Dead by Daylight Devs on Jason, New Modes, and the Blumhouse Movie
The interviews confirm that Behaviour Interactive is treating the 10th anniversary as a launchpad for structural changes-MOD support, voice acting, a visual overhaul-rather than just a content milestone.
Key Facts
- Jason Voorhees joins Dead by Daylight as a new killer titled 'The Slasher,' with his mask requiring extremely precise reproduction to match the films.
- Two new modes are in development: a competitive 1v1 mode without perks, and a Zombie Mode where survivors create a vaccine while AI zombies and a killer pursue them.
- A film adaptation with Blumhouse was announced; the studio approached Behaviour Interactive about the project.
- MOD support for Dead by Daylight is scheduled to arrive in 2027, alongside plans to add voice acting to original characters and a major visual update.
- Behaviour Interactive's Deputy CEO Nathan Sellyn said the last two years have been the game's best, and the team saved abilities that could have been used for Jason for the right moment.
Reporting from 1 source: 4Gamer.net.
Behaviour Interactive developers discussed the 10th anniversary of Dead by Daylight in a pair of interviews with 4Gamer, covering the addition of Jason Voorhees, new game modes, and the upcoming film adaptation. Senior Creative Director Dave Richard and Head of Partnerships Mathieu Côté detailed the challenges of implementing Jason, including perfecting his mask and designing his ability to disappear into mist and ambush survivors. They explained that Jason's title "The Slasher" comes from the horror subgenre name. The developers also revealed two new modes in development: a competitive 1v1 mode without perks, and a Zombie Mode where survivors create a vaccine while AI-controlled zombies and a killer pursue them. A film adaptation with Blumhouse was announced, with Côté saying the studio approached them. Deputy CEO Nathan Sellyn and Executive Producer José Ramos added that the last two years have been the game's best, and that future plans include adding voice to original characters, a major visual update, and MOD support arriving in 2027. They called Japanese fans one of the most special and influential communities for the game.
Richard said the team had been developing abilities that could have been used for Jason for other killers all along, saving them for the right moment. The mask required extremely precise reproduction because it is the defining visual element of the character, while boots and pants could vary across films. Jason is one of the few killers who makes no sound at all, so the team used fog, teleportation, hooks, and projectiles to convey his presence.
Ramos said the timing of Jason's addition was mostly coincidental, not a planned 10th anniversary move. The license holders saw how Behaviour handled other licenses and approached for deeper conversations. Ramos noted that fans had concerns Jason might be too ordinary, but the projectile that pins survivors to walls and the finishing blow dispelled those worries. He emphasized that the Trapper was clearly inspired by Jason at launch, so the team had to make sure Jason played completely differently.
Sellyn said the DbD team knows which character collaborations fans want, comparing Jason's long-awaited arrival to last year's Five Nights at Freddy's addition. Ramos added that the last two years have been the game's best, and that the next 10 years should be even better.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.