Dead by Daylight is throwing itself a party. The asymmetric horror game from Behaviour Interactive launched in June 2016 to a janky, buggy reception. A decade later, it has become a cultural phenomenon that shows no signs of slowing down.
On June 14, the studio will host its first physical anniversary celebration in Montreal, inviting fans to join the festivities in person alongside a broadcast event. In-game content, a new comic book run, and potential news about a Blumhouse film adaptation will roll out throughout the year.
From Rough Start to Industry Envy
The studio started with just 30 developers working on Dead by Daylight within a much larger 275-person company. Today, roughly 400 to 500 people are dedicated to the game, and Behaviour has grown to 1,300 employees total. That scale allowed them to dream bigger than most indie horror projects ever could.
The game's staying power mystifies an industry desperate to crack the live service formula. Mathieu Cote, head of partnerships, and Dave Richard, creative director, credit a perfect storm of timing, talent, and community investment. But they're also candid about something counterintuitive: Dead by Daylight was never designed as a live service game.
The in-game store didn't arrive until year three. The battle pass system came in year four. Core features players now expect at launch, like tutorials, were cut to ship three killer characters instead of one. The developers filmed a phone video on YouTube to teach new players the basics.
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