Cancelled Paranormal Activity game finds new life as free Halloween release

Brian Clarke, the developer behind horror hit The Mortuary Assistant, has released a free project titled Playable Archive, offering players a glimpse at his cancelled licensed project, Paranormal Activity: Threshold. As reported by Eurogamer, the 30-to-45-minute experience is a polished version of the demo that originally debuted at PAX East, now scrubbed of its official branding.

The path to cancellation

Clarke, working under his DarkStone Digital label, began developing the Paranormal Activity title in 2022 following a pitch to Paramount. The project was built on a story-first approach, featuring mechanics like shifting timelines and a deep, custom demonology meant to expand the film series’ lore. However, despite two years of development, the project reached a standstill. Clarke requested a brief extension from Paramount to handle quality assurance, localization, and porting for a simultaneous launch, but the publisher declined, adhering to an inflexible deadline for a Halloween release.

“I talked to Dread [publisher DreadXP]… and we all kind of agreed that, yeah, if we can’t [get Paramount to] budge then we’ll just have to kind of end it,” Clarke told Eurogamer. Rather than release a compromised product, Clarke and his partners opted to cancel the game, though he was permitted to retain the assets he created.

Looking ahead to future projects

While fans have expressed desire for the full game to be completed, Clarke has ruled that out, citing the immense technical work required to untangle the game from the Paranormal Activity license and his personal desire to avoid repeating the development stress he faced. Instead, he is looking forward to incorporating the successful mechanics of Playable Archive—such as its dual-timeline exploration and Ouija board interactions—into new, original titles. Clarke confirmed he has already begun work on a new entry in The Mortuary Assistant series alongside a separate prototype, aiming to release a full title soon.

Why it matters

For players, Playable Archive serves as a rare look at a project that almost was, allowing them to experience the tension and horror mechanics Clarke had envisioned for the Paranormal Activity universe without the developer having to compromise his standards.

By releasing this as a freebie, Clarke avoids the pitfalls of charging for an unfinished concept while providing a satisfying, self-contained “send-off” for the work he invested. Players who enjoyed his work in The Mortuary Assistant can look forward to these mechanics being refined and integrated into his future projects, as he shifts his focus toward original games that prioritize the creative freedom he feels is necessary for quality.