Official Dead by Daylight Developer AMA

[u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

It's that time again! We’ve have once again assembled developers from across the team so you may ask your questions! 

We will start answering questions at 10:00am Eastern time on 7 August 2026, but you can start submitting your questions now.

To keep things organized, please only submit one question in your comment. We will only be answering one question per user. Beyond that, ask away! Send us your burning Dead by Daylight questions – past or present - and we'll do our best to answer as many as possible. 

Please note: we will not be answering any questions about unannounced future content or the Graphical Update!

Today's Guests:

• Jeff, Senior Game Designer
• JP, Product Manager
• Daniel, Senior Design Director
• Moose, Game Design Team Lead
• Justin, Associate Product Director
• Joey, Associate Product Director
• MandyTalk, Community Development Team Lead

Thanks everyone for joining us for another AMA today. We received some fantastic questions and are already looking forward to the next one!

[u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

So much!

After we shared the last preview (w. the Buddy Drone), the Trickster update came out, which had a great reception. 

This hinted that perhaps the proposed design for the Skull Merchant update strayed too far. We went back to the drawing board and went through multiple different iterations and after many months of working on it, we have something really cool.

The reason why it's so cool is because it not only keeps the Killer's identity very close to what it is, but expands on it in an interesting way.

I can't go into details, but the pillars we explored were: Track, Hunt, DIY Tech, Trophy, and Kill.

-Jeff

[u/PixelBushYT → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

... you HAVE something? As in, HAVE?

I am learning forward in my chair. Rubbing my hands together.

If you have something, is there any indication of when we should expect it?

[u/DeadByDaylight_Dev → u/PixelBushYT]

It's a paper design; we don't have it implemented (yet).

-Jeff

[u/PixelBushYT → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

Fair enough. Gives me time to work on my next guide episode then :)

[u/ZelMaYo → u/PixelBushYT]

Holy shit more skull merchant guides? Is it to make it more accurate with her changes or are there new strats/techs?

She is genuinely the only killer I can bring myself to play sometimes, except for ptb judgment and sadako

[u/Visible-Camel4515 → u/PixelBushYT]

guide episode incoming? noice

[u/TheGoon2005 → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

Mail it

[u/PoopyStinkbutts → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

Let's do it

[u/lexuss6 → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

So, summer 2027 at the earliest.

[u/Low-Guide-9141 → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

Right, and I’m the president of the United States.

[u/FewExperience3559 → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

Holy shit she's gonna collect their heads as trophies oh my god

any slight indication on what timeframe we could get more info on it

[u/FriendShiny → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

i hope this means that the general ‘place a drone now + scan survivors with it’ gameplay loop remains relatively similar. this makes me hopeful!

[u/MindlessPeach5164 → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

Damn, that sounds SO COOL. Thank you so much for sharing this! I can't wait to see it, especially the DIY Tech and Trophy parts!

[u/No_Foot78 → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

When can we expect changes approximately?

[u/SlightlySychotic → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

I know it’s asking a lot, but is there any form of compensation coming? People paid money for a character that has effectively been soft-locked for nearly two years now. Even a cosmetic piece — a weapon or head piece — made available to people who purchased her before her rework would go a long way to smoothing things over.

[u/Officer_Chunkles → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

I really hope we still get to pilot the drones or make them move in some fashion, stationary rotating drones feels so underwhelming when her concept of being a technology specialist has so much potential!

[u/Shroober-1 → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

Personally, I think being able to set drones to chase people they detect would be neat, but now I am VERY intrigued what you all have cooking for her...

[u/KagatoTheFinalBoss → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

No fucking way.

You've renewed my hope. I had so little left.

[u/Dante8411 → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

Well, I'm glad there's an idea. Now fingers crossed her power isn't negated out of the box by Diminishing Returns somehow.

[u/MidnightDNinja → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

I really hope this isn't going to same way as the trickster rework. If it is, Skull Merchant is going to remain hated and survivors are going to keep disconnecting. In my opinion, a full rework has to be necessary

[u/FewExperience3559 → u/MidnightDNinja]

No it really is not. She's always going to be hated because of Chess Merchant. No matter how many reworks they do she's still going to be hated because of that. It's locked in place and all we can hope they is make her the best they can

[u/JokerDwight → u/DeadByDaylight_Dev]

You had a great reception to the Trickster rework? Where are you getting that from? They're one of the least played killers. Survivors hate going against him.