Today, we are incredibly excited to release our first Quality of Life update for Halloween: The Game. Patch 1.1.0 was built around community feedback and delivering on our promises of improving the overall experience for our players. This update is bursting with a huge number of bug and crash fixes, optimization enhancements, meaningful balance changes, gameplay improvements, and more! 

While we are thrilled about our first major content drop coming later this month, addressing the issues impacting our current players remains a key priority for the team. Patch 1.1.0 demonstrates our commitments to Halloween: The Game and our amazing community. Thanks so much for playing! 

Crash Fixes and Optimization

Our first Quality of Life update features a variety of crash fixes and refinements to performance and optimization. We are continuing to monitor opportunities for additional performance gains with future updates, but players should notice improvements across all platforms with 1.1.0.  

Performance Improvements

• Added support for DLSS-G

• Shaders now precompile at startup on PC

• Improved performance when using DLSS, FSR and XeSS

• Improved CPU and GPU performance across all maps

• Improved Xbox Series S stability

Crash Fixes

• Fixed several crashes affecting players using specific AMD hardware

• Fixed several crashes that occurred during Story Mode

• Fixed several crashes that occurred during Execution cinematics

• Fixed crashes that could occur when using Quick Resume on Xbox Series X|S

• Added a “Graphic Card Not Supported” message for users on hardware below minimum specs

• Various other crash fixes

Match Pacing Adjustments

Our team has been closely monitoring match pacing as players have become more familiar with the core gameplay loop of Halloween: The Game. Today’s update includes a series of focused adjustments designed to minimize objective rushing and slow down overall match pacing for both Michael and Civilian players. We’re discussing additional tuning opportunities in this regard, but the following changes are designed to increase tension and encourage deeper strategy. 

Escapes and Escape Items Adjustments

In many instances, the Storm Cellar Escapes were simply too reliable, which led players to prioritize these escape routes over others. In an effort to adjust early match pacing we are making Storm Cellars more challenging to open while also introducing some adjustments to Escape Discovery Distance. 

• Discovery Distance for Escapes now scales with match time, increasing as matches progress

• Reduced the amount of Bolt Cutters, Gas Cans, and Escape Keys that spawn in a match

• Made adjustments to Escape Item spawn locations to reduce instances where multiple may appear in close proximity

• Reduced the Storm Cellar Escape Capacity

• Reduced the Gate Escape Capacity

• Increased the amount of Fuses that spawn in a match

• Increased the minimum amount of Escape Blockers that may appear on Storm Cellars

• Increased the amount of time required to Clear Overgrowth

Bloodthirst Tuning

To further address issues regarding rapid match pacing, we are also tweaking the amount of Bloodthirst required to gain Bloodthirst levels as Michael. Stalking and performing Executions will now feel far more impactful to overall Bloodthirst gains compared to simply racking up basic kills as fast as possible. 

• Increased Bloodthirst required for each Bloodthirst level

• Increased Bloodthirst gained from Stalking and Executions

• Increased Bloodthirst gained from a successful Grabs and attacks

Shape Jump Adjustments 

• Reduced Shape Jump visibility range at Bloodthirst levels 1 and below

• Reduced Shape Jump movement speed at Bloodthirst levels 2 and below

• Increased Shape Dash movement speed

Slashing/Stun Lock Adjustments

Our team continues to monitor the dynamics of melee combat and various stunt interactions in Halloween: The Game. We want to ensure that melee combat feels reliable for both Michael and Civilians but we’ve also identified instances where Civilian players feel they don’t have the proper agency to counter incoming attacks. We’ve made further tuning to prevent instances where players are “locked” in repeated stun states. 

• Increased Civilian Stagger and Stumble cooldown from being hit by a melee attack

• Increased the delay between the initial strike of attack combos for the Hatchet and Meat Cleaver to prevent players from repeatedly using the initial attack instead of continuing the combo

• Reduced damage increase from Bloodthirst tier 2 and 3

• Reduced attack speed increase from Bloodthirst tier 2 and 3

• Reduced the duration of the slow applied when taking melee damage 

• Reduced the amount of slow applied when taking melee damage 

• Increased the effect of the brief movement speed buff gained when taking melee damage

Late Game QoL

Late game hunting can be challenging for Michael, especially when targets are inside Hiding Spots. We’ve made a few changes to Stalking to streamline the end of match experience and help Michael players clean up those remaining Residents and Special Targets.

• Residents, Special Targets, and Civilians now become Stalked if they are in a Hiding Spot during the final 60 seconds of a match

• Residents and Special Targets now become Stalked if Michael receives the objective to “Finish Off Haddonfield”

• Stalked targets are now visible in Hiding Spots when either of the above criteria are met

General

• Added 1 New Context Execution

• Enabled volumetric fog on Xbox Series S

• Passive Challenges no longer appear as locked after Prestiging 

• Police vehicles now push aside obstacles upon entering the map until reaching their destination

• NPCs are now able to reload flashlights

• Increased damage for Kitchen Knife light attacks

• Increased headshot damage for thrown piercing items and weapons (Pitchfork, Lawn Dart, Etc)

• Made improvements to address the difficulty of completing various Passive, Progressive, and Story Mode challenges

• Made improvements to NPC navigation and behavior

• Made improvements to NPC Police navigation and behavior while searching

• Made improvements to the animations for various Context Executions

• Made improvements to various environments, animations, cinematics, and NPC behavior across all Story Mode Chapters

• Fixed several issues where certain Progressive Challenges were not tracking properly

• Fixed an issue preventing the Purely and Simply Evil Trophy from tracking properly

• Fixed an issue where doors would sometimes be displayed with the incorrect door destruction state for Players if they were a client

• Fixed an issue where the Car collision SFX would play repeatedly when colliding with a player

• Fixed an issue where the Login Screen was not playing the Halloween music

• Fixed an issue where the Lawn Dart was not destroyed after breaking 

• Fixed an issue where throwing certain items would cause them to be thrown in the wrong direction if something was obstructing the player’s camera

Civilians

• Added an animation for Escaping via the Police Wagon

• CB Radio activation timer now scales with match time

• Civilians no longer need to hold the interaction button to remain in the Car Repair Minigame

• Enabled VOIP facial animation in pre-match lobbies and AAR screens

• Interactions are no longer interrupted when the Civilian player is startled

• Perk Cards granted by spectators are now properly displayed in the tab menu

• Players respawning as a Cop are now able to interact with Residents

• Pocket Knife Struggle minigame difficulty now scales with Stalk tiers and Bloodthirst levels

• The Car Repair minigame now speeds up with each consecutive success. Speed resets upon failure

• Increased Civilian stamina consumption while sprinting

• Increased effectiveness of the Bleed status effect

• Increased Fall Damage taken when falling from higher heights

• Reduced force output (shoving, meleeing, etc.) when exhausted

• Reduced the effect of the Flare Gun on increasing Police Presence

• Made improvements to various Civilian animations and interactions

• Made improvements to the camera while driving or riding in a vehicle

• Fixed several issues that were causing Civilian models or clothing to not display properly during Executions

• Fixed an issue where Civilian players could break another Civilian player’s Ancient Amulet 

• Fixed an issue where Civilian players were able to interrupt other Civilian player’s conversations

• Fixed an issue where players could briefly witness another player’s cinematic camera during an Execution

• Fixed an issue where players could sometimes get teleported back to the bike when escaping a Grab after being Grabbed off the bike

• Fixed an issue where players in a vehicle could become invisible for themselves or spectators

• Fixed an issue where cars could still be driven while a car execution is being performed

• Fixed an issue where Elusory (Tier 1) Perk Card was not applying the correct values

• Fixed an issue where the Voice of Reason perk was not being displayed or applied correctly

• Fixed an issue where Spectators could not give Perk Cards to players riding a vehicle

• Fixed an issue where being knocked off the bike would not play the correct animation

• Fixed an issue where the player’s own VOIP facial animations were not displaying for themselves

• Fixed an issue where players could no longer emote after certain interactions 

Killer

• Michael now becomes more resistant to repeated shoves from the same Civilian within a short period of time

• Shadow Strike now affects Civilian players on bicycles and in vehicles

• Shape Mine now affects Civilian players on bicycles and in vehicles

• Increased Michael’s damage against targets at Stalk Tiers 2 and 3

• Reduced range for Downed Executions

• Reduced the duration of the stun Michael receives after being countered by a Pocket Knife

• Made Improvements to the Execution spacing detection to reduce the instances where Michael is unable to perform certain executions even when there is enough space

• Made improvements to various Michael animations and interactions

• Fixed an issue where the Grab lunge distance could sometimes fail under certain conditions

• Fixed an issue where Finisher Executions could not be performed on Cops

• Fixed an issue where Michael could be Blinded or Disoriented while in a Hiding Spot

• Fixed an issue where Michael could perform an execution on a dead body

• Fixed an issue where Michael could still use Shadow Strike while incapacitated

• Fixed an issue where the Stalk Markers duration was not properly scaling with Stalk Tiers

Maps

• Polished environments, lighting, and set dressing across all maps

• Stalk line of sight improvements in various locations

• Increased the amount of Pop that spawn in a match

• Reduced the amount of First Aid Kits that spawn in a match

• Made adjustments to the spawn locations for Civilians on East Haddonfield and Orange Grove Estates

• Made adjustments to the spawn locations for Michael on East Haddonfield and Orange Grove Estates

• Made adjustments to the spawn locations for Special Targets across all maps

• Made adjustments to several locations to improve player navigation

• Made adjustments to objects in several locations to prevent the player from becoming stuck when interacting with certain Hiding Spots

• Made adjustments to objects in several locations that prevented the player from interacting with certain Hiding Spots

• Made adjustments to objects in several locations to prevent the object from getting in the way of Escape interactions

• Made adjustments to objects in several locations to address an issue where certain items could not be picked up

• Made adjustments to Pocket Knife and Mysterious Item spawn locations to reduce instances where multiple may appear in close proximity

• Made adjustments to ammo spawns to prevent single bullet pickups

• Made adjustments to various Context Execution locations for proper cinematic placement

• Fixed an issue where CB Radio spawns were not randomized on East Haddonfield

• Fixed an issue where lights and switches could sometimes be desynced

• Fixed an issue where players could become stuck inside certain Escapes

• Fixed an issue where the Overgrowth for the Gate Escape would sometimes not disappear after being cleared

UI

• Added a “Clear Unlocks” button in the Extras menu for clearing new reward notifications 

• Added a "Restart Required!" message for when a setting requires the game to restart instead of automatically closing the game

• Added an indicator when opening the map to make it easier for players to find their own location on the map

• Added an option to toggle Spectator Minigames

• Michael's map icon now rotates with the camera instead of the direction Michael is facing

• Perk Roll progress is now passively gained while the Spectator Minigame is toggled off

• Players are now also able to see the vehicle escape icon while in the vehicle as a passenger

• Story Mode Challenges now display a notification when failing a challenge

• The AAR now displays the amount of Perk Points you gained from the match

• Total Perk Points are now displayed on the main menu

• Updated various map icons, item icons, minigame icons, and status effect icons

• Various UI improvements and fixes for menus, objectives, notifications, and HUD elements

• Fixed an issue where the vehicle escape icon would not appear for players driving a cop car

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