What are the pros of Dead by Daylight?

Highly addictive gameplay loop that keeps players returning despite personal frustrations.. Excellent cooperative experience when playing with a coordinated group of friends.. Deep replayability supported by a massive roster of characters and DLC content.. Unique asymmetric mechanics that provide a high skill ceiling for dedicated players..

What are the cons of Dead by Daylight?

Extremely toxic player base and negative community interactions.. Poor solo queue experience that often feels unbalanced and frustrating compared to group play.. Punitive matchmaking penalties that trigger even when players encounter toxic matches or specific unfun killers.. Controversial balance changes and the removal of minor features that the community enjoyed.. Steep learning curve that makes the initial experience unfriendly for new players..

Dead by Daylight

10 years of horror. 10 years of jump scares and close calls. 10 years of brutal sacrifices and thrilling escapes. Trapped forever in a realm of eldritch evil where even death is not an escape, four determined Survivors face a bloodthirsty Killer in a vicious game of nerve and wits.

78%

Mostly Positive

DeveloperBehaviour Interactive Inc.

PublisherBehaviour Interactive Inc.

Release DateJun 14, 2016

$19.99

Peak Players169.7K

Controllerfull

PlatformsWindows

Action

AI Review Summary

Dead by Daylight offers a highly addictive asymmetric horror experience that thrives on social play with friends but suffers from a notoriously toxic community. While the gameplay loop keeps players engaged for hundreds or even thousands of hours, many veterans express deep frustration with solo queue balance and controversial developer decisions.

Pros

Highly addictive gameplay loop that keeps players returning despite personal frustrations.95%
Excellent cooperative experience when playing with a coordinated group of friends.90%
Deep replayability supported by a massive roster of characters and DLC content.85%
Unique asymmetric mechanics that provide a high skill ceiling for dedicated players.70%

Cons

Extremely toxic player base and negative community interactions.95%
Poor solo queue experience that often feels unbalanced and frustrating compared to group play.90%
Punitive matchmaking penalties that trigger even when players encounter toxic matches or specific unfun killers.80%
Controversial balance changes and the removal of minor features that the community enjoyed.75%
Steep learning curve that makes the initial experience unfriendly for new players.60%

Notable Mentions

Players frequently describe their relationship with the game as a 'toxic ex' or an addiction.
Specific killers like The Knight and Chucky are highlighted as particularly frustrating or unfun to play against.
Veteran players with thousands of hours are often the most likely to leave negative reviews while continuing to play.

Confidence: 87%

Based on the 200 most relevant reviewsGenerated on Jul 5, 2026

Game Vitals

Live snapshot

Player Activity

Current peak

59.1K

Peak · last 90 days

169.7K

All-time peak

169.7K

Price

Current price

$19.99

Lowest tracked

$7.99since Nov 24, 2025

Review Sentiment

Launch week

—

Last 30 days

70%

All-time positive

78%

Review Statistics

Total Reviews931.3K

Positive: 729.9K (78%)Negative: 201.4K (22%)

Reviews from Steam Deck

Dev Response Rate

426h

Avg Playtime at Review

91%

Credible Reviews