Dead by Daylight Year 9 Anniversary Recap – Springtrap Revealed, The Witcher Collection, Five Nights,Lara Croft and More
Dead by Daylight’s Year 9 Anniversary Broadcast Unleashes Springtrap, The Witcher Collection, a New Community Chapter, and More
Dead by Daylight is officially nine years old, and Behaviour Interactive marked the milestone with an information-packed Year 9 Anniversary Broadcast live from PAX East. This year’s showcase featured long-awaited reveals, surprising crossovers, gameplay updates, and a few clever mysteries for eagle-eyed fans to unravel.
Whether you missed the stream or just need a refresher, here’s everything you need to know from the Dead by Daylight Year 9 celebration.
Springtrap Arrives from Five Nights at Freddy’s
After months of speculation and fervent wishlist rankings, it’s finally official: Springtrap will be the Killer in Dead by Daylight’s upcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s Chapter.
While Behaviour isn’t showing full gameplay just yet, fans got a glimpse of the animatronic horror icon stalking Survivors in The Fog. A Legendary Outfit featuring Matthew Lillard was also teased, adding a meta twist to an already chilling addition.
More FNaF content and gameplay will be revealed in an upcoming live stream.
Nine Years of The Fog: A Reflection
The broadcast opened with a heartfelt look back on nine years of Dead by Daylight, highlighting:
- Recent licensed crossovers: Dungeons & Dragons, Tomb Raider, Castlevania, Tokyo Ghoul
- Launch of Steady Pulse and new Survivor Orela Rose
- Ongoing Quality of Life Initiative, now entering Phase 2, which aims to address longstanding feedback and improve performance, UI, matchmaking, and overall gameplay balance
Behaviour also doubled down on its commitment to transparency, emphasizing improved communication with players through dev blogs, forums, and livestreams.
New Survivor: Orela Rose
Part of the recent Steady Pulse Chapter, Orela Rose is a first responder whose perks focus on healing speed, protection hits, and tactical awareness. If you haven’t jumped into the chapter yet, now’s a great time to explore what she brings to team survival.
The Witcher Collection Enters The Fog
One of the biggest cosmetic reveals was the announcement of an official The Witcher Collection, bringing iconic fantasy RPG characters into Dead by Daylight via outfits, not full characters.
Featured cosmetics include:
- Geralt of Rivia (Vittorio Toscano)
- Yennefer (Kate Denson)
- Ciri (Sable Ward)
- Triss (Mikaela Reid)
- Leshen (The Artist)
- Eredin (The Knight)
This collection joins a long list of collaborations that have brought Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Tomb Raider into Behaviour’s terrifying universe.
Frank Stone Joins the Game as a Trapper Outfit
From the narrative horror spin-off The Casting of Frank Stone—developed with Supermassive Games—comes a Legendary Outfit for The Trapper, allowing players to channel Frank’s sinister presence in the main game later this year.
The Boulet Brothers Collection
Expanding on the Dead by Daylight-themed Dragula episode, The Boulet Brothers are now immortalized in The Fog with their Collection. The new content includes:
- Winter Warrior Outfit for The Huntress
- Boulet Brothers Artist Outfit for The Artist
Tomb Raider Collection Expansion
Lara Croft returns with two additional outfits, including one based on her original classic look. This update continues the Tomb Raider crossover introduced in 2023.
Choose Your Own Chapter: Community-Driven Creation
In one of the most ambitious announcements yet, Creative Director Dave Richard revealed that players will help design an entire upcoming Chapter, set for release in 2026.
Players will vote on:
- The Chapter’s Survivor and Killer
- Their visual design, lore, and gameplay abilities
- Narrative paths and even “Change Your Fate” mechanics that allow the community to revisit and alter previous choices
This long-term interactive event will span the entire production process, and fans are encouraged to follow and participate as it unfolds.
It Has My Face: Clone-Hunting Horror Roguelite
Behaviour also announced it will publish It Has My Face, a first-person horror roguelite from NightByte Games (Samurai Survivors). Set in a dystopian city, the game tasks you with tracking and eliminating your own clone before it kills you.
You can play the Steam demo now and wishlist the game ahead of its Early Access launch later this year.
Play the demo here
Spot the Clues: Teasing the Next Chapter
Staying true to tradition, Behaviour ended the stream with a hidden teaser for the next licensed Chapter. Rather than announce it outright, Game Director Mat Côté confirmed that clues were embedded throughout the broadcast.
Fans are encouraged to rewatch and speculate—expect an official reveal soon.
What’s Next?
The next major Dead by Daylight update will feature:
- Full Five Nights at Freddy’s gameplay reveal
- Return of the Twisted Masquerade Event
- Further details on Choose Your Own Chapter
- Ongoing rollout of Quality of Life Phase 2 updates
Stay tuned to Behaviour’s official social channels and forums for news drops, developer blogs, and deep dives into the next big content drops.
Final Thoughts: Nine Years of Innovation and Fear
The Year 9 Anniversary Broadcast was a bold mix of nostalgia, fresh surprises, and future-facing ambition. With major IPs joining the Fog, new ways for players to shape the game’s development, and a deeper focus on quality of life, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most impactful years in Dead by Daylight’s history.
Which announcement are you most excited about—and did you spot the clues to the next Chapter?