Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight places four survivors against a single killer in an asymmetric multiplayer match. Survivors must repair five generators scattered across a dark, fog-shrouded map to power exit gates and escape. The killer hunts them, hooks them on sacrificial racks, and feeds their life force to the Entity, a malevolent interdimensional being. Developed by Canadian studio Behaviour Interactive, the game launched on Windows in June 2016, with Starbreeze Studios co-publishing until Behaviour bought full rights in 2018. It runs on Unreal Engine 4, upgraded to Unreal Engine 5 in 2024. A mobile version by NetEase, released in 2020, shut down in 2025.

Dead by Daylight has become a crossover hub, featuring characters from Halloween, Scream, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and more. Each match is asymmetrical: killers have unique powers, while survivors use perks, items, and teamwork to outlast the hunt. The game received mixed reviews at launch, with critics praising tension but noting bugs and balance issues. Constant updates improved its reputation, and by 2024 it had over 70 million players. Spin-offs include three video games, comic miniseries, a board game, and a film adaptation in development by Blumhouse Productions and Atomic Monster.[edit]

Each match begins with four survivors and one killer on a procedurally generated map. Survivors see the world in third-person, while the killer uses a first-person perspective. The survivors' primary goal is to repair five generators that power two exit gates. Once the gates open, survivors must escape to win. The killer aims to injure survivors and impale them on sacrificial hooks, which drain their life force and feed the Entity. Survivors can be rescued from hooks by teammates, but each hook state brings them closer to death; after three hooks, a survivor is permanently sacrificed.

Survivors use perks, items, and teamwork to evade the killer. Each killer has unique powers: The Trapper places bear traps, The Nurse blinks through obstacles, and licensed killers like Michael Myers can stalk survivors to increase attack power. The game features a deep progression system where players earn Bloodpoints to unlock perks, items, and offerings in a web-like Bloodweb. Each character has three teachable perks that can be unlocked for all characters of that role. The game supports cross-play across all platforms and cross-progression for some. Matchmaking uses a hidden MMR system, and a monthly ranked mode called Grades rewards players with Bloodpoints.[edit]

Dead by Daylight has no traditional campaign. Its lore unfolds through character backstories, in-game lore tomes, and periodic Archives events. The core premise: the Entity, an ancient god-like being from another dimension, creates endless fog-filled, nightmarish realms where it traps both killers and survivors. The Entity feeds on the hope and life force of survivors and the cruelty of killers. Each killer and survivor has a tragic backstory explaining how they were drawn into the Entity's realm. Survivors are ordinary people who died or were taken; killers are monstrous figures, some original (The Trapper, The Wraith, The Nurse) and some from horror franchises (Leatherface, Freddy Krueger, Ghost Face, Nemesis).

The Archives system, introduced in 2019, adds narrative depth through seasonal tomes that explore specific characters' histories. For example, Tome 1 focuses on The Trapper's origin as a wealthy industrialist who murdered his father. Tome 2 delves into The Wraith's story as a factory worker seeking revenge. These tomes also introduce new lore through cutscenes and journal entries, expanding the Entity's mythology without a linear story.[edit]