Dead by Daylight’s Year 7 Anniversary broadcast has officially wrapped, and as per tradition, we’ve announced several live balance updates slated to arrive throughout the coming months. Whether you missed the show or are seeking more information about what’s coming, we’ve got you covered with all things gameplay. Please be mindful that release windows and details are always subject to change.
FACE-CAMPING
Ah, camping. It’s a term that many Dead by Daylight players have come to know quite well. Before we continue, however, we must make a key distinction. This update is designed to tackle the act of face-camping, a process that has long sparked debate and frustration amidst our players.
In essence, face-camping in this context refers to gameplay where the Killer stands directly in front of – or otherwise in the immediate vicinity – of a Hooked Survivor. This allows them to easily interrupt grabs and prevent rescues, thereby killing a Survivor with minimal room for actual gameplay.
While this can often lead to the other three Survivors gaining a considerable lead repairing Generators, the entire experience is notably low on any fun factor. That’s not to say there aren’t instances where camping isn’t a viable strateg y, but the fact remains that it has been a constant source of frustration from many of our players.
Enter the upcoming Anti Face-Camping System, an update designed specifically to remove situations where a player is being face-camped and only face-camped. As it stands, this will not impact instances where the Killer is engaging in what’s often referred to as “proxy-camping,” a far more nebulous process. In fact, you shouldn’t expect to see this system activate in your games that much, provided you aren’t going out of your way to face-camp Survivors.
What’s being done about it?
With this update, whenever a Survivor is being face-camped by a Killer, a meter will build over time. This meter is only visible to that Survivor. Once it’s completely full, they will be able to escape from a Hook without need of another Survivor, gaining Endurance and the Haste Status Effect. Note that this system can activate in both the first and second Hook stages.
What impacts the meter fill-rate?
The meter fills when the Killer is nearby, with the rate of fill increasing based on the Killer’s proximity to the Hooked Survivor. Please note that this will not impact instances of proxy-camping, nor the times when a Killer is actively defending a Hook from a group of swarming Survivors. In fact, the presence of other Survivors in the vicinity will reduce the meter fill-rate, though the rate itself will never be negative.
What distance qualifies as face-camping?
A Killer being fewer than 5 meters away from a Hooked Survivor will significantly increase the system’s fill meter. Between 5 and 10 meters, the rate of fill will still raise, albeit not quite as quickly. If the Killer is more than 16 meters from the Hooked Survivor, the system will not activate. Please note that the presence of additional Survivors will have an impact on the rate-of-fill, slowing it down.
Will this interact with Perks?
If a Survivor can self-unhook as a direct result of being face-camped, they will be able to use any Perk that triggers following an unhook – for example, Dead Hard and Off The Record. Survivors who escape via this system will also be granted the Endurance status as usual.
What about two-story Maps?
As it stands, this system will remain active and function as intended on Maps with multiple floors like The Game or Midwich Elementary School. We’d like to clarify that this may possibly lead to edge cases where a Killer is falsely punished for face-camping, so we will be monitoring this closely following release and adjusting as needed.
Does it work in the endgame?
No. The anti-camp system will be disabled in the endgame.
LIVE MAP BALANCE
Balancing an asymmetrical live service game, especially one with as much content as Dead by Daylight, remains an ongoing process. One of the main ways we balance is through updating Perks, Powers, Add-Ons, and Items, and moving forward, we’ll be adding an increased focus on Live Map Balance.
We’re aware that Map Balance is a recurring topic of discussion within the community, and we’re aiming to make it a recurring part of Mid-Chapter updates. With so many Maps being viewed as either Killer or Survivor-sided, we’re aiming to create a level playing field in which both sides can feel they have a viable chance at success.
We’ve already begun this process, having previously rebalanced Eyrie of Crows, Blood Lodge, and Gas Haven. As announced during the broadcast, the next stop will be the entire Coldwind Farm Realm, starting with updates to Fractured Cowshed and Rancid Abattoir this summer. Expect to see updates to tile placement, problematic loops, and Generator/Totem placement. Get those 1v1s in while you can!
UPDATE PHILOSOPHY
During last year’s anniversary, we announced our biggest Perk overhaul to date, a process that updated over forty Perks for Killer and Survivor . At the time, it was a major shake-up that felt long overdue, but given the sheer scope it required significant time to develop and ultimately implement.
This year, we are taking a different approach, focusing on smaller batches of updates and aiming for consistent releases . A stale meta can be the bane of any live service game, this system will allow us to react quickly and update Perks, Items, and Add-Ons at a more efficient rate. Be sure to keep an eye for specific news closer to the release of each coming Mid-Chapter.
To all the players and content creators who actively take the time to read these updates, a sincere thank you. We hope you enjoyed catching up on all the announcements, and enjoy trying out The Singularity, Gabriel Soma, the Toba Landing Map, and all the new perks from the End Transmission Chapter, available in the upcoming PTB.
Catch up on all the Quality Of Life updates announced during the 7th Anniversary Broadcast right here.
