Dead by Daylight Update | Update on the Grimoire
Grimoire Chapter Development ProgressGameplay Design RevisionsProgramming and VFX WorkWorld and Character ArtFirst-Pass PerksFinal Community Vote, May 7
The Dead by Daylight development team shares a behind-the-scenes progress report on the Grimoire chapter, covering gameplay design revisions, VFX work, new perks, and a final community vote on May 7.
What's new
Gameplay design revisions based on creator and community feedback
Ray of Retribution controls, movement, and VFX integration in progress
Active Sin survivor VFX effect in early development
Hopeless Exile environment blockout and first-pass lighting completed
Banishment to Exiled loop and Hazard spawning system in progress
First-pass Killer and Survivor perks moving into prototype testing
Final community vote on theme music and key art direction opens May 7
Grimoire Chapter Development Progress
The Dead by Daylight team has shared a detailed development update on the upcoming Grimoire chapter, noting they are only a few weeks away from hitting "feature complete", the milestone at which all core features must be implemented and ready for QA testing. While nothing is fully final yet, this marks a hard cutoff for adding new features or major changes. A handful of planned community votes were quietly removed from the roadmap to keep the project on schedule, though the team promises to keep players informed on those in future posts.
Gameplay Design Revisions
Following feedback from creators, consultants, and the broader community, the design team has made targeted adjustments to previously revealed mechanics. These refinements have been previewed during a Discord Q&A and will be showcased in more detail during the Community Livestream on May 7.
Programming and VFX Work
The programming team has been heads-down on controls, movement, and VFX integration for the Ray of Retribution ability. Alongside this, work is underway on the full loop connecting Banishment, the Exiled state, and Survivors rescuing the Exiled by praying at Shrines. The Sin Killer Effect and Hazard spawning within the Exile state are also in active development.
On the visual effects side, the VFX team is focused on the Ray of Retribution and the Survivor Sin effect. The Active Sin effect on Survivors is being built using procedural materials combined with sine-based particle rotation to create an unsettling, chaotic visual, fitting the chapter's dark tone. Early results are promising, with more to be shown on the May 7 livestream.
World and Character Art
Following an internal art direction kick-off, the team is refining gameplay visuals based on cross-team feedback. Work continues on 3D models for both the new Killer and Survivor, including outfit recoloring passes. For the Hopeless Exile environment, blockouts and first-pass lighting have been completed, with new materials being implemented to meet the art director's visual requirements.
First-Pass Perks
The design team has begun translating the community-voted perk concepts into working prototypes alongside programmers. First-pass versions of both Killer and Survivor perks are in place, with testing and balance tuning still ahead. Expect these to evolve significantly before release.
Final Community Vote, May 7
The Grimoire community vote series is closing with one final decision: players will choose the chapter's theme music and key art direction. Key art serves as the defining visual identity for the chapter's marketing campaign. Cast your vote during the Community Livestream on Thursday, May 7.
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