A group of cenobites steps through a blinding doorway in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Revival. Their twisted forms emerge from the light in complete silence
Image credit: Saber Interactive

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival: Here’s every rapturous detail we know so far 

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is bringing one of the most disturbing horror movie franchises to video games, complete with Pinhead, its most iconic monster, voiced by his original actor. The Lament Configuration has found its way into mortal hands once more, and the gateway to Hell is ready to be opened in 2026. 

Table of Contents
  1. The Escapist recaps
  2. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival release date, platforms, & special editions
  3. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival story
  4. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival gameplay & trailer analysis
  5. Ask The Escapist
  6. References

The Hellraiser movie franchise is based on a Clive Barker novella called The Hellbound Heart. The story revolves around a mystical puzzle box known as the Lament Configuration. Completing the box summons demons, known as Cenobites, who exist to inflict pain and pleasure (mostly the former) on those foolish enough to call upon them. 


The Escapist recaps

  • Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is an upcoming first-person action/shooter from Saber Interactive. 
  • While Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival uses characters from the movies, they’re not part of the same continuity, and watching them isn’t necessary to follow the story. 
  • Doug Bradley, the original actor who portrayed Pinhead in the films, is returning to voice the character in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival. 
  • The developers worked with Clive Barker when creating the game. 

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival release date, platforms, & special editions

A hand touches an ornate puzzle box in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Revival. The golden surface reflects soft light as the box begins to shift
Hell awaits those who open the Lament Configuration. Image credit: Saber Interactive

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival release date is 2026. There’s currently no tight release window outside of the year, but it may be pushed to October to coincide with the Halloween season. You can wishlist Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. 

There are two Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival collector’s editions on offer by Boss Team Games. The first is Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival – Genesis Collector’s Edition, which retails for $129 USD and comes with the game, a pack of trading cards, and a replica of either the Genesis or Classic Lament Configuration Box. For an extra $60, the customer can purchase the other box type. 

The second is Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival Cenobite Collector’s Edition for $199 USD and comes with all of the content of the Genesis Collector’s Edition, as well as a “Pillar of Souls” polythene statue featuring the Cenobites, enamel pins featuring the four main Cenobites, a fine art print depicting the cover art, the game’s official artbook, the digital soundtrack, and a 27” by 40” poster. 

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival story

A cenobite stands in a chamber of rising blades in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Revival. Cold light pours through the doorway as the creature watches in silence
Players will be fighting the minions of hell in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival. Image credit: Saber Interactive

The Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival uses the four Cenobites from the Hellraiser movies: Pinhead, Butterball, Chatterer, and The Female. In this sense, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is closer to the films than the novels, especially as Doug Bradley is back as the voice of Pinhead. 

The story involves a couple named Aidan and Sunny, who seek out new forms of ecstasy. Sunny opens the Genesis Configuration, a puzzle box that summons the Cenobites, who take her away. The doorway to hell is left open, and Aidan must follow if he is to save her. 

The player takes on the role of Aidan, who must fight the legions of Hell to rescue Sunny. Not only does he have conventional weapons, like guns and blades, but he can also wield the power of the Genesis Configuration, using the fiendish powers of the Cenobites in combat, such as summoning razor-sharp chains. 

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival gameplay & trailer analysis

The player faces a horde of creatures in a foggy forest in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Revival. Police lights flash in the background as the puzzle box glows in the foreground
Players will be fighting more than just Cenobites in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival. Image credit: Saber Interactive

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival has an announcement trailer on the Saber Interactive YouTube channel. 

The announcement trailer shows a book with the Genesis Configuration’s image on it, the protagonist with the word “Hell Raisers” tattooed on his back, and chains emerging from someone’s body. This suggests Aidan and Sunny were aware of the box’s power before opening it. 

The gameplay section of the trailer shows the Leviathan from Hellbound: Hellraiser II, the godlike entity in Hell. There’s then a montage of footage, showing a doctor performing horrific surgery, a nightclub, the player being pursued by the Chatterer, the Genesis Configuration tearing an enemy apart, and a face-off with a giant demon made from human flesh.

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival has a gameplay trailer that is also available on the Saber Interactive YouTube channel. 

The Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival gameplay trailer showed some incredibly violent scenes, with the player exploring a building filled with tied-up bodies that wouldn’t look amiss in something like Silent Hill or Jacob’s Ladder. The combat is shown in more detail, with the player fighting with swords, sneaking up on foes for instant kills, and shooting the undead with pistols and shotguns. 

The setting for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival seems to be Hell, but some story scenes appear to happen in the real world. There’s a scene where a police officer fights a demon, which could be a false reality created by the Cenobites, or it could hint at their fiendish realm overlapping with the real world. 

Ask The Escapist

Is Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival the first Hellraiser video game?

The Cenobites have appeared in other video games, like Dead by Daylight, but there has never been an official Hellraiser video game. There was one in development for the NES, but it was never finished. 

Is Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival coming to Nintendo Switch 2?

There’s currently no word regarding a Nintendo Switch 2 port. The violence is so severe that it may not be suitable for a Nintendo Direct. 

What age rating will Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival receive? 

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival currently lacks an age rating from the ESRB, PEGI, or similar ratings boards. Based on the trailers, it will likely receive the highest rating in each region and may not even be released in Australia without significant cuts. 

Will the CD Player Cenobite from Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth make an appearance?

Probably not, but he certainly deserves a cameo. 

References

  1. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival – Gameplay Reveal Trailer (YouTube)

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Related Content
Table of Contents
  1. The Escapist recaps
  2. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival release date, platforms, & special editions
  3. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival story
  4. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival gameplay & trailer analysis
  5. Ask The Escapist
  6. References
Related Content
Table of Contents
  1. The Escapist recaps
  2. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival release date, platforms, & special editions
  3. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival story
  4. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival gameplay & trailer analysis
  5. Ask The Escapist
  6. References
Related Content
Table of Contents
  1. The Escapist recaps
  2. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival release date, platforms, & special editions
  3. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival story
  4. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival gameplay & trailer analysis
  5. Ask The Escapist
  6. References
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Scott Baird
Features Writer
Scott Baird is a Features Writer who also covers Previews, Reviews, and Interviews. He covers Pokémon, Final Fantasy, Dungeons & Dragons, Doom, Persona, Resident Evil, Vampire: The Masquerade, and anything by Nintendo and FromSoftware. Scott has been writing about video games for over a decade, covering some of the biggest titles and interviewing industry legends.
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Sam Smith
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Sam is Escapist's Features Editor and has been obsessed with gaming since he first discovered Sonic the Hedgehog in the mid-1990s. Since then, he’s collected nearly every console and adores all things Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox equally. After completing his journalism degree, Sam steered his career towards writing about games and has never looked back, with bylines at Dexerto, GamesRadar, Insider Gaming, Soundsphere, and more. He’s also fully NCTJ accredited. He’s also likely to be that annoying person who keeps beating you in Elden Ring’s Colosseum.