It’s not a rarity when a Hollywood bigwig sticks their name on a video game, but rarely is it someone whose mark of approval is so esteemed. It’s been a known fact for years that sci-fi and horror director John Carpenter has been a huge gamer. But only now has the Halloween director at last attached his name to a big-budget video game in the form of Toxic Commando.
The new zombie co-op shooter’s first trailer was shown at Summer Game Fest 2023 and is a collaboration from Saber Interactive and Focus Entertainment. It’s slated for a 2024 release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Epic Games. And from the sound of things, Carpenter is looking forward to taking on the undead.
It’s exciting to be collaborating on a new video game with Focus and Saber. Look, I really like shooting zombies. They keep telling me that they’re called ’the infected.’ Please. They’re ghouls, dude. They blow up real good and there are a ton of them. People are going to love this game.
John Carpenter
While the trailer almost gives more John Romero vibes than it does Carpenter, there’s a clear and campy ’80s throwback thing here that kind of works. Combine that with some pretty impressive zombie hoards and the director of The Thing creatively involved, and you can color us excited.
There’s potential for Toxic Commando to be an absolute blast with your friends. Hopefully, Carpenter brings his perchant for satire to an admittedly crowded genre. Even if this leans more Escape from New York than it does It Lives, it’s fair to say Carpenter’s involvement is enough to drive this title to the top of horror fans’ wishlists. Stay tuned for more as we learn it.
