Dead by daylight's secret to success: not being a live game at launch

As Behaviour Interactive's asymmetrical horror hit Dead by Daylight approaches its 10th anniversary, the studio's creative director Dave Richard and head of partnerships Mathieu Cote have revealed the unconventional strategy behind the game's longevity.

Start as a core experience, build live elements later

In an interview with IGN at the 2026 Game Developers Conference, Cote explained that Behaviour Interactive didn't initially aim to create a live-service game when they launched Dead by Daylight in 2016. Instead, the focus was on crafting an experience that was enjoyable to replay.