The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is an asymmetrical online horror game based on the 1974 film. Four captives try to escape the Slaughter family's property, while three family members must track them down and kill them together. The third-person perspective makes sightlines, hiding spots and sounds especially important.

The game uses two deliberately unequal roles instead of classic deathmatch. Depending on whether you are hunting or being hunted, the same map takes on a different meaning: a gap in the wall can be protection for victims and a dead end for the family.

The main game was released on Aug 18, 2023 for Windows PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. It was originally developed at Sumo Nottingham and published by Gun Interactive. The console generations are native versions, not just backward-compatible older games.

In May 2025, Gun Interactive ended active content development. However, an end to regular development is not a shutdown: the game was explicitly meant to stay in stores and remain playable. The server switch planned later was not carried out.

Confirmed native platforms are PC (Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Sony and Microsoft handle the console versions, Steam the PC version. Nintendo Switch versions are not listed on the official platform lists.

The platform affects matchmaking. The officially described crossplay connects PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Xbox One has its own separate Xbox One pool, and PS4 plays only with PS4. A shared match across console generations is therefore not automatically possible.

Victims start tied up in the cellar. They search for unlocking tools, open the way out of the basement and work their way towards possible exits. Anyone making noise can be given away. Stealth and knowledge of the environment matter more than direct confrontation.

The family members, by contrast, share the job of chasing and securing exits. Locks, traps and sound detection can make escape routes harder. A match ends when the victims escape or are eliminated by their pursuers.

Additional family members and victims, costumes, execution animations and map variants were released alongside the game. The Content Pass at the time bundled, among other things, new characters, cosmetic content and early access to Rush Week; the mode was also planned for later free access.

Extra characters such as Bones and Wyatt belong to the existing main game. In May 2025, Gun Interactive explicitly stated that it would no longer deliver new DLC content, balance updates or regular bug fixes. Past editions and DLCs must be distinguished from the base game.

The minimum requirements on Steam are Windows 10 (64-bit), a 6th-gen Core i5 or Ryzen 5 1600, 8 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 580. The recommended specs there are a 10th-gen Core i7 or Ryzen 5 5600X, 16 GB RAM and an RTX 3070 or RX 6700 XT.

You need 30 GB of storage and a broadband connection. The official support also lists different hardware targets for 1080p and 4K. The requirements refer to the Windows version and are not a recommendation for consoles.

The fleeing characters differ in abilities and attributes. Connie, for example, can open locks especially fast, Sonny detects sounds nearby, while Ana's resilience helps her take hits better. Which character you choose changes what jobs someone can take on in the team.

Strength, stamina, stealth and skill with tools shape how you play. Good attributes do not make the characters invisible, though: anyone who becomes visible or loud in the wrong situation can still be chased.

The Slaughter family benefits from division of labour. The Cook can search for victims by sound and secure access with extra locks. Other characters have the advantage when pursuing, setting traps or blocking routes. Whoever knows the map often spots escape attempts before the first direct contact.

The family can feed collected blood to Grandpa. His rising level expands tracking options and punishes careless victim movement. This ties the hunt to a shared resource decision.

Every playable character has special abilities, upgradable stats and perks. The skill tree unlocks additional options, which are combined via loadouts. Perks can be improved through use.

Customization allows different focuses without making the roles the same. A fast lockpicker is not automatically the most robust character. On the family side too, an individual build does not replace agreeing on escape routes and area control.

With Rush Week, Gun Interactive added a different game structure to the main mode in 2024. Instead of four against three, Johnny hunts six women in a connection house. The victims try to call for help or use escape routes before the hunter finds them.

Its own rules, such as the fear system, alternative escape items and the limited attic route, set Rush Week apart from the base mode. So it is more than a new map; it is a permanently added game mode.

The maps lead through cellars, houses, workshops, yards and other rural locations. Well-known places include the family home, the gas station and the slaughterhouse. Additional environments and map variants were added later.

Narrow passages, doors and back routes create the cat-and-mouse game. A victim who knows several exits can lead pursuers astray. Anyone playing the family must decide which routes to guard and which to deliberately leave open.

According to the official statement, the game remains playable. Gun Interactive announced on May 13, 2025 that it would stop releasing new content and regular support with the May update. Digital availability should remain.

A switch from dedicated servers to peer-to-peer was considered later, but was explicitly withdrawn in the official post from September 2025: the technical change would have affected stability and performance. The studio kept the game on the build from May 22, 2025 for now. A P2P switch that had already happened would therefore be a false representation.

Crossplay does not mean that all systems are connected in one blanket way. According to Gun Interactive's platform statement, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S form a shared matchmaking pool. The Xbox One and PS4 versions each stay within their own platform generation.

The main matches are designed for online players. A standalone offline story mode is not offered in the official store descriptions. On consoles, the multiplayer access rules of each platform apply.

On Steam, German menus and subtitles are listed, while full voice acting is available in English. Other text languages include French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese (Brazil).

Steam lists full controller support. The PS5 version uses vibration and the DualSense adaptive triggers according to the PlayStation Store. These technical features depend on the version and cannot simply be transferred to all platforms.