Dead by Daylight killers can grunt, scream, and breathe easy as a significant change to the survivors that was originally planned to launch this autumn has now been delayed until 2023, as Behaviour looks to make the new mechanics “more polished” before releasing them into its multiplayer horror full time.
Huntress, Nemesis, the Demogorgon – Dead by Daylight killers have a harder time than you might think, having to chase down survivors, chop them to the ground, then carry them all the way over to a meathook. It’s tough work, and with the proposed changes to the wiggle system, which are currently being tested via the game’s beta tab, it’s set to become tougher. At launch, Dead by Daylight survivors could wiggle free from a killer’s clutches by alternately spamming the A and D buttons, or otherwise rapidly waggling a controller’s analogue stick. It made a lot of noise on the in-game comms, and was unfairly inaccessible for players with hand or wrist impairments, leading Behaviour to propose a change: if survivors got grabbed, they could only break free by successively passing a series of timing challenges, similar to the dials when attempting to restart generators. The new system was introduced on a test basis in January this year, and was originally planned to roll out across all of Dead by Daylight, as the default system, in autumn. But plans have changed.
Following its recent anniversary broadcast, Behaviour has announced that the retooled wiggle system won’t be implemented as a default until Q1 2023, meaning it could arrive any time between January and March. “We know that some of you are eagerly anticipating these improvements and so are we,” writes the developer. “This delay will give us the time we need to do them justice”.
For the time being, then, Dead by Daylight killers might find it a little easier hauling survivors to their doom. If you want more multiplayer horror, and to try your luck as either a bloodthirsty murderer or unfortunate victim, take a look at our guide on the best PC horror games.