Richard PattersonTypically, the dawn of October 1st signifies to most that it’s the beginning of spooky season. Truth be told, there’s no end to horror outside of October. Hollywood is rolling out a new horror/thriller film, and game developers working around the clock to produce and release a suspenseful video game as soon as possible. From massive studios to independent groups, there’s always horror-themed media being created. Though this isn’t exclusively a current phenomenon, I find it fascinating, nonetheless. So, let’s look through a bit of history and facts to uncover why horror content is everywhere and why we seem to eat it up.
Love of the thrill
One main reason there is a new thriller/horror project around the corner would be because lots of people love the thrill. Although fear isn’t a positive emotion, it is a powerful one, biologically and subconsciously it’s part of our lives. Horror films/games are a way to experience such sensations in a controlled environment. Another reason is our natural morbid curiosity, horror theme media allows us to experience dark situations without acting on them. Even in more unrealistic situations such as sci-fi or fantasy can invoke the same thrill.
Easy to produce
An open secret in most of the entertainment industry is that horror is normally a safe and inexpensive way to make a profit. Compared to other film genres, horror always had a relatively lower budget, nearly guaranteeing a hefty ROI. Depending on what kind of film is made, most of the budget goes towards the actors/production staff and effects. As a result of the lower budget, the film is normally assured of breaking even financially, perhaps more depending on audience reactions. The same cannot be said for horror games, they do become popular, but they typically do not make as much profit.
Closing Thoughts
In essence a lot of people, creative or part of the audience love horror. There’s a bizarre human reaction to being so scared the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, but are also glued to your screen – Like a car crash you simply can’t look away from. Whether it’s perfectly made or cheaply crafted there is an audience looking to have the raw emotions horror can provide. That’s why new horror content is always being made, there’s year-round demand for it. So, enjoy all the horror content you can, it’s never out of season for a good thrill.
Works Cited
Blum, Jason, and Daniel Parris. “Why Horror Films are Hollywood’s Best Investment: A Statistical Analysis.” Stat Significant, 18 October 2023, https://www.statsignificant.com/p/why-horror-films-are-hollywoods-best. Accessed 16 September 2024.
“14 Reasons why every indie game developer should make at least one horror game – How To Market A Game.” How To Market A Game, 2 October 2023, https://howtomarketagame.com/2023/10/02/every-indie-game-developer-should-make-a-horror-game. Accessed 16 September 2024.
Yang, Haiyang. “The Psychology Behind Why We Love (or Hate) Horror.” Harvard Business Review, 26 October 2021, https://hbr.org/2021/10/the-psychology-behind-why-we-love-or-hate-horror. Accessed 3 September 2024.