The Final Bow of a Cult Classic: Remembering Friday the 13th: The Game as It Fades into Obscurity

Friday the thirteenth: The Game has officially concluded its online service, and since enthusiasts anticipated this moment, they had the opportunity to give the survival horror multiplayer a proper farewell – one that included bikinis and such.

Although Friday the thirteenth was removed from marketplaces in 2023, players who already owned the game had access to it until the very end of New Year’s Eve 2024. So, instead of rehearsing their midnight kisses, fans chose to wear their most entertaining dance emotes and groove during a somber Camp Crystal Lake.

It has been a challenging journey for Friday the thirteenth: The Game. It thrived in building a loyal fanbase upon its launch in 2017, but creator Victor Miller’s legal battle over copyright ultimately stifled its ability to release new content. Then, in 2020, Friday the thirteenth closed its servers, restricting matchmaking to local connections. This ultimately led to the game’s permanent shutdown on December 31, 2024.

The iconic hockey mask-wearing killer Jason and his victims shared their farewells at the conclusion of an era, taking celebratory photos and solemnly dancing in their cabin’s living room. Some players managed to enjoy a few last matches – in the asymmetrical game, a group of counselors tries to defeat Jason before he eliminates them – while others continued to dance in their swimsuits until their screens went black.

“What I would give for one more hour,” one player lamented on Reddit.

“That 12:01 cutoff hit like a ton of bricks for many long-time players,” concurred another fan. “My only hope is that someday we see a new game for Jason that’s similar to this. […] If done correctly, it could be something truly remarkable. But it’ll never match the special moments we had.”

Weeks before it ends for good, Friday the thirteenth: The Game remains surprisingly active – it’s the most enjoyable I’ve had with a multiplayer horror game all year.