Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight is an asymmetric multiplayer horror game developed and published by Behaviour Interactive. It launched for Windows on June 14, 2016, and subsequently arrived on consoles and other platforms. Each match, called a Trial, pits four Survivors against one Killer. Survivors work together to repair five generators and power an exit gate, while the Killer tries to capture and sacrifice them to the Entity, the supernatural force behind the game’s setting. A Survivor may escape through an open gate or, in some circumstances, through a hatch.

The game’s central fiction concerns people taken from their worlds and trapped in the Entity’s realm. Its original characters have individual biographies that describe their lives before they entered the Trials. The Entity feeds on intense emotion, and the Killers perform sacrifices to sustain it. This premise gives the matches a shared framework, but the characters and settings vary: an abandoned farm, a foggy forest, or a decaying town can place a Trial in a very different atmosphere.

Survivors repair generators using skill checks, rescue teammates from hooks, heal injuries, and evade the Killer. Killers use distinct powers and can carry Survivors to hooks. For example, the Trapper places bear traps, while the Wraith can cloak himself. Both sides choose perks before a match; these abilities shape strategies without changing the basic objective. The game’s progression systems let players unlock perks, items, and character customizations. Its rules and available content have changed through updates, so specific strategies may depend on the current version.

Dead by Daylight is notable for bringing together original characters and licensed horror figures. Its licensed Killers and Survivors include Michael Myers and Laurie Strode from Halloween, Ghost Face, and characters from Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The game also features licensed locations, such as the Raccoon City Police Station from Resident Evil. These additions connect the Trials to recognizable horror franchises, while original characters such as the Nurse and the Huntress remain part of the game’s own fiction. Licensing agreements mean that availability and platform details can differ over time.

Behaviour Interactive has continued to support the game with downloadable chapters, balance changes, and new content. Chapters commonly add a Killer and Survivor, sometimes alongside a map, while other releases introduce different combinations. Dead by Daylight has also expanded beyond its original multiplayer format through projects including the visual novel Hooked on You and the cooperative spin-off The Casting of Frank Stone, developed by Supermassive Games. Its long-running mix of stealth, pursuit, teamwork, and horror licenses has made the Trial the defining unit of its identity: every match turns familiar characters and original creations into participants in the Entity’s recurring ritual.