BHVR’s horror clone game IT HAS MY FACE is about to get a whole lot more chaotic. After seven months in Early Access, the full 1.0 version drops tomorrow morning at 10 AM EST. And the biggest change? What started as a simple 1v1 multiplayer experience now supports up to 8 players in matches that can only be described as controlled chaos.
The numbers tell the story here. Going from 2 players to 8 is a 300% increase in potential mayhem. But BHVR didn’t just throw more bodies into the mix and call it a day. They’ve built out a proper multiplayer infrastructure that actually makes sense for this kind of game.
“Multiplayer was one of the most requested features since the launch of our demo. As soon as players discovered the core concept, many immediately saw its multiplayer potential, and they were right! During Early Access, multiplayer was limited to a 1v1 experience. For 1.0, after hearing everyone’s feedback, we’ve expanded it.” — IT HAS MY FACE on Steam
The specs on this update are actually pretty solid. Two new multiplayer modes — Free For All and Team Deathmatch — give you different ways to approach the clone-hunting gameplay. Free For All is exactly what it sounds like: everyone looks identical, last clone standing wins. It’s the kind of setup that sounds simple but gets complex fast when you’re trying to figure out who’s who in a room full of identical faces.
Team Deathmatch adds a layer of strategy that the 1v1 mode couldn’t deliver. Working together when everyone looks the same? That’s going to require some serious communication skills.
Not everyone’s buying into the hype though. Some players are wondering if BHVR can handle the technical jump from 1v1 to 8-player matches without server issues. Early Access was relatively stable with just two players, but multiplayer horror games have a history of launch day disasters when the player count spikes.
There’s also the question of whether 8 players might be too many. The original concept worked because it was intimate and focused. Throw 8 people into the mix and you might just have chaos for chaos’s sake rather than the strategic mind games that made the 1v1 version interesting.
But here’s where things get interesting from a technical standpoint. BHVR has added 18 mutators to mess with the core experience. That’s a significant jump from the basic gameplay we saw in Early Access. These aren’t just cosmetic changes either — mutators can completely alter how matches play out.
The matchmaking system they’ve built is refreshingly straightforward. Public quick play lets you jump into random matches or connect to specific lobbies through friends. No complex ranking systems or skill-based matchmaking algorithms that take forever to find games. Just jump in and play.
They’ve also added spectator mode, which is smart. When you get eliminated (and you will get eliminated), you can stick around to watch the chaos unfold. It’s a small feature that makes a big difference in keeping people engaged instead of immediately backing out to find a new match.
The progression system is minimal but effective. Multiplayer badges track your wins and level up over time. Other players can see your badge, so there’s some bragging rights involved, but it’s not going to create the kind of toxic ranking culture you see in competitive shooters.
What’s impressive is how BHVR has scaled the technical infrastructure. Going from 1v1 to 8-player matches isn’t just about adding more player slots. You need proper netcode, server architecture, and UI systems that can handle the increased complexity. The fact that they’re launching with public matchmaking suggests they’re confident their backend can handle the load.
The timing is smart too. Early Access launched in September 2025, giving them about seven months to iterate and improve based on player feedback. That’s a solid development cycle — long enough to make meaningful changes without dragging things out indefinitely.
From a value perspective, this looks like a proper 1.0 release rather than just slapping a version number on an unfinished product. The feature set has expanded significantly beyond what Early Access offered. Players who bought in early are getting substantially more game than what they originally paid for.
So what’s next? Tomorrow’s launch will be the real test. Early Access gave BHVR a controlled environment to iron out the basics, but full release with public matchmaking means dealing with actual player loads and behaviors. The server stability in the first few days will tell us a lot about whether their technical foundation is as solid as it looks on paper.
The 8-player matches are going to be pure chaos, and honestly? That sounds exactly right for a game called IT HAS MY FACE. Sometimes more really is better, especially when you’re talking about multiplayer horror games where confusion and paranoia are features, not bugs.
