Dead by Daylight Reportedly Testing a New 1v1 Mode Featuring Killer Duels

A new 1v1 mode is reportedly “actively being tested” for Dead by Daylight, according to a recent leak.

The leaked infos claims that the upcoming mode will allow two players to face off as Killers, each choosing a DBD Killer before entering the match. The goal, reportedly, is to “survive as long as possible”, with matches structured in a best-of-three format. Both players will take turns playing as their chosen Killers, and a tiebreaker round will decide the winner if each player secures one victory.

Testing for this mode has supposedly taken place on both full-sized maps and custom variants—smaller arenas packed with more “jungle gyms” to keep the action intense and fast-paced. Behaviour Interactive is also said to be exploring the idea of open selection, rather than the class-based system used in the upcoming 2v8 mode, and may allow a limited pool of perks or bonuses for balance.

The mode could also feature leaderboards and is reportedly being developed as a “limited-time mode” (LTM). However, Behaviour might extend its availability during weekends or as part of special one-week events held at regular intervals.

One particularly exciting detail is that, according to the source, all Killers will be available in this 1v1 mode. This suggests that Behaviour has found a way to avoid the licensing restrictions that affected the 2v8 mode. Previously, Dead by Daylight’s director Mathieu Côté acknowledged that licensed Killers posed challenges in multi-Killer formats:

“You can have the Xenomorph chasing Ash Williams in Michael Myers’ childhood home… but having Nemesis and Chucky running side by side on a map is a different matter.”

As of now, there’s no confirmed release window for the 1v1 mode. The leaker simply notes that it is “actively being tested”, meaning it may still be in early development. Since this information comes from unofficial sources, fans should take it with a grain of salt—plans could change or even be scrapped before any official announcement.

If the rumors prove true, though, a Killer-versus-Killer duel mode could offer a fresh and competitive twist to Dead by Daylight’s asymmetrical horror formula.

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