Dead by Daylight’s 2v8 Game Mode has returned, new and improved with plenty of gameplay updates, more playable Killers, new and updated Classes, and more.
WHEN: November 12th 11 AM ET – November 26th 11 AM ET
The essence of 2v8 has remained the same. A team of 8 Survivors must repair 8 of 13 Generators and escape, while a team of 2 Killers try their best to amass as many Sacrifices as (in)humanly possible. It’s action-packed, it’s chaotic, it’s teamwork manifest.
Before we dive into the changes 2.0 brings to the table, catch up on the basics below:
2v8 removes Perks, with both sides using a Class system built around a specific playstyle. Hooks are also removed, being replaced with Cages – a very similar effect to The Executioners Cage of Atonement Power. When downed, Killers can send Survivors to a Cage across the Map, with 3 Cage States being fatal.
As this is a faster Game Mode, Survivors must repair 8 of 13 Generators, each of which takes 70 seconds to complete. The catch – if you haven’t been sent to a cage, completing a Generator will reveal your Aura to the Killer. If you have been sent to a Cage, you’ll gain the ability to use your character’s unique Unlock Ability.
SURVIVOR CLASSES
On the Survivor side, the four Classes from the previous iteration have returned: Medic, Scout, Guide, and Escapist . Now, they’ll each receive a unique Unlock Ability, allowing them to make game-changing plays at pivotal moments. These Unlock Abilities come into play after you’ve been caged for the first time, granting a benefit that lasts for the duration of the game.
Each Class also features an Active Ability, which can be used at any moment – provided it's not on cooldown. Aside from the Class-specific benefit, Active Abilities can also be used to stand up from the Dying State, should go a long way in mitigating the efficacy of slugging. Discover what each Class offers by checking out the list below.
GUIDE
These Generators aren’t going to repair themselves, so better get those hands dirty.
See the Aura of any unfinished Generator in your vicinity. Anytime you’re repairing a Generator, your teammates will see the Aura of both you and the Generator you’re repairing. The Guide also has a small Tech Radius, which gives teammates a Great Skill Check Bonus and reduced repair noise.
Active Ability: Guides can trigger their Active Ability to give nearby teammates a temporary repair speed boost.
Unlock Ability: When you complete a Generator, gain a 5% repair charge for every Survivor in your Tech Radius. Those charges will be applied to the next Generator you repair.
MEDIC
Those who value altruism often have the last laugh.
See the Aura of any injured Survivor within a large radius. The Medic has a small Vitality Radius, which grants you and your teammates a significant heal speed bonus and reduced grunts of pain.
Active Ability: Medics can trigger their Active Ability to instantly heal all Survivors within your Vitality Radius by 50%.
Unlock Ability: Whenever you’re injured, your Scratch Marks are suppressed and your Aura is revealed to your teammates.
ESCAPIST
You don’t have to be the fastest. You just need to be faster than the others.
See the Aura of all nearby Pallets and Vaults. The Escapist has a small Sprint Radius, which grants you a brief Haste boost when you sprint. That boost is also given to any teammate that sprints near you . Note that this boost causes Exhaustion, but that’s a small price to pay for a narrow escape.
Active Ability: Escapists can trigger their Active Ability to completely silence any Rushed Action within your Sprint Radius for a brief duration.
Unlock Ability: Heal yourself without a Med-Kit at a faster speed.
SCOUT
Never underestimate the one that watches the watcher.
See the Killer’s Aura whenever they do a Break action. The Scout has a small Sneak Radius, which grants you and your teammates a faster movement speed while crouching. If you ever have line of sight on a Killer within 64 meters, their Aura will be revealed to your teammates.
Active Ability: When the Active Ability is charged, see the Aura of all dropped or Broken pallets. Press the Ability button near a dropped or broken Pallet to raise or Repair it.
Unlock Ability: Gain faster walking speed and silence all Grunts of Pain while Injured.
Pick the Class that most effectively suits your playstyle – or perhaps the one that your team might benefit from – and do what you can to Escape before it’s too late. Don’t forget: In this iteration of 2v8, each Active Ability can also be consumed when reaching 95% recovery, to allow you to recover from the Dying State – so take advantage as needed.
And of course, every Survivor is playable in 2v8, no matter which Class you choose.
KILLER CLASSES
Killer players can select from a limited roster of Killers, each one specifically redesigned for 2v8. We’re constantly working to incorporate more Killers with every iteration, so if your main isn’t here – don't worry.
- The Trapper
- The Wraith
- The Hillbilly
- The Nurse
- The Huntress
- The Blight (New)
- The Spirit (New)
- The Deathslinger (New)
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the basics, it’s time for one of the biggest updates coming in this version of 2v8: Killer Classes.
In the first iteration, Killers had individual abilities that elevated their deadly potential . Those will remain. In addition, Killers will use one of four distinct classes, each one specialized in a different aspect of the hunt. This way, you can utilize your favorite Killer with tools that elevate your preferred playstyle even further.
Note that each Killer on a team must have a unique Class.
SHADOW
By the time they look over their shoulder, the blade has quenched its thirst.
Gain Undetectable whenever you’re near your teammate. When you injure a Survivor, you will temporarily transfer your Undetectable status to your teammate, allowing them to catch your quarry off guard. In addition, whenever your teammate begins chasing a Survivor, that Survivor’s Aura will be revealed for a longer period.
BRUTE
The sound of splintered wood does little to hide the screams.
The Brute can break objects like Pallets and Breakable Walls faster. Whenever you do, your nearby teammate will gain a temporary Haste boost. After damaging a Generator, you’ll see Survivor Auras from an extended range.
ENFORCER
The smell of terror really gets the blood pumping.
Move slightly faster whenever you chase an Injured Survivor. In addition, damage a Generator to reveal nearby Survivors for a longer duration. When a nearby teammate injures a Survivor, they will give that Survivor the Enforcer’s Mark, which reveals their Aura to you. When you put a Survivor with the Enforcer’s Mark into the Dying State, the Mark is consumed and your teammate gains a temporary bonus to their lunge Attack distance.
FEARMONGER
Move as a solitary instrument of death, keeping to the shadows.
The Fearmonger moves faster when you are unseen. If you’re far away from your teammate when you Injure a Survivor, your teammate will gain a brief Haste boost. Whenever a Generator is completed, the Aura of all un-Caged Survivors are revealed for an extended period.
REALMS
We’ve also added two new Realms and several additional Maps into the rotation:
- MacMillan Estate
- Autohaven Wreckers
- Coldwind Farm
- Red Forest
- Crotus Prenn Asylum
- Dead Dawg Saloon (new)
- Yamaoka Estate (new)
EVENT TOME
As per tradition, with a new Game Mode comes a new Event Tome, packed with new challenges for both Killers and Survivors. Complete them to unlock 3 exclusive rewards:
- Comfy Cage (Badge)
- Cuddly Crow (Badge)
- Lovely Lounge (Banner)
Before we let you go, we’d like to address the elephant in the room – the queue times. We realize that the previous iteration of 2v8 featured some elevated matchmaking times, particularly for Killer players.
To an extent, this was to be expected. After all, it marked the first time our Killer community could experience the hunt with a partner. Unfortunately, this surge in interest and excitement drove up Killer queue times significantly, which wasn’t exactly ideal. We hear you on that, and we appreciate everyone who remained patient.
Due to the nature of an online game, the return of 2v8 is unable to ameliorate this issue. It’s something that we are aware of, and we are looking into making the Survivor experience more rewarding.
That’s about everything you need to know about 2v8’s return, and if you’re in need of a quick refresher you can always check out the Game Mode page right here.
See you in The Fog,
The Dead by Daylight Team
