Developer Behaviour Interactive has outlined plans for a Survivor quick-communication chat wheel in Dead by Daylight, along with longer-term work on progression, perks, offerings, and add-ons. The plans were discussed during a developer Q&A on Reddit and were reported by PCGamesN.
Over the game’s decade-long lifespan, its growing collection of perks, add-ons, and offerings has become extensive. Behaviour’s developers said they are reviewing systems connected to progression and inventory management, while also preparing features and updates for modes, bots, character reworks, and anti-cheat efforts.
Survivor chat wheel planned for the fall mid-chapter
The Survivor chat wheel is planned for the fall mid-chapter update. It will allow Survivors to communicate their intentions through preset messages and is intended primarily to help solo players. The feature will initially be available for Survivors in 1v4, with Behaviour indicating that it could be used in more situations over time.
Associate Product Director Justin said the tool could also give the design team a more consistent level of shared Survivor information when balancing Killers.
Progression and inventory changes remain under discussion
Senior Design Director Daniel Drapeau said Behaviour is reviewing its progression tracks and systems. He identified bloat in elements including add-ons and perks, and said the team wants to reduce items that sit unused in player inventories. Drapeau added that progression work may take time because it is connected to much of the game.
Senior Game Designer Jeff Melo said the offering system is being considered for refinement and that the team has discussed reducing the number of add-ons while making those that remain more impactful. He described those ideas as longer-term plans that are still under discussion.
Justin also acknowledged a growing need for improved sorting as more characters, perks, and outfits are added, though there are no hard plans for sorting changes at present.
- Survivor Chat Wheel: Planned for the fall mid-chapter update for Survivors in 1v4.
- Progression Review: Behaviour is reviewing progression systems and considering ways to address unused inventory items.
- Add-on and Offering Changes: The team is discussing refining offerings and reducing add-on counts while improving their impact.
- Custom Game Killer Bots: Killer bots are planned for custom games, with Killers already supported in 2v8 likely to be prioritized.
Bots, reworks, and future modes
Behaviour is discussing the next steps for bots, including Killer bots in custom games. Justin said Killers currently supported in 2v8 will be easier to support because work has already been done for them as disconnect bots, while full support for every Killer would be a substantial task.
Melo said the team is reviewing older Killers that lack add-on variety and is working on map-generation changes intended to better address Killers that are especially map dependent. The Skull Merchant rework remains planned after the team revisited its approach through multiple iterations. The design is built around the pillars of Track, Hunt, DIY Tech, Trophy, and Kill.
Behaviour also plans to introduce more classes and Killers to 2v8, though both will remain limited to keep the mode manageable and simpler than the standard perk system. The team aims to release at least one new mode within the next year, while noting that development must be balanced against other priorities.
Other updates under consideration
A match replay system remains a possibility, but Justin said it should happen only after the game’s big upcoming update because it would be a substantial system to build. The Swamp rework is still planned, although the team is currently focusing level art and design resources on the upcoming update.
Behaviour is also considering more challenging quest objectives in response to player feedback. Melo said adjustments to underutilized in-game mechanics are planned for a lighter update in early 2027, and Associate Product Director Joey Audet Pepin said a gifting system is planned for a similar timeframe.
Lead Community Manager MandyTalk said the team has anti-cheat plans in development based on a recent in-game survey and expects to share more in the coming weeks. Melo also said the team is tracking players who quickly abandon matches and is identifying solutions intended to reduce how often that happens, though no timing was provided.
