Co-op and multiplayer horror Slasher horror Stealth horror

Dead by Daylight

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Four Survivors try to escape one Killer who hunts them through the fog.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Stores: Steam
Price: Paid
Rated: Mostly Positive on Steam (78% of 940,460 reviews); PlayStation Store 4.1 of 5 from 145K ratings; Metacritic 71 (PC)
Length: matches of about 10 minutes, played one after another
Players: 5 online (4 Survivors against 1 Killer)
Made by: Behaviour Interactive
Released: 2016

Visit the game's site Steam PlayStation Store Xbox Nintendo eShop

What frightens Four players are trapped in a fog-bound realm with a fifth player as the Killer, a slasher or paranormal monster who stalks them across a changing map. Survivors hide in lockers, run and vault through windows while they repair generators, and anyone caught is hung on a hook and sacrificed unless a teammate risks a rescue.
Content: gore, violence, strong language, jumpscares, flashing lights (epilepsy warning), online play with strangers.

Dead by Daylight is an online horror game where four players as Survivors try to repair generators and escape, while a fifth player as the Killer hunts them down. You can play either side, with original Killers and ones from well-known horror series.

About Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight is an asymmetric multiplayer horror game by Behaviour Interactive, released on Steam in June 2016, on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in June 2017, and since on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch, with cross-platform play. Each match pits four Survivors against one Killer, all real players, in a realm of fog where even death is not an escape.

As a Survivor you play in third person. You and the others search the map for generators and repair them, hitting skill checks as you go; once five are running, the exit gates can be powered and you can get out. The Killer hears failed skill checks and rushed moves and follows the scratch marks you leave as you run. You can hide in lockers, vault windows, drop pallets in the Killer's path and blind them with a flashlight. If you are caught you are carried to a hook, and unless a teammate unhooks you, you are sacrificed.

The Killer plays in first person, which narrows the view and makes the chase more personal. Each Killer has their own power, from original creations to characters licensed from horror films and games, such as chapters based on SAW, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Resident Evil. Maps are procedurally generated with random spawn points, so where generators and exits sit changes from match to match. Players on the official forum put a typical match at around 8 to 12 minutes.

The fear comes from real people: a Killer who learns your habits, a friend screaming on a hook, and the choice between saving them or saving yourself. Characters level up and unlock perks and items, and new chapters with more Killers and Survivors keep being added. It suits players who enjoy competitive matches and being hunted by someone who thinks, rather than a scripted story.

It costs $19.99 on Steam and $29.99 on PlayStation and Xbox. It is included in Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Extra. Online play on PlayStation needs PlayStation Plus, and on Switch it needs Nintendo Switch Online.

How to play Dead by Daylight

Pick a side: one of four Survivors or the Killer, and join an online match.
As a Survivor, find generators and repair them, hitting the skill checks that appear.
Hide in lockers, vault windows and drop pallets to escape the Killer when you are chased.
Rescue teammates from hooks before they are sacrificed.
Once five generators are repaired, open an exit gate and escape before the Killer stops you.
As the Killer, follow sounds and scratch marks, down Survivors, and hang them on hooks.

Screenshots

Dead by Daylight screenshot: two Survivors kneel to repair a glowing generator beside a graffiti-covered wall at night

Dead by Daylight screenshot: a Survivor lifts another Survivor off a hook in a neon-lit blue alley

Dead by Daylight screenshot: a Survivor vaults over a pile of planks while a Killer in a white rabbit mask raises a hatchet behind them

Dead by Daylight screenshot: a Survivor in a shirt and tie pulls the lever of an exit gate switch under glowing red lights

Dead by Daylight screenshot: a red locker stands in a ruined stone library overgrown with giant roots, with books floating in the air

Dead by Daylight screenshot: a neon-lit city street at night with Korean signs and parked cars

Tips

Play the in-game tutorial first; it covers the basics of both sides.
Do not miss skill checks; a miss makes a noise the Killer can hear.
Run toward windows and pallets when chased; open ground gives the Killer the advantage.
Wait for the Killer to move away before unhooking a teammate.
As the Killer, kick partly repaired generators to undo their progress.

Questions

Can you play Dead by Daylight alone?

Not offline. Every match is online with other players, but you can queue on your own and be matched with strangers.

Is Dead by Daylight cross-platform?

Yes. It supports cross-platform multiplayer between PC and consoles.

Is Dead by Daylight on mobile?

Not any more. Dead by Daylight Mobile was removed from the App Store and Google Play in January 2025 and its servers shut down on 20 March 2025. The main game on PC and consoles continues.

Is Dead by Daylight on Nintendo Switch?

Yes, it is sold on the Nintendo eShop and plays on Switch and Switch 2, with Nintendo Switch Online needed for online matches. It is also on PlayStation, Xbox and Steam.

Does it have killers from horror films?

Yes. Alongside original Killers there are licensed chapters, for example from SAW, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Resident Evil.

Is Dead by Daylight on Game Pass or PlayStation Plus?

Yes. It is included with Xbox Game Pass, including PC Game Pass and cloud play, and with PlayStation Plus Extra. Online play on PlayStation needs a PlayStation Plus membership.

How long is a match?

Usually around 8 to 12 minutes, according to players on the official forum, though a match can end in 5 or run past 20.