Clive Barker's Hellraiser New Release Announced For 2027
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser has always sat in a particularly twisted corner of the horror genre, introducing audiences to the iconic Pinhead, the Cenobites, and a nightmarish universe unlike anything else out there. Unfortunately, the franchise has been more miss than hit over the years, with several disappointing sequels and a divisive 2022 Hulu reboot that left some fans concerned about its future.
Thankfully, Hellraiser is officially making a comeback, thanks in large part to the recent success of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival. Released earlier this month, the survival horror game has been a massive hit with players and critics alike, earning overwhelmingly favorable reviews on Steam and proving there’s still plenty of appetite for Barker’s disturbing vision of horror. In fact, I gave the game an 8/10 rating for Screen Rant, and appreciated how it returned to the franchise’s roots.
With Hellraiser‘s 40th anniversary approaching in 2027, things are only getting more exciting. Barker is now involved in a major new Hellraiser RPG, one that promises to explore previously unseen corners of his terrifying universe.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser is officially expanding with several new projects, with Salt Entertainment announcing multiple new adaptations of the iconic horror franchise. Perhaps the most exciting is a full-fledged tabletop RPG that will allow players to create their own stories within Barker’s terrifying universe, exploring its twisted mythology in ways the films haven’t previously attempted.
The upcoming RPG will be designed and written by Francesco Nepitello, best known for co-designing The One Ring tabletop RPG, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Nepitello also helped create the acclaimed War of the Ring strategy board game and has decades of experience adapting established fictional universes into tabletop experiences, including work on Dune: War for Arrakis.
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According to the announcement, the Hellraiser RPG will focus on themes of temptation, desire, consequences, and the terrifying mysteries beyond the human world. Specific gameplay mechanics remain under wraps, although Nepitello revealed that creating a horror RPG has been a longtime ambition.
“I wanted to design a horror roleplaying game for years. Getting to do it with Hellraiser is incredibly exciting. Its blend of dread, desire and forbidden knowledge offers so much to explore at the gaming table. I can’t wait to open the box with the players.” – Franceso Nepitello via IGN
“I wanted to design a horror roleplaying game for years. Getting to do it with Hellraiser is incredibly exciting. Its blend of dread, desire and forbidden knowledge offers so much to explore at the gaming table. I can’t wait to open the box with the players.” – Franceso Nepitello via IGN
Another detail that makes this especially exciting is Clive Barker’s direct involvement in the project. Salt Entertainment president Geoff Skinner confirmed that Barker is approving the material and guiding its creative direction. The development team is also drawing inspiration from both the films and Barker’s original novella, The Hellbound Heart, potentially allowing the RPG to explore elements of the franchise’s mythology that haven’t received much attention elsewhere.
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The RPG is just one of three major tabletop projects currently in development. The others include:
- Hellraiser: Puzzle of Flesh: A dice-based, push-your-luck game from designer Travis Chance, featuring escape-room and social-deduction elements. Its packaging recreates the iconic Lament Configuration puzzle box and doubles as a dice tumbler.
- An untitled Hellraiser board game: Designed by Michael Shinall, whose previous credits include Bloodborne: The Board Game, Marvel Zombies, and A Song of Ice & Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game. Specific gameplay details haven’t been revealed.
The first releases are planned for Halloween 2027, coinciding with the original film’s 40th anniversary. However, it’s currently unclear whether Nepitello’s RPG will launch alongside Puzzle of Flesh or arrive sometime afterward. More information about all three Hellraiser projects is expected in the coming months.
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