Exclusive: Five Nights at Freddy's Behavior Revealed in Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight is gearing up to celebrate its ninth anniversary with an exciting collaboration that fans have eagerly awaited for years. On June 17, the iconic Five Nights at Freddy’s universe will officially join Dead by Daylight, marking a thrilling new chapter. This crossover, which has been in the works for a long time, promises to bring more exciting content, quality-of-life improvements, and additional collaborations throughout the year. IGN recently sat down with Dead by Daylight's Creative Director Dave Richard and Killer Designer Jason Guzzo to delve into the details of this highly anticipated chapter, which is set to launch its public test build (PTB) today at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET.

The new chapter introduces Springtrap as the Killer, incorporating elements like doors, cameras, and jump scares to capture the essence of the Five Nights at Freddy’s experience. In preparation, the team immersed themselves in the franchise's lore, with Guzzo mentioning extensive research, including watching around 70 hours of content from popular streamer Markiplier. This deep dive helped them understand the community's connection to the series and tailor the gameplay to reflect that vibe.

While there won’t be a new Survivor in this chapter, the team is excited about the new map, Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, which is filled with Easter eggs and surprises for players to discover. The collaboration with Scott Cawthon, the creator of Five Nights at Freddy’s, was crucial in ensuring authenticity, and even led to the inclusion of the Yellow Rabbit outfit from the movie, voiced by Matthew Lillard.

Nintendo Switch 2 players will also be pleased to learn that Dead by Daylight's startup issues on the device will be resolved by the console's launch on June 5. As for future plans, the team is already looking forward to more collaborations and new content, fueled by the continuous support and enthusiasm from their community.

Springtrap comes to Dead by Daylight. Image provided by Behaviour Interactive.

The anticipation for Springtrap's arrival has been palpable, with the team feeling both excited and a bit stressed about meeting the high expectations. The gameplay mechanics for Springtrap are designed to be unique, featuring both a projectile attack with a fire axe and a thematic teleportation system using security doors. These elements aim to bring the suspense and fear of Five Nights at Freddy’s into the world of Dead by Daylight.

The team's dedication to the horror genre and their respect for the Five Nights at Freddy’s community shine through in this chapter. They've aimed to create a new experience that honors the original while offering fresh gameplay opportunities. As Dead by Daylight continues to evolve, this collaboration is just the beginning of more exciting developments to come.