will be a minimum of one territory that we don’t get rated in.“
Considering the tone and content of any Hellraiser release, be it film, tv, video game and so on, it’s not surprising that the developers at Saber expected some sort of pushback from one ratings board or another. Using it as fuel to ensure they got the IP right with Hellraiser: Revival is a unique way of looking at things, and one that seemingly worked, after my time with the game. De Fault continued on, explaining one moment that had to be changed for justifiable reasons.
“I don’t think we ever went too far because we were very purposeful. We always knew why we were doing any of the moments that we were doing in the game, so we didn’t really go too far. There was only one situation that comes to mind when I’m asked this question, which is about there was one scene that’s like a consensual mutilation scene. And in early versions of it, we failed to communicate the consensual nature. So when players played it, they were quite disturbed by that.“
Disturbing players is par for the course in a game like Hellraiser: Revival, as the two Directors said to me at the time during our chat. They want and need players to be uncomfortable during their playtime, if they expect to get the atmosphere right. However, what’s discussed above is being disturbed for an entirely different reason, and not necessarily in the spirit of the IP, so ratings boards almost certainly would have had an issue with it.
As of now, as far as we’re aware, Hellraiser: Revival is yet to be banned anywhere, but whether that stays the same as we grow closer to release is another matter.
Hellraiser: Revival is set to release on October 8th, 2026, for PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC.
For your next read, check out our preview of Hello Sunshine, or some tips and tricks you’ll need before jumping into Onimusha: Way of the Sword.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
