With the recent release of Dead by Daylight on next-gen consoles, Behaviour Interactive wanted to reach out to fans to show what kind of changes and upgrades they can expect to come as the game lands on PS5 and Xbox Series X. In an interview with Game Rant, Behaviour Interactive's Head of Partnerships Mathieu Cote spoke about a few things under the hood.
As the game continues to update with new chapters bringing new killers, Dead by Daylight will keep evolving and pushing forward as it jumps to next-gen. However, according to Cote, it would appear that the upgrade to PS5 and Xbox Series X is only the first step on pumping a breath of fresh air into the now five year old title.
GR: Is Dead by Daylight on next-gen consoles simply a product of backwards compatibility, or is this a dedicated port?
A: Behaviour has a long history of porting games to every platform out there. We understand that all of these are unique and that our game must be modified to take advantage of the platform's strengths.
In this instance, we also saw a great opportunity to not only create a visually upgraded version of the game but we made sure all other platforms benefited from that effort.
GR: What kind of changes can players expect with the leap to next-gen consoles?
A: Obviously, things like 4K support at 60fps but the more significant elements come in the shape of complete reworks of our environments, VFX and character animations. Our current players are already seeing some of these updates and they will continue to happen to bring all 5 years of content in Dead by Daylight to the new consoles' level of quality.
GR: Will some of these changes appear on the PC version of Dead by Daylight as well?
A: Absolutely, and it's already happening as players on every platform are currently playing on new, completely revamped versions of some of our existing maps.
GR: Between the PS5 and Xbox Series X, which console was easier to transition Dead by Daylight onto?
A: They both come with their own challenges. The process of porting to a new console is always complex, especially when you're looking to be there at launch. The final specs and software are often not final until it's time to ship and the process of submission is usually untested. We are lucky to have great relationships with both Microsoft and Sony and that allows us to work closely with them to make this operation as smooth as possible.
GR: Will next-gen consoles have crossplay with PC and previous consoles?
A: Yes! We are very happy to say that both new consoles will allow players to play with our existing population of PC and current-gen console players.
GR: For players who already have the game on other consoles, will there be some benefit to upgrading to a next-gen copy?
A: Eligible PS4 players who buy a PS5 will get a free upgrade of the game. Their progression will also be transferred on to the new console.
The same applies to Xbox One players upgrading to Xbox Series X|S.
GR: On the community side of things, will there be anywhere to see the difference in performance firsthand, such as through outreach with Fog Whisperers or other community members?
A: Our Fog whisperer program is in constant evolution and features players from all corners of the community. We've already seen a few of them jump on the new consoles and show their viewers what the game is like on there.
GR: Will any of the DLC hunters be available with the next-gen release of Dead by Daylight, or will they be separate add-ons like they are with current versions of the game?
A: The game model and the DLCs will stay the same across the board. We do have a few special editions and bundles available and we will certainly continue to do so but the business model will continue. We think that having a base game that is as inexpensive as possible is a great way for people to jump in and we continue to add a lot of free content and original chapters which can be earned through play time.
GR: Do the next-gen versions of Dead by Daylight take advantage of any of the PS5 or Xbox Series X’s new features, like haptic feedback or 3D audio?
A: Not at launch. Haptic feedback is a good example of a feature that's really cool to take advantage of but since it's got no equivalent elsewhere, it makes it difficult in the context of crossplay. The game balance is a delicately balanced chaos, and we are careful around things that may impact it.
It certainly doesn't mean we're not going to do something in the future, but it won't be for launch.
GR: After working on the next-gen port, does Behaviour Interactive have plans to work on a Dead by Daylight 2 or even a new IP built with new technology in mind?
A: The topic of a sequel to Dead by Daylight comes up regularly. Every time it does, we all reach the same decision, to put all our energy and attention on the game that currently has about a million people playing every single day. It is the reason why we decided to do such a big graphical update, to make this 5 year old game look better and shinier than ever.
As for our other projects, we can't say anything just yet but we have plans. Just like we showed the world a new way to do multiplayer, we want to challenge the way people play games.
GR: Aside from the move to next-gen, are there any more additions coming to Dead by Daylight that fans might be excited to see coming to the game?
A: New things come to Dead by Daylight constantly. We've just given people a peek at our new chapter "A Binding of Kin" and the reception is quite intense. We intend to continue to shock and amaze with the same regular frequency as before. Expect the unexpected!
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Dead by Daylight is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.