To celebrate its fourth anniversary,Behaviour Interactive partnered with Konamito addSilent HillintoDead by Daylight. Game Rant sat down with Behaviour’s Game Director Mathieu Cote, Creative Director Dave Richard, and Head of Public Relations Marie Claude Bernard last week to talk about these additions coming to PC and consoles on June 16, and to ask about what could come next.
There were three Killers when the game launched, but it has become famous for its licensed characters. Now the door is open to video games, and Cote said there are still a few things that are “big enough” to make it intoDead by Daylight. While the team wants to focus on its original content, Cote said that they are open to “anything you can think of,” including comics or anime. Any “powerful characters” could work, so there are some interesting possibilities followingSilent Hill.
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Friday the 13th — Jason Voorhees
Jason Voorhees is the obvious characterDead by Daylightis missing. The slasher from Camp Crystal Lake was one of the frequently guessed choices for who Behaviour was going to add during itsSilent Hillreveal stream, and for good reason. TheFriday the 13thfranchise is large, and his origins lead to comparisons with Michael Myers.
However this “obvious” choice is unlikely given the character has his own asymmetrical horror game.Friday the 13th: The Gamereleased in 2017, and its developer Illfonic went on to create a game based on another 80s horror star,Predator: Hunting Grounds. That said, Predator is an unlikely choice too.
Alien — Xenomorph
Another character mentioned often in Behaviour’s stream was the Xenomorph, an extraterrestrial terror from Ridley Scott’s 1979 filmAlien. TheXenomorphis known for a variety of features that could make interesting mechanics inDead by Daylight, from its acidic blood to its extendable inner mouth. There could even be fun arena gimmicks for a space station full of Facehugger eggs.
The Xenomorph has also proven itself to be an effective entity in horror games through titles likeAlien: Isolation. With the Demogorgon from Netflix’sStranger Thingshaving been added intoDead by Daylightthere is precedent for more animalistic Killers, so the idea is not farfetched.
WithSilent Hillopening the door to video games, there are plenty of options. Capcom’sResident Evilfranchise is historically important, but likeFriday the 13th,it has anasymmetrical horror game inResident Evil: Resistance. Something like Koei Tecmo’sFatal Framemay have interesting Survivors like Yuri Kozukata, who appears inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, but its potential Killers may not be as recognizable.
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One fun option that deserves a “revival” treatment likeSilent HillisDead Space. The sci-fi horror franchise created an iconic protagonist with Isaac Clarke and enemies with its Necromorphs. No one Necromorph species necessarily stands out likeSilent Hill’s Pyramid Head, and the rights may be tricky afterElectronic Arts shut down Visceral Games, but like with the Xenomorph there are possibilities with a deep-space setting.
Death Note — Light Yagami
Cote is obviously a fan of anime, as he compares the chaotic development ofDead by Daylightto the ending ofAkira. The game also has a Japanese lore-inspired Killer in Kazan Yamaoka, known as “The Oni.” There are a host of horror-based anime that could potentially fit, but a series with international appeal may beDeath Note.
The psychological thriller follows a young man’s descent from wanting to make the world better into being a power-crazed serial killer with the power to kill by writing a name in his notebook. Light Yagami is not a “traditional” Killer like Michael Myers, but neither isSaw’s Amanda Young. The Death Note could inspire interesting perks, and if the threatening aura still isn’t there Light could travel alongside Ryuk. They appear together inBandai Namco’sJump Force, after all.
No matter what directionDead by Daylighttakes, it should no doubt be fun to watch. The announcement ofSilent Hillcontent amidrumors of a new PlayStation 5 titlecaught people’s attention. Cote said, “We don’t muck around. When we go for licenses, we tend to go for the biggest one out there,” so it’s safe to say thatDead by Daylight’s future Killers will continue to be huge and terrifying.
Dead by Daylightis available now for Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
