GTA Online players to be hunted by The Slasher as part of Halloween Surprise

Rockstar has kicked off the GTA Online "Halloween Surprise" event, offering time-limited access to a pair of new vehicles, new masks and face paints, and a new Adversary mode that challenges players to survive the nighttime predations of The Slasher—or, perhaps, to do some slashing of your own.

The Lurcher Hearse and the Franken Stage are a pair of mean machines that make up in seasonal style what they lack in commuting practicality, and come along with 20 "ghoulish" new Bobbleheads that can be added to the dashboards of these fine automobiles or any other customizable Lowrider in the game. There are also new masks and 30 new styles of face paint, "to help you get into the spirit of the season" while you commit armed robbery, vehicular homicide, or whatever sort of festive shenanigans you like to get up to on the big night.

But the real fun sounds like it's in the eight-player Slasher Adversary mode. Despite the name, the designated Slasher actually packs a shotgun, while everyone else gets flashlights to help them see in the dark—at the risk of exposing their location to the killer. But if you're able to survive for three minutes, you'll get a shotgun of your own, and believe me, they're a far more effective tool than flashlights for dealing with people who are trying to kill you.

The GTA Online Halloween Surprise is live now and runs until November 16, although anything you pick up during the event will be yours to keep permanently. More information will be revealed during a livestream set to run at 5 pm ET on October 30.

TOPICS

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.