Phasmophobia Turns Five: Here’s What to Expect This Anniversary
Five Years of Fear: Phasmo’s 5th Anniversary Is Here
Phasmophobia isn’t just another spooky co-op game anymore – it’s the spooky co-op game.
Five years ago, this scrappy indie release shoved us into haunted houses with nothing but a flashlight, some super-janky EMF readers, and the promise that something invisible would tear our face off.
And it worked.
It worked so well that the game didn’t just create a player base, it created an entire genre that imitators have been chasing ever since.
Image: 2025 5th Anniversary Event Lobby | Phasmophobia | Kinetic Games
And now, here we are: five years later, over 25 million players deep, and Phasmophobia is throwing itself a birthday party. Kinetic Games dropped their official anniversary announcement, and while it’s not some massive content overhaul, it’s definitely worth logging in if you’ve been away for a while.
Double XP, Badges, and a Haunted Party Lobby
From September 15th–21st, players will rack up double XP and double cash on every hunt.
Whether you’re a rookie ghost hunter or a grizzled vet who knows every cursed object spawn on every map, now’s the time to get your grind on.
Image: 2025 5th Anniversary Event Login Reward | Phasmophobia | Kinetic Games
Log in during the event and you’ll also score a Veteran ID Card and badge, a freebie that marks you as one of the OGs who stuck around through ghost reworks, cursed possessions, and the countless patch notes that made hunts deadlier.
The lobby itself has been dressed up too – think balloons, banners, disco lights, and just enough festivity to make you forget you’re still about to get murdered by a Raiju.
Twitch Drops and QoL Tweaks
The anniversary also comes with some funderful Twitch Drops. Watch any Phasmo stream (my personal favs are Insym and PsychoHypnotic) for two hours, and you’ll unlock an animated version of the Veteran ID card and badge. On top of that, Kinetic rolled out a couple small but useful quality-of-life changes:
The Twitch Drops screen now shows which account you’ve linked.
You can disconnect directly in-game instead of fiddling around with external menus.
It’s nothing earth-shattering, but it makes the grind a little smoother.
TwitchCon and Crimson Eye
Phasmophobia is also stepping onto a bigger stage with their first ever TwitchCon appearance in San Diego.
They’ll be highlighting the Crimson Eye in-game event, running panels with devs and creators, and giving the community a chance to scream together in real life instead of just on Discord.
Image: 2024 Crimson Eye Event | Phasmophobia | Kinetic Games
It’s a good look for a game that started as a niche streamer darling and now has bona fide staying power.
A Celebration Worth Having (But Fans Still Want More)
Here’s the thing: this anniversary isn’t about massive new maps or mind blowing mechanics – at least not yet.
Kinetic teased “more announcements throughout the week,” but for now, we’ve got cosmetics, XP boosts, and some community engagement.
And you know what? That’s fine.
Image: 2025 5th Anniversary Decorations | Phasmophobia | Kinetic Games
Phasmophobia has been the bedrock of modern horror co-op. Without it, we probably wouldn’t have half the “ghost hunting” clones floating around Steam. It deserves the love.
Still, the community can’t help but crave something meatier: new ghost types, new mechanics, maybe even an overhaul that shakes things up for another five years.
Enjoy the Anniversary While the Event Lasts!
Phasmophobia at five is like that horror movie monster that just refuses to die, and I absolutely mean that as a compliment. It’s kept millions of us coming back, screaming with friends, and begging strangers not to hide in the same damn closet with their flashlight on.
So log in, grab your Veteran badge, enjoy the double XP, and keep an eye out for what Kinetic has planned next. Because if the past five years proved anything at all – it’s that ghost hunting never goes out of style.
Here’s to five more years of jump scares, busted equipment, and flashing your flashlight pretending that the ghost is hunting your friends…like that joke didn’t get old five years ago.
Want some more funsie-fueled news? Check out our Phasmophobia guides and let us know what you think of this event in the comments below!
All images, logos, and video clips used in this article are the property of their respective owners. This content is used for the purposes of commentary, criticism, and news reporting under the guidelines of Fair Use (17 U.S.C. § 107). No copyright infringement is intended. If you are the copyright holder and believe your content has been used improperly, please contact us directly.
Want More?
Check These Out Next!
About Report AFK
A place for gamers, by gamers, untarnished by corporate gaming media and their nonstop attempts to elevate bad games while denouncing any developers brave enough to stand up to them.
Site Links
Copyright 2025 ReportAFK.com
sans
September 28, 2025
Has it really been out for 5 years?! I feel like it was just last month.
Ayefkay
September 29, 2025
Lol I know!! I remember when the game came out and my friends and I were playing every single night – it doesn’t feel like it was 5 years ago at all! Anyways, thanks for stopping by Sans (love the name btw) and hope you come back!