Popular Japanese indie horror game The Exit 8 is being adapted into a live-action film by Toho, the production company behind the Godzilla movies.
The game’s Steam page describes it as “a short walking simulator inspired by Japanese underground passageways, liminal spaces and backrooms”, where the player walks through a seemingly endless hallway in search of exit number 8. If the player encounters an “anomaly”, such as a distorted poster or strange-looking person, they must turn back to where they came from, or risk being sent back to the start of the game and having all of their progress undone.
The Exit 8 was originally released on November 2023, where it quickly became a viral sensation, especially amongst videogame content creators and streamers. Notably, the game is currently the second most-downloaded title on the Nintendo Switch, a remarkable achievement as the game was only added to the Switch in April 2024.
The game’s original creator Kotake Create shared their thoughts via the film’s official website, stating, “The Exit 8 is being adapted into a live-action movie! I never expected that when this game released at the end of November 2023, a movie adaptation would be announced roughly a year later, so I’m both surprised and thankful.”
“When I was approached about the movie, I was wondering how they would adapt a game without a story into a movie, but I think it will be an interesting movie that doesn’t compromise the world and atmosphere of The Exit 8! I’ve even been to the movie set, and it was amazing to see the underground passage and old man [from the game] in front of me! I hope everyone will look forward to this movie! I’m also very much looking forward to its release!”
The Exit 8 is currently available on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam.
