Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗The Hat Man
Black Lantern Entertainment · Published by Black Lantern Entertainment · Official site ↗
Last updated 28 Sept 2026
A first-person psychological horror game inspired by The Hat Man urban legend, focusing on sleep paralysis, fear, and the terror of being unable to move.
Adventure, Indie, Free To Play, Casual · 2026 · More free games
About this game
Survive escalating sleep paralysis encounters using breathing, blinking, and eye contact.
Every mistake brings The Hat Man closer.
The Hat Man
What begins as an ordinary night quickly becomes a waking nightmare as an uninvited presence enters your home.
Trapped in sleep paralysis, you must control your breathing, blinking, and eye contact while The Hat Man slowly advances with every mistake.
Can you survive The Hat Man?
Estimated Playtime: ~1 hour
- Multiple Endings
- Nightmare Mode
Gameplay Details 1/2
Explore a quiet home as subtle disturbances grow and fleeting shadows hint at The Hat Man’s presence.
Gameplay Details 2/2
Trapped in sleep paralysis, you must control your breathing, blinking, and eye contact as The Hat Man steadily advances with every mistake.
A Paralyzed Nightmare Until Your Last Breath..
Experience suffocating sleep paralysis encounters as The Hat Man approaches, with every breath bringing him closer.
Unwelcomed Presence..
An uninvited presence reveals itself through shadows, reflections, and recurring nightmares.
No Escape..
The nightmare doesn't end when you wake up.
Developer Notes
Black Lantern Entertainment proudly confirms that The Hat Man was created with no use of generative AI.
Nightmare Mode is designed to be challenging, but fully beatable.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-7400 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 (6 GB) or AMD RX 580 or equivalent
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 5 GB available space
Recommended
- OS: Windows 10 / Windows 11 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2060 or AMD RX 6600 or equivalent
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 7 GB available space
Supported Languages
Latest news
Patch NotesOfficial
Steam Next Fest is Live + Demo Update & Release Delay
First, we want to thank everyone who has taken the time to download the demo, share feedback, report issues, and support the project. We hope you're enjoying what we've put together so far! 🎮 DEMO UPDATE We've been listening closely to community feedback and have released an updated demo that includes:🔹 Improved navigation and overall gameplay flow🔹 Various gameplay adjustments and refinements🔹 A new visual gameplay guide to better explain the Sleep Paralysis mechanics / gameplay systems 📅 RELEASE DATE UPDATEAfter careful consideration, we've made the decision to delay the release of The Hat Man until October.This decision was not made lightly. While we could release the game sooner, we believe additional development time is necessary to polish the experience, improve overall quality, and ensure the final version meets the standards we've set for ourselves.We want the full game to be the best version it can possibly be! 🎩👻 💜 STILL 100% FREEWe also want to reassure everyone that our original promise remains unchanged:✅ The full game will release completely FREE✅ No price tag✅ No microtransactions✅ No paid DLC required to experience the story100% free for everyone to enjoy! 😁 🔨 LOOKING AHEADDevelopment is continuing every day as we work on new content, polish existing features, fix bugs, improve balancing, and expand the overall experience!Thank you for supporting The Hat Man during Steam Next Fest 🎩👻We hope you enjoy the demo, and we're excited to share more as we work toward the October launch! — Black Lantern EntertainmentRead full article on Community Announcements (ChocoPieBoi)AnnouncementsOfficial
The Hat Man DEMO is Available Now!
Survive an escalating sleep paralysis encounter using breathing, blinking, and eye contact. Every mistake brings The Hat Man closer.⏱️ Estimated Demo Playtime: 10–15 Minutes 📌 Important: The demo contains about 15–20% of the full game's content. 💀 The Sleep Paralysis sequence featured in this demo is intentionally designed to be the easiest of the three major encounters planned for the full game. 👁️ Blink Mechanic Tip: Blinking uses a hold-and-release system, not a single click. The longer you hold the blink button, the longer you can keep your eyes open before a forced blink. 🎮 Sensitivity Tip: Mouse sensitivity defaults to the highest setting. You can adjust it anytime from the Main Menu or Pause Menu (ESC) 🛠️ Development Update: We're currently focused on final polish, bug fixes, balancing, and small improvements as we prepare for the full launch! (6-30) 💬 Feedback Welcome! If you encounter bugs, balancing issues, or have suggestions, we'd love to hear them. Your feedback helps us deliver the best possible version of The Hat Man at launch. 🎬 Watch the Official Release Date Trailer See what's coming when The Hat Man launches free on June 30th.Read full article on Community Announcements (ChocoPieBoi)AnnouncementsOfficial
The Hat Man DEMO is Available Now!
Survive an escalating sleep paralysis encounter using breathing, blinking, and eye contact. Every mistake brings The Hat Man closer. ⏱️ Estimated Demo Playtime: 10–15 Minutes 📌 Important: The demo contains about 15–20% of the full game's content. 💀 The Sleep Paralysis sequence featured in this demo is intentionally designed to be the easiest of the three major encounters planned for the full game. 👁️ Blink Mechanic Tip: Blinking uses a hold-and-release system, not a single click. The longer you hold the blink button, the longer you can keep your eyes open before a forced blink. 🎮 Sensitivity Tip: Mouse sensitivity defaults to the highest setting. You can adjust it anytime from the Main Menu or Pause Menu (ESC) 🛠️ Development Update: We're currently focused on final polish, bug fixes, balancing, and small improvements as we prepare for the full launch! (6-30) 💬 Feedback Welcome! If you encounter bugs, balancing issues, or have suggestions, we'd love to hear them. Your feedback helps us deliver the best possible version of The Hat Man at launch.🎬 Watch the Official Release Date Trailer See what's coming when The Hat Man launches free on June 30th.Read full article on Community Announcements (ChocoPieBoi)
