Behaviour Interactive has officially kicked off production on the first-ever community-created Chapter for Dead by Daylight, marking a significant evolution in how new content is developed for the long-running live-service title.
The initiative is powered by The Grimoire, a collaborative platform that allows players to participate in early-stage creative decisions rather than voting on finalized concepts. According to Behaviour, the approach gives fans direct influence over lore, visual identity, and gameplay direction, effectively positioning the community as co-creators alongside the development team.
With the Chapter now entering full production, Behaviour has opened a new round of voting that lets players determine the Killer’s silhouette and the Survivor’s face, marking the first time character visuals have been shaped this early by community input.
The Grimoire was first introduced in 2025 as an experiment in deeper community involvement, designed to recognize the role Dead by Daylight’s players have played in expanding the game’s world through fan theories, art, and storytelling. Unlike traditional community votes that select between near-complete designs, The Grimoire invites players into the creative process at key milestones.
“Through the Grimoire, we’re bringing players into our process in a way we’ve never done before,” Dave Richard, creative director on Dead by Daylight, said in a prepared statement. “It’s about taking players from participants to co-creators and giving them a true sense of ownership over an original Chapter.”
The initiative represents a notable shift in live-service development, where community engagement typically centers on feedback and cosmetics rather than foundational design decisions.
Prior voting rounds have already established the creative foundation of the Chapter. Players helped define an otherworldly, god-like Killer from beyond reality, whose powers revolve around judgment and punishment. Opposing it is a new Survivor described as a spiritual scientist, taking on the role of one of the last remaining beings from a world brought to ruin by the very same entity now hunting them in the Fog.
New frontier for live service
“This project has felt like a true partnership with the community,” Jeff Melo, senior game designer on Dead by Daylight, said in a prepared statement. “It’s challenging, exciting, and incredibly rewarding to see player ideas take shape in real time.”
The current vote, open from January 23 to January 26, marks the first reveal of concept art tied to these characters, with future votes planned around materials, mood boards, and broader visual direction.
Dead by Daylight has grown into one of the industry’s most durable live-service games, boasting millions of daily players and more than 70 million players worldwide since launch. Inviting fans into early development could deepen long-term engagement while offering insights into how player-driven creation can coexist with structured production pipelines.
Voting is currently live on the official Grimoire website, with additional updates expected to roll out through Dead by Daylight’s social channels as production continues.