The latest chapter of Dead by Daylight has received a lot of criticism, yet also boasts a daring, modern design. MeinMMO bombarded chief designer Dave Richard with questions.

Dead by Daylight released the chapter “Tools of Torment” a few weeks ago. The latest killer is the “Skull Merchant” – a cold-blooded woman whose story explains that she lies in wait for corporate bosses on vacation and eliminates them using high-tech drones, so that she can then buy their companies from the remaining executives. However interesting the latest killer may be, there was already some criticism beforehand, as the Skull Merchant fell short of expectations even on the test realm.

Even though much had changed by the time of release, many still seem not entirely happy with her. We seized the opportunity to conduct an interview with Dave Richard, the Creative Director of Dead by Daylight at Behaviour Interactive. We discussed the general design of the killers, the community’s criticism of the latest chapter, and the reactions to it, as well as whether Dead by Daylight is slowly moving away from its original concept – and whether that is a good or bad development.

MeinMMO: All killers have a certain horror aspect, but most are not particularly threatening in our real lives. Very few people probably actually fear that a mysterious huntress lives in the woods or that a mutated flesh abomination might emerge from the closet. But “pervasive surveillance” is a very real fear that has grown exponentially in recent years with improved technology, also fueled by fictional works, such as movies (Minority Report) or TV series (Black Mirror). Are you trying to get “closer to reality”?

Dave Richard: That’s a very good question. I believe horror can be found everywhere. And of course, technology is everywhere too. And in the wrong hands, it can be used in nefarious ways. That’s a thought we’ve been playing with for a while – the timing was right.

Most of the original killers had a clear “1980s vibe,” inspired by the films of that era, and whose protagonists often later became part of Dead by Daylight themselves. This type of “old horror” is increasingly being mixed with modern themes, such as the Trickster or the Pig, or both killers from Resident Evil. The Skull Merchant seems to go even further and is practically from the current time. Are you not concerned about losing your identity as a “classic horror game” or that the overall gaming experience is slowly changing?

I am convinced that there is room in the horror genre for everyone. We are incredibly lucky to be recognized as a Hall of Fame of horror, and the original premise of the game was to recreate the atmosphere of those iconic horror films from the 70s and 80s.

We love pushing the boundaries of horror, and whether we are traveling back in time, for example with The Knight, or playing a modern apex huntress – the goal is always the same: to provide the players with the best gaming experience. One that is thrilling, creepy, and a bit nerve-wracking.

Is Dead by Daylight becoming too complex for newcomers?

The abilities of the killers have become increasingly complex over the years. We’ve come a long way since the first “this one sets bear traps, don’t step in them.” Explaining all aspects of the Skull Merchant’s powers to a new player would take some time. It’s even more overwhelming when playing solo and trying to figure that out simply by going against her. Are there plans to better explain to casual players, who may not want to engage with this outside of the game, what is happening?

I can’t say what will come, but I can say that we are fortunate to have such an engaged community.

In fact, some of our esteemed brand ambassadors (“Fog Whisperer”) have tons of resources for newcomers that are extremely useful for anyone looking to improve.

The “active zone” of the drones is clearly marked by a bright border. Doesn’t that contradict the feeling of being constantly monitored? Or do you think that actually intensifies the fear because the area of surveillance is so clearly recognizable?

We wanted to provide the players with clear feedback so that they understand that the drones react and that there are specific areas that are considered more dangerous. This gives survivors the chance to react and avoid the drone effects, but also helps the killer keep survivors away from certain areas.

Aside from that, we listen very closely to the feedback from our players and may reconsider this in the future if we feel it impacts the balance.

Typically, a chapter contains one killer and one survivor, with the exception of licensed chapters. “Tools of Torment” brings Thalita and Renato. Why did you decide on 2 survivors? Is it the number of perks that were “necessary” for the game? Or did you intentionally want 2 characters who share a deeper connection?

In fact, we have Charlotte and Victor, also known as the Twins, who work together as killers. We wanted to see what it’s like to have two survivors who are connected and collaborate. We felt this was a strong and interesting contrast to the Skull Merchant, who is a solitary wolf in every aspect of her life.

Since the two are siblings, are there any interactions that can only be experienced when they are both present together? Perhaps similar to what you did with Leon and Wesker with special lines. Or is that something you do not want in-game and prefer to limit to “outside” the actual gameplay?

Both have a unique talent that, when used together, makes them stronger. It aptly carries the name Teamwork – and we believe these talents truly speak for themselves.

With characters and powers that have reached modern times, do you plan to go even further? Maybe to introduce characters from a (possible) future with even more advanced technology?

I’m afraid I can’t say what is to come. Stay tuned!

What’s the deal with the Skull Merchant’s mask? It’s incomplete, so it seems to have no practical use – and hiding her face also seems unlikely, as she doesn’t plan on witnesses anyway, but the mask stands out as if it’s an important part of her character.

That is an important part of her. It’s a very significant aspect of her personality, this legendary, crafty huntress. She loves beautiful things and also likes to get her hands dirty.

So it would make sense that she does not use it to hide her identity but rather to establish her “signature look.”

A little story question. In her story, the Skull Merchant seems to accept no instructions from others and usually keeps all the strings in her own hands. What is her relationship with the Entity? Does she do this reluctantly? Or does she enjoy her new “job”?

That’s a very good question. I believe she loves this “job” – as her goal is to be the best of the best and to hunt only the best, and she can do that over and over again. She can perfect her craft in the name of the Entity, and I think she is perfect for this role.

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Skull Merchant received a lot of criticism – and some interesting theories

When the Skull Merchant arrived on the test server, the initial reaction from the community – at least in the game’s subreddit – was quite negative. While many of the complaints have since led to major changes, there are still a few we would like to discuss and hear your thoughts on.

We take community feedback very seriously. Their comments have reached us, and although we cannot always implement them immediately, we are always striving to improve and do so promptly.

[With the hotfix 2] many changes have also been made for the Skull Merchant, so we hope our community will be satisfied.

Why is she actually called “Skull Merchant”? For some, that doesn’t seem to fit her story at all.

As her drones adorned with body parts show, she is an enthusiastic huntress. She cherishes the souvenirs of her hunts. She is also a very business-minded person – she is indeed a businesswoman, and we wanted to acknowledge both realities in her name.

One of the most common complaints was that the Skull Merchant doesn’t have a real power during chases and simply becomes an “M1 killer.” Do you agree with that? And do you take this feedback into account for upcoming chapters?

We accept all feedback. We do this for the fans, for our community, and when they express concerns, we listen. We want our game to be as fun and exciting as possible while keeping it balanced, and that’s why feedback is definitely taken into consideration.

As mentioned before, we made some changes to the Skull Merchant [on March 17], based on player feedback, and we hope our community appreciates it!

For some, it seems that the entire design of the Skull Merchant was a little “hasty.” Some of her animations are apparently borrowed from other killers, her face appears to be a mix of the Trickster and Yui. Her Mori is very reminiscent of the Nightmare’s. Does this perception deceive? Or is it normal for animations and other components to be reused, and this time it just stood out more?

I can assure you that our entire team is in no rush and carefully designs characters that are unique and have a very extensive and complex background story.

We have a very large number of killers and survivors, and it is possible that they resemble each other. But we approach the design and development of our characters with great care because we want them to be unique and new for our players.

A theory that has gained a lot of traction is that the Skull Merchant was originally the design of a killer from the “Predator” franchise because she uses the same type of weapons and tracking technology. Was that an inspiration behind the chapter? Or is it pure coincidence?

I’m afraid I can’t comment on that, sorry!

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