October is here, so many of us are already counting down the days to the Halloween themed, haunted season.

But not many people know, that gamers face terrors all year round! And it’s not just about the terrifying moments in the scariest survival horror games. Sometimes, even a simple gameplay in a pleasant adventure game can turn into a gamers horror in real life! Let’s explore a list of the 10 most terrifying and ghoulish gaming experiences!

1. The Ghost of Corrupted Save Files:

Every gamer knows this situation well. You’re playing a game, and you know you’re almost done, with only the final act, the ultimate battle, and the grand ending left.

You save the game and turn off your PC or console, planning to play the ending part later in the evening, with a cup of tea to cap off your day perfectly. Evening comes, you turn on your gaming system, and your favourite game, and then… BOO! It’s all gone.

Your progress from the past few hours or more has vanished! Fear, terror, cold sweat running down your neck… The saves are gone, and there’s no trace of them in the game files. What happened? Was it a virus or a poltergeist?

2. The Curse of the Unskippable Cutscene:

You’ve just bought a new, pretty cool game. The graphics are fine, the story is picking up nicely, and you know there’s an upcoming climactic moment. Then, a cutscene starts with two characters engaged in a dull conversation. You wait for 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes… You try to press the usual skip dialogue button… and nothing!

You try other buttons – the game seems to have a life of its own, and your controller doesn’t respond. What to do?! The cutscene goes on and on, and you feel like you’ve been waiting for an eternity. Even zombies would fall asleep waiting for these to end. Some say the cutscene is still going on to this day…

3. Jump-Scare Game Crashes:

You’ve got an amazing title, the game you’ve been dreaming of playing. Cool enemies, action all the time! You’re exploring a deep dungeon, having defeated hundreds of mobs, standing right in front of the boss arena.

The in-game music speeds up and shifts to the battle theme. You’re fully immersed, heart pounding, then… black screen! A jump scare, scarier than an army of monsters on the highest level! It’s not the monsters that got you, it’s the bugs!

4. The Cursed Loot Box of Despair:

You’re journeying through a magical land full of quests and tough battles. Finally, you see it – a massive, solitary, sleeping monster guarding something. Yes! A chest! What could be inside? A legendary sword? 1000 pieces of gold? Or armour with defences and effects that make you invincible for the rest of the game?

But that monster… it’s several levels higher, armed to the teeth. Maybe you can sneak up from behind, steal what’s in the loot box, and make a quick getaway?

You manage to sneak up, you’re picking the lock, but… the content is so bad it feels like it came from a haunted mansion’s attic! You open it and find three cobwebs and a ghost’s left sock? Tough luck, it’s definitely a curse, a punishment for attempting theft. Now you have to quickly get out of there! You turn around, sneak toward the exit, and suddenly, yeet! The monster woke up and swiped you off the map in one hit. REAL HORROR!

5. The Eerie Echo of… Your Mom:

That moment when you’re deep in-game, headset on, and you start hearing your name. From afar, like an echo, a familiar female voice keeps calling your name incessantly. Y

OUR REAL NAME! Not WorldDestroyer98, not Traveller, but Your. Actual. Name. What’s happening? Is the game so immersive and technologically advanced that it’s figured out your true identity and is using it to scare you?

Suddenly, the voice seems louder, as if getting closer… What the heck? And then, she appears. Out of nowhere, she materializes at your door. Dishevelled hair, fury in her eyes, and a slipper in her hand. Oh, no! It’s your mom! She doesn’t care that you’re the World Destroyer. She’s over it.

She called you a few times, and you didn’t answer. And suddenly, you realize you’d rather face a hundred in-game ghouls than miss dinner time (which you already did)!

6. The Bewitched AFK Player:

You’re playing with friends in your favourite multiplayer game. Suddenly, a friend announces, “Hey guys! I need to step away from the computer for a few minutes, and I’ll be back soon.” Sure, why not?

You and the other team members also take the opportunity for a bathroom break or to grab a drink. After 3 minutes, you all return, but your friend is still marked as AFK. You wait a little longer, and their character is still standing in place, like frozen in time and space, with lifeless eyes staring into the distance…

Are they grabbing snacks, or have they been turned into a statue by an evil witch? The legend says that they’re still standing in the same spot in every game… We miss you, buddy.

7. The Creeping Shadow of the Unannounced Visitor:

Jump scares are terrifying. But the worst one is when you’re deep into a game, especially a survival horror game. The lights are off for the best atmosphere, and your headset is on, so you can hear the faintest whisper in the game. Your heart is racing because you’re slowly approaching an empty, dark room, and then…

You get a mini heart attack because someone suddenly taps your shoulder. It turns out it’s scarier when it’s your girlfriend and not an in-game spectre. Especially when she’s been trying to get your attention for a few minutes because you forgot to call her back hours ago. Oops.

8. The Siren’s Song of the Missing Controller:

You’re peacefully playing a game, and suddenly, your doorbell or phone rings. Or maybe you just need to quickly go to the bathroom or grab a drink or a snack. You place the controller on the table or the couch and step out. After a few minutes, you return to the room, sit back in your spot, and reach for the controller… but it’s gone! You scan the table, the couch, the floor, and find nothing!

Did you leave it in the bathroom or the fridge? Or did you give it to the delivery person who just dropped off a package? Oh no, not again… Every gamer knows that dreaded dance, searching for a controller that seems to have been lured away into the abyss. You’d swear it was right here… unless the couch monster took it. AGAIN!

9. The Endless Labyrinth of Game Tutorials:

You’ve just bought a new game. You’ve created your character, watched the intro, and started playing. Of course, there’s a tutorial at the beginning, but after a few minutes, the hints still keep appearing, covering half your screen.

Does this game think you’ve never played a game before in your life?! “Yes, I know the left joystick moves the character. Get me out of this purgatory!!!”

10. The Gold-Digging Game Store:

And last but not least, the ultimate gamers horror in real life. You visit your favourite Game Store, and it’s filled with amazing finds. Several new games you’ve been waiting for, a title you love at a fantastic discounted price.

Oh, and a bargain on new DLC! Suddenly, these “great deals” drain your wallet faster than a vampire drains blood! Now your bank account looks like a ghost town after that purchase!

Conclusion

As you can see, even if you’re not a big fan of horror games, the gaming world has its own kind of haunted houses – from ghostly game glitches, unexpected encounters with your own (long-forgotten) household members, to possessed peripherals.

Yet, facing these fears is a GATE TO (even bigger) ADVENTURE, isn’t it? After all, even the undead need some entertainment!

Happy and spooky Halloween, everyone! Both on-screen and in real life!