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Dead by Daylight has been a monumental success, but its spin-offs are struggling. The Casting of Frank Stone was released to mixed reviews, and now Behaviour Interactive has canceled Project T. A co-op action game akin to Left 4 Dead, Project T promised a look at never-before-seen parts of The Entity’s Realm. For DbD lore enthusiasts eager to learn more about the game’s sprawling canon, Project T was a big deal. The abrupt axing of the game (along with the Insider Program that lets players help shape development) might have something to say about the future of Behaviour’s biggest IP.
Dead by Daylight’s Spin-Offs Aren’t Working
Dead by Daylight has a magic formula: a satisfying gameplay loop, a legion of licensed characters, and an endless grind to reward the most devoted. Hit P100 on Huntress? You still have dozens of killers to grind for before you even think about Prestiging your survivors. Its story, setting, and characters, however, have often failed to translate. Killer dating sim Hooked on You evolved beyond its own gimmick to become a fun side project, but nothing has captured the same magic. The Casting of Frank Stone felt like an advertisement rather than a game in its own right, and Project T seemingly wasn’t given much of a chance.
License agreements with Castlevania and Dungeons & Dragons just brought Dracula and Vecna to the game. Feng Min and Sable skins continue to fly off the digital shelves. So why haven’t DbD‘s characters thrived elsewhere? Here, we enter the realm of pure speculation, a realm no more comforting than The Entity’s. Perhaps none of Dead by Daylight‘s spin-offs understood the original’s weird balance of seriousness and b-movie schlock. We’ve seen pure cartoonyness in What the Fog? and flirtatious humor in Hooked on You. What we haven’t seen is the full, messy tapestry of DbD‘s canon.
The DbD Franchise
Behaviour’s asymmetric titan isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but it may not survive far beyond its own borders if it can’t figure some things out. Creating a story and mechanics that can handle a setting in which Nicholas Cage and Lara Croft struggle to survive against Chucky and Pinhead is no small task. With Frank Stone a disappointment and Project T canceled, it’s unclear which spin-off project will arise to pick up the torch. Let’s hope all that Backwater Swamp muck hasn’t doused it altogether.
