Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer (4vs1) horror game where one player takes on the role of the savage Killer, and the other four players play as Survivors, trying to escape the Killer and avoid being caught, tortured and killed.

Survivors play in third-person and have the advantage of better situational awareness. The Killer plays in first-person and is more focused on their prey.

The Survivors' goal in each encounter is to escape the Killing Ground without getting caught by the Killer - something that sounds easier than it is, especially when the environment changes every time you play.

The game features procedurally generated levels, so players never experience a repetitive map. Be the killer and massacre all your victims before they escape, by using your speed and power in 1st person, or team up with your friends to try and outwit the killer with your superior awareness and agility in a 3rd person's view as he hunts you through a nightmare world.

Starbreeze has decided to sell the publishing rights to the game Dead by Daylight to the developer, Behaviour Interactive Inc (Behaviour).

Starbreeze will receive an initial payment of USD 4 million, followed by an additional USD 12 million paid in stages as royalties of 65 percent of game revenues. The deal will accelerate cash flows to Starbreeze from the game, which will strengthen Starbreeze earnings and free up capital for new projects. Starbreeze strategy to widen the game portfolio with additional publishing titles has not changed.

The publishing rights to the game will not be transferred to Behaviour until Starbreeze has been paid the entire consideration of USD 16 million. Until then, Starbreeze will retain control over the games payment streams and remain the official publisher of the game. Per 1st of January 2018, Behaviour however assumes the obligations of Starbreeze in connection with the game under the Publishing Agreement, including all development and marketing costs. Behaviour has the option to remit final payment of the remaining balance due at any time and thereby take over the rights at an earlier date.

“The publishing title Dead by Daylight has been a stellar deal for Starbreeze. We initially invested USD 2 million in developing the game, which has sold more than 3 million copies since release and generated approximately SEK 345 million in net sales. We are now concluding the partnership with Behaviour in a favorable manner and Dead by Daylight has become an even better deal for Starbreeze,” says Starbreeze CEO Bo Andersson Klint. “In addition to securing and accelerating our revenues from the game, we will incur no costs related to further development and marketing. Through this deal, we expect the profits from the game to exceed our projection for the remaining lifespan for the title.”

“Our strategy to widen the game portfolio with additional publishing titles has not changed. We received an attractive offer from Behaviour that we have assessed as better for us in both the long and short terms. We aim to be ‘The Good Publisher’ and are happy to be a part of giving external development partners the opportunity to own their own future. It has been a joy working with Behaviour and we wish them continued success,” says Mikael Nermark, COO and Executive Vice President at Starbreeze.

According to the original publishing agreement, Starbreeze and Behaviour split net revenues from the game 50/50 after development and marketing costs. Revenues from Dead by Daylight amounted to SEK 202 million in 2017, which was split 50/50 with Behaviour. During the same period, Starbreeze incurred costs attributable to the game of SEK 34 million, resulting in a surplus to Starbreeze for the game of SEK 66 million in 2017. The effect of the deal on Starbreeze revenues and profit will be determined by how the sales of the game develop.

Upon expiration of the publishing agreement, Starbreeze will no longer have any rights connected to the game apart from rights to further compensation if the game is launched in China before 2020.

“We are incredibly proud of everything we have accomplished on Dead by Daylight, building a strong IP that has sold over 3 million copies. Our community is the backbone of our success and we are totally committed to continue investing and growing the game. We would like to thank the team at Starbreeze for their collaboration and efforts to jointly make Dead by Daylight a success,” says Rémi Racine, CEO and Executive Producer, Behaviour Interactive.

Players take on the role of both killer and survivors in a deadly game of cat and mouse. It’s a Mature Gamer take on the thrills of Hide & Seek!

Key Features

• Survive Together… Or Not - Survivors can either cooperate with the others or be selfish. Your chance of survival will vary depending on whether you work together as a team or if you go at it alone. Will you be able to outwit the Killer and escape their Killing Ground?
• Where Am I? - Each level is procedurally generated, so you’ll never know what to expect. Random spawn points mean you will never feel safe as the world and its danger change every time you play.
• A Feast for Killers - Dead by Daylight draws from all corners of the horror world. As a Killer you can play as anything from a powerful Slasher to terrifying paranormal entities. Familiarize yourself with your Killing Grounds and master each Killer’s unique power to be able to hunt, catch and sacrifice your victims.
• Deeper and Deeper - Each Killer and Survivor has their own deep progression system and plenty of unlockables that can be customized to fit your own personal strategy. Experience, skills and understanding of the environment are key to being able to hunt or outwit the Killer.
• Real People, Real Fear - The procedural levels and real human reactions to pure horror makes each game session an unexpected scenario. You will never be able to tell how it’s going to turn out. Ambience, music, and chilling environments combine into a terrifying experience. With enough time, you might even discover what’s hiding in the fog.