Dead By Daylight Finally Adds The Slasher Everyone’s Been Waiting For

After a decade of anticipation, Dead by Daylight is finally adding Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th franchise as its next killer. Developer Behaviour Interactive announced the addition as part of the game’s 10-year anniversary celebration, with Jason officially arriving on June 16. The news was revealed through a 13-hour livestream event following weeks of fan speculation.

Jason Voorhees is widely recognized as one of the most-requested killers in Dead by Daylight’s history, and his addition effectively completes what fans are calling the “Mount Rushmore of horror” on the game’s killer roster. He joins an impressive lineup of licensed horror villains including Alien’s Xenomorph, Nightmare on Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s Leatherface, Chucky, Pinhead, and Amanda Young from SAW.

The path to Jason’s inclusion has been notably complex, primarily due to licensing difficulties. The character previously starred in his own asymmetrical multiplayer game, 2017’s Friday the 13th: The Game, developed by Illfonic and Gun Media. However, that title’s online servers were shut down in 2020 and the game was delisted from digital storefronts in 2023—licensing issues were blamed for both actions.

Dead by Daylight has transformed into what players describe as a “spooky Fortnite,” with its extensive roster of famous horror properties making it a haven for fans of classic slashers and movie monsters. Jason’s arrival marks the final addition to complete the collection of horror’s most iconic characters, cementing the game’s status as the ultimate crossover destination for horror fans.

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