Independent horror deserves an audience, and Haunted House FearFest is giving filmmakers and game developers a virtual place to find one. Running October 5 through 31, the year-round horror festival is bringing together more than 40 selections from creators around the world, with films, games, and conversations available to horror fans from home.
Unlike traditional festivals that require travel, parking and a ticket at the door, Haunted House FearFest lets audiences explore its lineup online. The festival does charge for film screenings, with individual titles priced at $4 and a full festival pass available for $35. An Eventive service fee is added at checkout. With more than 40 selections to explore, those prices offer a reasonable way to discover independent horror while helping sustain the festival and its efforts to bring emerging creators to audiences.
Supporting indie horror means more than buying a ticket. Independent filmmakers and game developers work hard to get their projects seen, often without the promotional budgets available to major studios. Festivals like this create another avenue for discovery, connecting fans with stories and games they might otherwise never encounter. Paying to watch also recognizes that independent work deserves to be treated as more than free content to scroll past.
What we thought was really cool and unique is that Haunted House FearFest divides its virtual experience into themed spaces. The Creepy Kitchen serves up independent horror films, while The Basement highlights indie horror games through Steam. The Mirror Room features conversations with the people behind the scares, giving audiences a chance to learn more about the filmmakers, developers and creative minds bringing these projects to life.
The festival’s official website describes its mission as helping horror creators get discovered while giving fans new work to explore. Although the main festival takes place in October, Haunted House FearFest operates year-round, with additional seasonal programming and creator-focused content.
For horror fans who want to venture beyond familiar franchises and studio releases, this is an opportunity to find something different. Independent horror can be unpredictable, experimental, rough around the edges and full of ideas that bigger productions might never take a chance on. That is part of the fun: you never know when an unfamiliar title will become your next favorite nightmare.
Ready to enter the House? Browse the 2026 film lineup and purchase screenings through Eventive, or head into The Basement on Steam to explore the indie horror game selection. The festival runs through October 31, 2026.
Independent horror needs people willing to give it a chance. If you have a few bucks to spare this Halloween season, consider spending them on a filmmaker or developer who is working to bring something new to the genre. You might discover your next favorite scare while helping keep the independent horror community thriving.
