Another year of Dead by Daylight has come and gone, and we can’t wait to show you everything coming to the game in Year 7. As you might have seen during our Anniversary broadcast, we intend on bringing several new Quality of Life features into the game.
We know our players value Quality of Life changes, and we'd like to emphasize that it remains an important focal point for the team. “There is a strong internal drive to prioritize quality of life changes,” says Aurélie Gérault, Dead by Daylight Producer. “Dead by Daylight has been out a long time. We've been listening to feedback and considering areas of frustration to build a smoother player experience. As they say, the devil is in the details. That holds true in DbD, and making these improvements remains an ongoing effort.”
Please be mindful that release windows and details are always subject to change. With that said, here’s a summary of Quality of Life updates scheduled for release throughout Dead by Daylight’s Year 7.
PRE-SET LOADOUTS
We’re pleased to confirm that preset loadouts are coming to Dead by Daylight. When the Roots of Dread Chapter releases on June 7th, players will have the option to save up to three preset loadouts, including perks, items, add-ons, and offerings. There will also be an additional three loadouts for saving Outfits and Charms.
“The desire to bring preset loadouts into the game is largely linked to our upcoming progression rework,” explains Justin Banks, Senior Product Manager on Dead by Daylight. “Players will have a lot more perks available on their characters, and it seemed like the ideal time to tackle this feature. We also know players have been asking for perk loadouts for quite some time.”
We hope that players enjoy trying out a variety of different builds, experimenting with new perks, and showcasing that style. You can try these out now in the PTB!
- TIMEFRAME: Chapter 24: Roots of Dread (June)
MAIN MENU VISUAL UPDATE
It won’t take players long to notice that the Dead by Daylight main menu has undergone a visual update. Moving forward, all icons will be positioned vertically alongside the leftmost side of the screen. This will allow space for highlighting events, sharing key information, a timer for the Rift, additional room for translations, and more – all without compromising the iconic campfire aesthetic.
This update is available to check out right now in the PTB.
- TIMEFRAME: Chapter 24: Roots of Dread (June)
MATCHMAKING INCENTIVE
We’ll be launching a matchmaking incentive to help during periods with longer queues. Players will receive a Bloodpoint bonus for queuing up for whichever role needs it more at that time.
Say there’s a new Killer, and queues are taking a little longer as a result. By loading up for a Survivor game, you’ll receive a bonus to all Bloodpoints earned throughout that match – a well-deserved reward for helping our matchmaking system run smoothly. While we don’t have specific numbers to share at this time, note that the bonus value will be contingent on several factors and further detailed closer to release.
- TIMEFRAME: SUMMER 2022
ARCHIVE CHANGES
We’re coming up on the third anniversary of the Archives, and it’s safe to say that they have become an essential part of the Dead by Daylight experience. “This year, we’re doing a few things to make the Archives a bit more obvious and integrated for players,” says Justin. “We believe that playing with Archive challenges can really enhance your experience. We want to show players that it's there for them to engage with, and really ease them into it.”
The Archives feature a variety of challenges for both Killers and Survivors, and to complete them all one must spend time playing both roles. We'll soon be adding the ability to select one active Killer challenge and one active Survivor challenge, allowing you to easily switch roles without revisiting The Archive screen. Players will also be able to see an unlockable Rift outfit in its entirety, to get a better idea of what it will look like.
The UI system changes we’ve made behind the scenes will pave the road for many exciting design possibilities, and we look forward to making this the biggest year for The Archives yet.
While we don’t have a specific date to share for these changes, we’re aiming for a Fall release.
- TIMEFRAME: FALL 2022
STREAMER MODE
We’re happy to confirm that a Streamer Mode will be added before the end of the year. When using Streamer Mode – and this goes for non-streamers as well – your name and that of your group will be obscured from the screen and any other player in your match.
“The entire goal of Streamer Mode is to protect the identity of our streamers,” says Justin. “Any game that becomes popular will have people finding player IDs, engaging in DDOS attacks, hacking accounts. We’re always actively working on preventing hacks from happening, but because streamers are putting themselves out there, that potentially opens them up to difficult situations. The ultimate goal for streamer mode is anonymity, and we’ve been working with our Fog Whisperers to ensure that we’re meeting their needs.”
This is a first step. Know that we are always looking to improve security, and we will continue to work behind the scenes to ensure a safe experience for all our players.
- TIMEFRAME: FALL 2022
WIGGLE ESCAPE SYSTEM
Our players really enjoyed the new skill-check based wiggle system, which moved away from the furious button mashing of the past. After considering the feedback we received during our Beta test, we feel comfortable making this change a permanent feature.
- TIMEFRAME: FALL 2022
GAMEFLOW IMPROVEMENTS
We've all been there. You’re waiting to find a game. You’ve cycled through your characters and brushed up on some forgotten perk descriptions. All you want to do is catch up on the latest lore from The Archives. Maybe even do a little window shopping in the store. Alas, those menus sit just out of reach...
At least, for now.
Before the end of the year, we’re aiming to give players the option to navigate through different menu screens while waiting for a game to start. “Our goal with this change is to free up the player,” says Justin. “Once you enter matchmaking, you can freely go to the store, the Archives, and shop while you’re waiting. When you find a match, you’d get a large warning counting you down, and then you’ll be brought into the lobby.”
- TIMEFRAME: WINTER 2022
BOTS IN CUSTOM MATCHES
Before the end of the year, Survivor Bots will be available to play with or against in custom matches. Familiarizing yourself with a new Killer or a new map can be intimidating and using bots will allow you to practice in a low-stakes environment.
“We know that learning a new Killer can take some practice,” says Justin. “If you’re a high-ranked or even moderately player ranked, you may be in for a tough time during those early games. This will provide a safe environment for our players to jump into and smack some bots around while trying a new Killer Power.”
“It’s also worth noting that every time we release a new map players like to explore every nook and cranny,” says Justin. “This a pretty safe place to do it.”
Not to mention that if a member of your friend group happens to be busy when that Customs craving calls, you’ll now have a substitute for any missing player. To be honest, this one may take a little bit longer, but we’re aiming to have this implemented by winter.
- TIMEFRAME: LATE 2022
And that about does it. We hope you enjoyed catching up on some of the Quality of Life updates scheduled throughout Year 7. Thank you so much for your continued interest in our game. We truly appreciate the passion of our community, and we look forward to seeing these changes improve your gameplay experience.
In fact, you can check out the perk preset loadouts and the new main menu updates right now. Try the new Roots of Dread Chapter – featuring The Dredge (Killer), Haddie Kaur (Survivor), and the Garden of Joy (Map) -- now available in the PTB, which you can learn how to access right here.
Catch up on more upcoming features revealed during the 6th Anniversary Broadcast:
See you in The Fog!
The Dead by Daylight Team
