Dead by Daylight has already conquered most corners of the entertainment world. A dating sim, a narrative-driven story game, comics, board games, and an upcoming Blumhouse film all exist in the franchise's expanding universe. But the team at Behaviour Interactive still has one major spinoff on its wishlist.
Creative director Dave Richard wants to make a Soulslike game set in the Dead by Daylight world.
"I want a DBD Souls game," Richard said during a recent interview at the Game Developers Conference. "I want like Elden Ring in the world of DBD. That would be cool."
The desire clearly stuck with him. When asked about the franchise's future over the next decade, Richard returned to the same idea, framing it as part of a larger expansion strategy for the horror IP. "There's been mobile for a little while, there is a specific market, but then there's other experiences, Elden Ring, Souls, DBD that we could do, or whatever it is, that can bring some people into our stories," he explained.
Head of partnerships Mathieu Cote expressed enthusiasm for the studio's current slate of projects, including the film with Blumhouse and Atomic Monster. "I would absolutely love, being able to go to the movie theater and sit down and watch a Dead by Daylight movie," Cote said. He acknowledged the uncertainty around Hollywood timelines, noting he's never made a movie before and wasn't sure what constitutes a reasonable production schedule.
The expansion efforts reflect Richard's broader ambition for Dead by Daylight. The game currently boasts 70 million players, but leadership is aiming significantly higher. "I think we could scale up in time," Richard said. "We have 70 million people that play currently, and I mean, we want a billion eventually. Bare minimum."
That growth strategy hinges on diversifying the franchise beyond its core asymmetrical multiplayer game. The IP has already demonstrated staying power through its numerous licensed crossovers and multimedia ventures. A Soulslike adaptation would test whether Dead by Daylight's gothic horror aesthetic and creature design could translate to an entirely different gameplay genre.
Richard expressed confidence in the universe the team has built. "I'm proud of what we've built, and I believe in this universe we've built, and I think we're barely scratched the surface of who could be interesting in that universe," he said.
For now, Richard and Cote are content to envision the possibilities while focusing on existing projects. But a Dead by Daylight Soulslike remains on the drawing board, waiting for the right moment and resources to potentially become reality.
Comments