Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗The Hunt Begins
Bad Touch Games, Inc. · Published by Bad Touch Games, Inc. · Official site ↗
Positive — 93% positive (28 reviews)
Last updated 29 Sept 2026
The Hunt Begins is a dynamic multiplayer (1-4 Co-Op vs 1) horror game where one player is selected to control the ghost that is trying to scare and kill their friends. Everyone else on the team is trying to identify the type of ghost players haunt location, type and purge them.
£12.79
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Price history
Action, Indie, Early Access · 2025 · More £5 - £15 games
Join the fray as The Hunt Begins challenges you to either scare your teammates or fend off the ghostly threat. With dynamic gameplay and early access, this indie action title keeps the tension high for up to four players.
About this game
The game currently has the very basic gameplay loop currently enabled. Many things are limited at initial launch, such as only 3 maps, minimum hunter equipment, only 5 ghost detections and a limited pool of ghost abilities.
Why? This is a very tiny indie project and it can take many hours to be able to identify and fix problems each day. The idea is to focus on the core systems and make additional stuff available as soon as possible without the whole experience being a broken frustrating nightmare.
During initial game launch week/s, hunters will not have access to any optional equipment. This means only the 5 core identification tools will be available while quickly (hopefully) fixing any game breaking bugs and instabilities.
Expect optional hunter equipment to help blind and slow the ghost player as well as enhanced tools to be made available.
We ask that everyone please be patient and understanding while we all work together to create fun new experiences.
Gather up to 4 other people and hunt each other down in a 1 vs 4 match.
One player will be randomly selected to play as the ghost and scare their friends while the remaining players work together to identify the ghost type and purge them from the location.
You and up to 3 friends must work together to locate the ghost players chosen haunted area. Use multiple tools to identify the type of ghost and use the correct method to banish them. Be careful though, the ghost does not like trespassers and if enraged will take lives.
Your friends have come to purge your final existence as you control ghosts that haunt various locations. Prevent them from finding your chosen haunted area and from figuring out how to destroy you. Use your abilities and interact with the maps to frighten your friends and get closer to hunting them down.
Many maps will get several addon expansions over time. These expansions will offer more randomized areas within the map to be accessible for more fun experiences, exploration and replayability. This may also be used in the future to allows groups to adjust difficulty.
Explore the town of Ravencrest to discover its dark secrets and find out why a growing trade town was quickly abandoned by all of its residents in the 1950s. This is the first playable region included in the base game and includes access to all related future content and expansions for this region.
The Hunt Begins was created due to a large number of people constantly voicing the idea of someone controlling the ghost. Much time has been spent debating ways to make this happen while trying to keep it fun for both sides. This is considered a community project and we are excited to hear from everyone about the things that they like, do not like, would prefer to be changed and new ideas. If the greater community wants something, that is our goal. Please join us on Discord to get updates and so we can hear you.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5-4590 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 390
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 24 GB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5-10600 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 5700
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 36 GB available space
Supported Languages
Latest news
Patch NotesOfficial
Returning to updates with a cleanup!
Were back! Summer fog of war has finally lifted! Game has been updated to clean out the last events and make a couple minor optimizations. There are 2 upcoming events on the horizon that are being prepped for. 1. Halloween! Rawr! ( October ) 2. One year game birthday ( November ) ( New game mechanics ) If you have problems with the release, please join the Discord and share! Thank you all! https://discord.gg/MAqZH6zzBuRead full article on Community Announcements (Narkain)Community & EventsOfficial
Easter & April Fools Event is LIVE!
April 3rd Update!!!Happy Easter and April fools all!2 New Ghost ModelsNew Ghost ability: KeepsakeNew Ghost ability variation for: ApparitionBunnygirl suitBunnyboy suitFluffy bunny shoesand more !New Ghost ModelsSay hello to our April Fool.. and the Easter Hare !Careful though.. this bunny has a taste for flesh.New Ghost Ability: KeepsakeThis new ability allows the ghost to hide an object.The ghost gains additional energy gain for each hidden keepsake.These keepsakes do create a powerful EMF pulse that helps to find them.(No, you cant get emf5 from a keepsake) As it stands, there will be no default 'object' with the ability.So if you want to use the ability, you will need to earn it asan event unlock! However, to let people player with it for now.. and it IS Easter...The ability is being forced to ghost ability slot 1 (for now) andis defaulting to a special randomized Easter Egg that the ghost canhide during the event. The first unlock for the ability should be added to the event systemin the next few days, however the event will run the entire month. NOTE: Yes, the placement code looks broken and the ghost just.. poopsout the eggs instead of letting them be placed at the moment. New Ghost ability variation for: ApparitionThat is right.. you read it correctly. APRIL FOOLS.This cow apparently got lost in the lands beyond and hasattached itself to your ghost ability!This is the first ability customization being released and tested.For now the cow is here by default to hang out BUT you have thechance to make them a friend and unlock them where you can choosebetween the cow and the face (as well as others) in the future! Want to be a sexy BunnyGirl ? or.. BunnyBoy ?We got you covered! Literally!Not only can you be Girl OR Boy.. but you get the option of Black OR white!Getting the cosmetic parts of one color, unlocks that color for both body types.Fluffy.. fuzzy.. warm.. soft.. cuddly... bunny boots with ears and a tail! Patch Notes:Ability names should be much easier to ...Read full article on Community Announcements (Narkain)Community & EventsOfficial
St Patricks Day event is LIVE!
March 17th ~ March 24th Update!!! New Map!?!? Yes! Hospital Wing D is now open! This older wing has some darker stories to be told. Choosing Your Ghost Model? You can now choose the ghost model you want to be when you mess with your friends. Choose between the models that come default and those you have unlocked as well as any that are available for trial fun before you unlock it. New limited time event Unlocks: Leprechaun Ghost Model9 More Cosmetic OptionsUpdates: New Ghost Model selectorGhost Win should show ghost type and evidences nowSome included ghost models can now be usedA ghost now patrols the lobby showing you what Astral Form looks likeEnraged Meter is now gray until it fills up and ready to useMore updates and surprises coming soon! Happy Hunting!Read full article on Community Announcements (Narkain)Community & EventsOfficial
Valentine Event LIVE until at least 2/27/2026
February 14th UPDATE!!! *Updated Happy Valentines!New Ghost Ability?? New MAP?? (Kinda) What else?!?!? NEW Limited time EVENT map: Ravencrest Motel " About 50 years after the town of Ravencrest was abandoned, someone got the idea to purchase the extremely cheap and old Ravencrest hotel and turn it into a love motel weekend getaway for valentines. The idea of a romantic getaway in an abandoned town? The new owner had less than two weeks to clean, "patch up" and throw some paint on the walls.Reports are that 13 couples disappeared that weekend along with the new owner, never to be seen again... " NOTE:This is a public playtest of a map layout. I encourage everyone to try it out and after a few rounds think about what they do and don't like about the design as both the hunter and ghost.Any ideas and suggestions to make the map more interactive and interesting are also welcome!There will be bugs... and it will be funny.This love motel will never return again in its current state. But hey, you never know what the future holds.In the love motel map, try to get a photo op with the ghost and create a memory at the photo stage.Get your best photos and post them in the Discord! NEW Interactive Lobby Decor unlock!Test your spicy level with the Love-O-Meter !Simply approach it, tell EVERYONE who you want to test your love meter towards,interact with it (left click?), and everyone can see how it ends!How powerful is YOUR connection? Can you beat the machine? NEW Ghost ability: EvictEvict sends targeted hunter back to the van. New limited time event Unlocks: Succubus Ghost modelNew interactive Love-o-Meter decor item10 new cosmetics Updates:Ghost gain a bit more energy both in haunted room and out.Hunts last a second or two longer.Ghost ability 1 will now re-roll like 2 and 3. ( Just testing this out for now ) More surprises and updates are coming soon!Read full article on Community Announcements (Narkain)Community & EventsOfficial
Holiday Event is fully live until 1/20/26
January 8th UPDATE!!! Holiday event is fully live.Sorry, with the drive crash and other stuff it took a while to get things redone. So the Holiday Event will continue through Jan 20th so people have a chance to unlock things like:* Ugly Santa ghost model (should hopefully have model chose setup soon)* Ladies Clause skirt/dress* Living Christmas Tree(?) person wrapped up trying to escape Lobby Decor* Ugly Holiday Socks* Red and Pink Santa Hats* Four different Holiday Headbands The packages only spawn in the victorian house.Only the person that clicks/collects it gets the points.They respawn near instantly.Presents make a random jingle when you are nearby. Preparing some fun plans for Valentines.Have fun everyone!Read full article on Community Announcements (Narkain)
