Dead Meat Launches New Horror Gaming Channel for Fans

If you’re into the gory, the eerie, and the downright terrifying, you’ve likely come across Dead Meat. This YouTube horror channel has made a name for itself with the Kill Count series, hosted by James A. Janisse, which has been counting up the kills in our favorite horror flicks since 2017.

Now, nearly a decade later, Dead Meat is branching out with the debut of Dead Meat Games — a channel dedicated to all things horror in the gaming world, from video games to tabletop experiences.

The channel introduces a fresh show: Kill Count Games, hosted by Zoran Gvojic, a co-writer for Dead Meat. Similar to its film counterpart, Gvojic will deliver a humorous recap of kills in horror games, covering everything from blockbuster hits like Resident Evil to indie gems like Mouthwashing.

Janisse and Gvojic have previously explored video game adaptations of Kill Count on the main channel during what they referred to as the “weird era” of 2023, when Hollywood strikes limited their coverage options. They tackled major horror titles like Until Dawn and Silent Hill, and those gaming episodes were a hit, with the Until Dawn Kill Count episode racking up over a million views. The launch of Dead Meat Games creates a dedicated space for gaming content within the Dead Meat universe.

Gvojic believes that interactive media like video games can engage audiences in ways that films and TV shows cannot. “Horror movies don’t scare me as much anymore, but games still get me,” he shared.

Expanding into gaming is a natural move, especially considering the medium’s significant cultural impact. With Hollywood racing to produce adaptations, focusing on the games themselves is a smart strategy for Dead Meat. “It’s undeniable that video games are now the biggest media format over TV, movies, books, and everything else. There’s a massive audience there,” Janisse noted. “It would be foolish not to tap into that, especially with so many great horror games being released.”

Adapting Kill Count for video games presents unique challenges. Unlike films, games vary widely in how kills are executed and how many occur throughout a narrative. In choice-driven horror games like The Quarry, player decisions influence who lives or dies. To tackle this, Gvojic and Janisse devised a new method: a canon playthrough. They each play through the game and compare results to determine the maximum and minimum number of kills possible, even counting background bodies, which can be as meticulous as it sounds. (Only bodies with heads count; severed limbs don’t make the cut.)

Kill Count Games will also feature the original series’ trophy and awards system. The Golden Chainsaw will highlight the most impressive kill, while the Dull Machete will go to the least exciting one. Gvojic has added his own awards for video games, like the Royal Reload, which showcases particularly memorable player deaths. He’s even created awards tailored to specific episodes and horror game genres, such as the Butchered Butterfly for branching-path games, spotlighting the best possible death in a game’s multiverse.

Dead Meat Games is set to launch on Friday, May 15, and Gvojic and Janisse have revealed that the first episode of Kill Count Games will focus on “Fear of the Spotlight,” a charming indie game acquired by Blumhouse Games. “It’s a fantastic gateway horror game about two teens falling in love in a spooky high school setting. I’m thrilled to kick off season three of Kill Count Games with it,” Gvojic said.

While the channel is starting with smaller titles, Gvojic assures that there will be ongoing coverage of larger games, including Resident Evil.

But Kill Count Games isn’t the only show in the Dead Meat Games lineup. There’s also What We Play In The Shadows, a podcast centered on horror games that features reviews, event recaps, and comparisons of video game adaptations, hosted by Gvojic and tabletop RPG veteran Gina DeVivo. Additionally, DMG Report will be a live-streamed news show covering game announcements, recent releases, and industry developments, hosted by Gvojic and Ben Bellevue, who also produces all three shows.

Ultimately, Gvojic’s vision for Dead Meat Games is straightforward: “I want this to be a place where all forms of horror gaming can be celebrated in whatever way they come.”

Dead Meat Games will launch on YouTube at 9 am EST on May 15th.