Developer IllFonic has quietly removed a controversial closet interaction from Halloween: The Game following early access weekend. The video game adaptation of the iconic slasher franchise hit headlines after a gameplay clip went viral, showing older psychiatrist Samuel Loomis participating in a button-mashing mechanic with a teenage civilian.
The Viral Closet Minigame Mechanics
Image: Dstrike
Players who purchased the Halloween Deluxe Edition gained early access ahead of the September 8 launch. During sessions, players discovered that hiding in a closet with another user triggered a prompt to ask them out. Successfully completing a button-mashing sequence filled a heart meter and granted both characters the Stronger Together buff while characters grunted in the background.
A viral video posted to social media showed Dr. Samuel Loomis—based on the likeness of the late Donald Pleasence—entering a closet with 17-year-old civilian Lynda. The interaction immediately drew widespread attention and raised questions regarding character pairings.
IllFonic Confirms Major Oversight and Hotfix Removal
Players may have noticed that our latest hotfix removed the Two-Person Power-Up minigame. This was due to an unintended issue that allowed endgame reinforcement characters to engage with the minigame, a major oversight on our part.
We have more content and… (1/2)
— IllFonic (@IllFonic) September 6, 2026
IllFonic rolled out an immediate hotfix over the weekend, pulling the Two-Person Power-Up minigame without initial mention in the patch notes. The studio subsequently issued a statement to confirm the removal.
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‘Players may have noticed that our latest hotfix removed the Two-Person Power-Up minigame,’ IllFonic stated. ‘This was due to an unintended issue that allowed end game reinforcement characters to engage with the minigame, which was a major oversight on our part. We have more content and minigames coming in the near future but current focus is our attention on immediate game needs.’
Despite the studio’s swift action, community response has been mixed. Some early access players voiced disappointment on community forums, jokingly calling for the feature to be brought back with restrictions specifically targeting characters like Loomis rather than scrapping the mechanic entirely.
