If you’ve ever watched Grandma’s Boy, you probably remember Demonik. The over-the-top demon possession game that protagonist Alex secretly develops throughout the movie looked so polished that fans couldn’t believe it was real footage. Turns out it was real, and after nearly two decades in development hell, the cancelled Xbox 360 title might actually see the light of day. Allen Covert, who starred in and co-wrote the 2006 cult comedy, recently revealed at a fan event that the game’s code has been discovered, and with the film’s 20th anniversary approaching in 2026, plans are underway to explore finishing and releasing it.
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The Strange History of Demonik
Demonik wasn’t invented for Grandma’s Boy. It was a legitimate third-person action game being developed by Terminal Reality for Majesco Entertainment, with horror legend Clive Barker attached as writer and director. Announced in May 2005 for Xbox 360, the game promised a twisted premise where players controlled Volwrath, a vengeance demon summoned to Earth by humans seeking revenge. The demon could possess human hosts, gaining power while slowly corrupting them into demonic forms, and wielded 25 different supernatural abilities.
When Covert and his team were making Grandma’s Boy, they approached multiple gaming companies looking for beta footage to use in the film. Majesco stepped up with Demonik, which was deep into development and scheduled to launch in 2006. The timing seemed perfect. The game would get promotion through the movie, and the movie would feature authentic, high-quality game footage instead of the usual cheap mockups you see in Hollywood productions.
Then Majesco went bankrupt. The publisher faced financial difficulties, reportedly linked to the commercial failure of Psychonauts among other titles, and Demonik was cancelled before release. The game that appeared throughout Grandma’s Boy never made it to store shelves, creating an odd piece of gaming history where a real cancelled game became more famous as a fictional one.
What Covert Revealed at the Event
Speaking to fans recently, Covert explained the full backstory of how Demonik ended up in the movie. He recalled approaching Majesco with limited budget, asking if they had anything in beta that could work for both the film and cross-promotion. Majesco offered Demonik, and the production got access to genuine gameplay footage that looked far better than typical movie game sequences.
The revelation that excited fans came when Covert mentioned someone who worked on the original game contacted him recently, claiming they may have found the game’s code. With 2026 marking the 20th anniversary of Grandma’s Boy, Covert expressed hope that the game could finally be completed and released, turning a 20-year-old joke into reality.
The news spread quickly on TikTok and Reddit, with gaming communities buzzing about the possibility. A Reddit user on the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit noted that Majesco retained the rights to Demonik after cancellation. A trademark for the game was filed as recently as December 2020 by Zift Interactive, which acquired various Majesco properties.
The Clive Barker Connection
What made Demonik particularly intriguing was Clive Barker’s involvement. The creator of Hellraiser and Candyman was overseeing story, character designs, cinematics, and voice talent. Barker promised to add his signature darkness to the game’s mythology. This wasn’t his first gaming rodeo either. He created the excellent 2001 horror shooter Undying, though his later effort Jericho in 2007 received mixed reviews.
Barker’s involvement extended beyond the game. There were plans to develop Demonik simultaneously as a feature film, with the writer and filmmaker directly attached. Those movie plans ultimately fell through after the game’s cancellation, but the prospect of a Barker-penned demon possession story still carries weight, especially now that he’s returning to gaming with Hellraiser: Revival, scheduled for release later in 2026.
What the Game Was Supposed to Be
Based on previews from 2005 and 2006, Demonik featured ambitious gameplay mechanics for its time. The possession system allowed Volwrath to jump between human hosts at will. The longer he stayed in a body, the stronger he became while feeding on their lifeforce, but remaining too long would cause the host to transform into a demonic form and eventually force Volwrath to fully emerge.
Leaving a host triggered a first-person spirit mode where players navigated as a spiritual entity unable to pass through solid objects. Distance from the previous host weakened the demon, creating strategic considerations for possession switching. The game promised 10 to 12 single-player summoning missions plus additional content set in Volwrath’s Underworld home.
Multiplayer modes were also planned, including one-on-one demon combat and five-on-one battles where human players teamed up against a single demon-controlled opponent. Terminal Reality was using advanced physics and visual effects to create body horror transformations and supernatural abilities, all powered by their proprietary Infernal Engine.
Could It Actually Happen?
The question is whether a game cancelled 20 years ago on the Xbox 360 can realistically be completed and released in 2026. The challenges are significant. The original development team at Terminal Reality disbanded years ago, though the studio has since reformed. The game was built for Xbox 360 hardware that’s now three console generations old. Code would need extensive updates to run on modern platforms.
However, the retro gaming market has proven there’s appetite for resurrecting lost projects. Nightdive Studios has built an entire business model around remastering forgotten games. If the Demonik code is genuinely recoverable and relatively complete, a smaller studio could potentially finish it as a nostalgic curiosity for Grandma’s Boy fans and gaming historians.
The trademark filing by Zift Interactive in 2020 suggests someone has maintained interest in the property. Whether that translates to actual development resources is another question entirely. Covert’s comments suggest discussions are happening, but he was careful not to make definitive promises.
Why Fans Are Excited
For gaming enthusiasts, Demonik represents a fascinating what-if scenario. Cancelled games take on mythical status, and having one preserved in a cult comedy film makes it even more intriguing. The footage in Grandma’s Boy looked genuinely impressive for 2006, showing off detailed character models, fluid animations, and creative supernatural effects.
The premise itself remains compelling. Playing as the villain, possessing victims, and wielding demonic powers against righteous heroes inverts typical gaming narratives in ways that felt fresh then and could still work now. With Clive Barker’s creative fingerprints on the project, there was potential for genuinely disturbing horror content wrapped in action gameplay.
There’s also pure nostalgia at play. Grandma’s Boy has maintained a devoted fanbase despite bombing critically and commercially at release. It’s become a stoner comedy touchstone, endlessly quotable and beloved by a generation of gamers who saw themselves in its awkward protagonist. Releasing Demonik would complete an unlikely story two decades in the making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Demonik a real game or just made for the movie?
Demonik was a real game in development by Terminal Reality and published by Majesco Entertainment for Xbox 360. It was not created specifically for Grandma’s Boy. The filmmakers approached Majesco for beta footage to use in the movie, and the company provided actual gameplay from their in-development title.
Why was Demonik cancelled originally?
Majesco Entertainment faced severe financial difficulties and went bankrupt shortly after Grandma’s Boy released in 2006. The publisher cancelled multiple projects including Demonik. Reports suggest Majesco’s troubles stemmed partly from the commercial underperformance of Psychonauts and other titles.
Who was Clive Barker and why was he involved?
Clive Barker is the legendary horror writer and filmmaker who created Hellraiser and Candyman. He was attached to Demonik as writer and director, overseeing story, character designs, cinematics, and voice talent. Barker had previously worked in gaming with the acclaimed horror shooter Undying in 2001.
What platforms could Demonik release on if it happens?
The game was originally developed for Xbox 360. If released today, it would likely need to be ported to modern platforms like PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The code would require significant updates to function on current hardware.
Who owns the rights to Demonik now?
When Majesco went bankrupt, they retained the Demonik intellectual property rights. A trademark for the game was filed in December 2020 by Zift Interactive, a company that acquired various Majesco properties. This suggests someone maintains ownership and potential commercial interest in the franchise.
What was the gameplay like in Demonik?
Players controlled Volwrath, a vengeance demon who could possess human hosts. Possession mechanics allowed switching between bodies, with extended stays increasing power but causing demonic transformation. The game featured 25 different supernatural abilities, 10-12 single-player missions, and multiplayer modes including five-on-one human versus demon battles.
Is there any confirmation the game will actually release?
No official confirmation exists. Allen Covert stated at a fan event that someone may have found the game’s code and there are plans to explore finishing it for Grandma’s Boy’s 20th anniversary. However, no developer, publisher, or release timeline has been announced. Fans should remain cautiously optimistic until formal announcements arrive.
The Reality Check
While the story is exciting, it’s important to temper expectations. Covert’s comments suggest early-stage discussions rather than active development. Finding old code is very different from having a playable, complete game. Software degrades, documentation gets lost, and assets disappear. Even if Terminal Reality or another studio could access everything, the work required to make a 2006 Xbox 360 game functional on 2026 hardware would essentially constitute rebuilding it from scratch.
The economics are questionable too. How large is the actual market for a 20-year-old cancelled game primarily famous for appearing in a cult comedy? Nostalgia can only carry a project so far, and the resources needed to properly finish Demonik would require serious financial backing with uncertain returns. Still, stranger things have happened in gaming. The retro scene has resurrected seemingly impossible projects before.
For now, Demonik remains what it’s been for two decades: a tantalizing glimpse of what could have been. Whether Allen Covert’s revelation leads to an actual release or just adds another chapter to the game’s strange legend remains to be seen. But for Grandma’s Boy fans and gaming history enthusiasts, the mere possibility that this cursed project might finally escape development hell after 20 years is enough to spark excitement. Just don’t trade in your current-gen console expecting to play it anytime soon.