Dead by Daylight has been called "the most played horror game in history" by its developer, Behavior Interactive, ahead of its 10th anniversary. While the studio hasn't shared updated sales figures for the asymmetrical 4v1 multiplayer horror game, it revealed that the title has attracted over 70 million players over the past decade and currently averages more than 1 million daily active players across all platforms. The game has been particularly strong on Steam, where it has remained among the top 15 best-sellers for nine consecutive years.
Other contenders for the most-played horror game title include entries in Capcom's Resident Evil series, Konami's Silent Hill franchise, the Five Nights at Freddy's games, Phasmophobia, and Outlast. However, Dead by Daylight's claim is based on player numbers for a single title rather than an entire franchise, and few horror games have maintained such popularity over a 10-year span.
The game's growth shows no signs of slowing down, with Behavior reporting that revenues have increased by over 50% in the last 12 months. When Dead by Daylight launched in 2016, only 30 people worked on it; now the team has grown to nearly 500. Behavior is now the largest Canadian gaming studio, with over 1,200 employees across offices in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Dallas, Middlesbrough, and Rotterdam.
"When Dead by Daylight launched in 2016, it pioneered a genre: the asymmetric multiplayer horror game, where one killer faces four survivors," said Rémi Racine, Behaviour co-founder and CEO. "Initial forecasts predicted sales of around 300,000 copies. 10 years and more than 70 million players later, I’m astounded by how the game continues to reach new heights. 2025 was Dead by Daylight’s most successful year so far. We welcomed over six million new players and delivered record performance. This growth has continued into 2026 — over the last 12 months, the game’s revenues have increased by more than 50%. For any game to endure 10 years is an achievement. To reach that milestone and still be growing is incredible. I deeply appreciate every one of the players who have supported us on this journey."
Part of Dead by Daylight's enduring appeal comes from its high-profile crossover events, which have included collaborations with iconic horror franchises such as Alien, Five Nights at Freddy's, Resident Evil, Friday the 13th, and Stranger Things.
The announcement comes as Behaviour prepares to welcome over 3,000 fans to Montreal for a 10-year anniversary event, where the game's future will be revealed during a livestream scheduled for 5pm PT / 8pm ET on Sunday, June 14.
