Dead by Daylight has become renowned for its remarkable ability to bridge different media forms. Over the past ten years, this asymmetrical multiplayer horror title has hosted numerous in-game crossovers and expanded into diverse ventures, including a dating simulator, a narrative-driven story game, comics, a board game, and an upcoming film. It seems to have explored every avenue—almost.
In a recent interview at the Game Developers Conference last month, I had the opportunity to ask Dead by Daylight's creative director Dave Richard and Behaviour Interactive's head of partnerships Mathieu Cote if there were any untapped spinoff ideas they hoped to pursue. Richard revealed a specific vision: a soulslike game, akin to Elden Ring but set in the Dead by Daylight world.
During our discussion, which covered topics like DBD's crossovers and spinoffs, Cote mentioned the already-announced movie collaboration with Blumhouse and Atomic Monster. He noted that, as a first-time filmmaker, he's uncertain about typical production timelines but expressed excitement: 'I would absolutely love to go to the movie theater and watch a Dead by Daylight movie.' He also highlighted existing spinoffs like Hooked on You, the dating simulator, and an ongoing comic series, emphasizing that more projects are on the horizon. 'It's super interesting to see talented people in other mediums take inspiration from our work,' he added.
However, it was Richard who shared the most ambitious dream. 'I want a DBD Souls game,' he stated. 'That's all I want. I envision something like Elden Ring in the world of DBD. That would be cool.' He reiterated this idea later when asked about Dead by Daylight's future in ten years, expressing pride in the universe they've built and a desire to expand it further. 'We've barely scratched the surface of who could be interesting in that universe. Beyond the core game and mobile version, there are other experiences, like an Elden Ring or Souls-style DBD game, that could attract new players to our stories. We currently have 70 million players, and we aim for a billion eventually.'
So, mark your calendars: by 2036, we might see a billion Dead by Daylight enthusiasts, some possibly enjoying a game like 'Elden by Daylight' or 'Dead Souls.' It's not far-fetched—Dead by Daylight's horror tone could mesh well with the soulslike genre, given the right creative blend. Honestly, I'm all for it!
Our conversation at GDC also delved into what makes a live service game successful and why a Dead by Daylight 2 isn't in the cards. Stay tuned to IGN for the full Q&A soon.
