Dead by Daylight: The Community Is Shaping the Future of the Next Chapter

For several months now, Dead by Daylight players have been given a unique opportunity: to actively participate in the creation of an original chapter by deciding the Killer’s form and powers, as well as the Survivor’s key characteristics. First announced during last year’s anniversary celebrations, this ambitious initiative has steadily progressed, and public voting has now reached a decisive stage. The result is that the upcoming chapter is finally beginning to take shape, with the Survivor’s face and the Killer’s silhouette emerging from community choices.

Behaviour Interactive recently revealed the first concrete details of this community-driven chapter, titled “The Grimoire.” As reported by PCGamesN, this marks an unprecedented approach to development for the game, placing creative power directly in the hands of its player base and allowing fans to influence everything from the overarching theme to the new characters joining the Fog.

An Unprecedented Collaborative Process

“The Grimoire” stands as the first Dead by Daylight chapter developed in close collaboration with its community. Early voting phases focused on defining the chapter’s core atmosphere and narrative direction, laying the groundwork for its characters.

The community has already established that the new Killer will be a divine, otherworldly entity — a being that claims to embody absolute truth and inflicts torment through direct, deliberate actions. Opposing this figure is the Survivor: a spiritual scientist from a world left in ruins by the very same Killer. Rather than submitting to this godlike force, the Survivor has devoted their life to studying and resisting its influence.

From Abstract Concepts to Visual Identity

With the foundational ideas in place, Behaviour Interactive has moved into the production phase of “The Grimoire,” focusing on translating abstract concepts into concrete visual designs. For the Killer, this process begins with the selection of a silhouette, with players voting between three distinct options.

The first silhouette presents a more traditional, almost angelic interpretation of divinity. The second draws inspiration from “biblically accurate” angels, featuring unsettling, eldritch shapes and tentacle-like forms. The third depicts what appears to be a massive beast’s head supported by a writhing mass of grasping limbs. Each design offers a unique and unsettling take on divine horror.

Survivor Selection and Voting Timeline

Alongside the Killer vote, players are also choosing the visual identity of the Survivor. Four potential designs have been presented, each emphasizing resilience and determination. Among them, one design has drawn particular attention: a silver-haired woman bearing a scar over her eye, leaving her pupil discolored and giving her a striking, battle-hardened appearance.

This voting phase for Dead by Daylight: The Grimoire began on Friday, January 23 at 6:00 PM CET and will conclude on Monday, January 26 at 6:00 PM CET. During this period, players can vote on both the Killer’s silhouette and the Survivor’s face through the official voting page.

Looking Ahead

This stage represents only the beginning of the creative journey. Behaviour Interactive has confirmed that additional voting rounds will follow in the coming weeks, delving deeper into the chapter’s visual identity. Future votes will explore mood boards, material directions, and finer aesthetic details, allowing the community to further refine the look and atmosphere of “The Grimoire.”

As Behaviour Interactive explained, upcoming votes will “go even deeper into the visual identity, exploring mood boards and material directions, as the community continues to define the chapter’s appearance.” If successful, “The Grimoire” could set a new standard for player-driven development in Dead by Daylight’s future.