Scary Hide and Seek: multiplayer horror in your browser

How to play online with friends

1. Open xFPS and choose Hide & Seek on the Play screen.
2. Choose a Scary Hide ’n Seek variant: Freeze or Move freely. Read the entry warning before continuing.
3. For a public game, use Invite friend to form a party, then let the party leader press Find Match.
4. For a private game, create a custom match, select the scary variant and share the room’s invitation link. The host starts preparation; other players confirm they are ready when prompted.

Everyone plays on their own device with an internet connection. This is online multiplayer, not two people sharing one keyboard. A public room needs another human player before it can start; bots never fill these roles.

Freeze or Move freely: choose your hiding rules

Both variants give hiders 40 seconds to find a spot before the hunt. In Freeze, your position and stance lock when preparation ends, but you can still look around. In Move freely, you can relocate during the hunt, although hunters can hear your footsteps.

Hunters search with a flashlight and a pistol. One hit catches a hider. Misses spend search energy, so firing at every dark corner is a poor strategy. Hiders win if anyone survives until the hunt ends; hunters must find everyone.

Caught hiders spectate until the next round rather than becoming hunters. Starting roles rotate between rounds. Watch the match timer: the hunting time depends on the variant and the number of players.

Whispers, apparitions and optional jump scares

The horror effects add uncertainty to the search: a sound behind you or a brief apparition can draw your attention away from a hiding place. Ambient encounters vary rather than following one fixed sequence. An apparition is an effect, not another human player to catch.

Hiders can use Soft taunt or Jump scare when available. The buttons show your current key bindings and cooldown feedback. Targeted jump scares need a suitable hunter in range and clear view; pressing the button does not guarantee an effect through a wall. These actions are optional, and human hiding modes do not force automatic taunts.

A useful first-round plan

As a hider, use preparation to check which direction a hunter will approach from. In Freeze, settle into cover before the timer runs out. In Move freely, plan a second hiding place, but listen before moving: a sprint can reveal more than it gains.

As a hunter, search one room or route at a time. Check corners with the flashlight, preserve search energy and distinguish a player’s footsteps from atmospheric noises. Use headphones at a comfortable volume; turning everything up is not necessary.

How is it different from Prop Hunt?

In Scary Hide ’n Seek you stay human. In Prop Hunt online, hiders disguise themselves as objects such as crates or furniture. For the human hiding rules without the horror effects, choose Classic Hide ’n Seek.

Questions before your first match

Is Scary Hide ’n Seek free and playable without downloading?

Yes. It runs on xfps.io in your browser, and you can join as a guest. The browser still downloads the game’s assets while loading, but you do not install a separate game.

Can two friends play, or do we need a full lobby?

Two human players are enough: one starts as hunter and the other as hider. You can use a custom room for a private match. This mode has no solo or bot version.

Can I play on my phone?

xFPS provides touch controls. Use landscape orientation and a supported, up-to-date browser. Performance depends on your phone; lower the graphics settings if needed.

Can I reduce the jump scares?

Yes. Enable Reduced scares in the entry warning for calmer effects. It remains a horror mode. Choose Classic Hide ’n Seek if you want human hiding without the horror effects.