The Dead by Daylight 10.2.0 update arrived on Tuesday, October 6, introducing several changes to the game. Released by Behaviour Interactive, the patch brings new communication features, gameplay adjustments, and an extensive overhaul of existing perks.
Among the highlights is the new Player Intent System, which allows Survivors to communicate through preset messages during matches. The update also changes the conditions for leaving or ending Trials early. Additionally, the developer has reworked several perks available to players from the beginning of their journey.
The Dead by Daylight 10.2.0 update also coincides with the release of the NieR: Automata Collection. The crossover introduces outfits inspired by characters from the franchise, including 2B, A2, and Emil, expanding customization options for Survivors and Killers.
Other additions include the Academia Rift, adjustments to The Mastermind’s power, and numerous bug fixes affecting audio, maps, the user interface, and gameplay.
Dead by Daylight welcomes NieR: Automata crossover
The NieR: Automata Collection arrived in Dead by Daylight on October 6, the same day as the update. The collaboration brings together two dark universes shaped by suffering, survival, and unsettling environments.
For Survivors, Feng Min receives a Legendary Outfit inspired by 2B, while Yui Kimura gets one based on A2. Both characters take on the appearance of the franchise’s androids within the Entity’s Realm.
On the Killer side, The Legion receives a Very Rare Outfit inspired by Emil. The cosmetic features the character’s signature smile, adapting his recognizable appearance to Dead by Daylight’s horror setting.
The collaboration expands the game’s cosmetic collection without directly changing the abilities or gameplay mechanics of the characters involved.
New system lets Survivors communicate during matches
One of the biggest additions in the Dead by Daylight 10.2.0 update is the Player Intent System. This feature allows Survivors to share information during Trials using preset messages.
Players can choose from eight messages through a communication wheel, accessed with the middle mouse button or the controller’s right directional button. Once sent, messages appear alongside player information and are visible to all Survivors.
Messages can also be customized in the settings menu. To prevent abuse, Behaviour has introduced moderation options and restrictions on how frequently players can send them.
These include muting individual players without notifying them and disabling the system entirely. The initial cooldown between messages is one second, but it can increase to five seconds in cases of spam.
The system provides an additional way to coordinate during matches, particularly for Survivors who do not use voice chat.
Update changes rules for leaving or ending matches
The patch also revises the conditions for ending Trials early. The goal is to provide more options in specific situations, particularly when human players have been replaced by bots.
The available actions depend on the player’s role and the condition of the remaining characters:
- Concede: Becomes available to Survivors when all other Survivors are bots. Killers can also use this option when every remaining Survivor is a bot and at least one is not in the Dying State.
- Surrender: Becomes available when all Survivors are simultaneously in the Dying State.
- End Trial: Appears for Killers when all remaining Survivors are bots and are in the Dying State.
Behaviour has also removed two previous conditions that could encourage negative behavior. These included situations involving Survivors repeatedly recovering after being knocked down.
With these adjustments, the developer aims to make early-ending options more consistent with match progression without encouraging players to manipulate certain gameplay situations.
Perk overhaul changes abilities for Killers and Survivors
The general perk overhaul is one of the patch’s main features. According to Behaviour Interactive, several of these perks had gone years without significant changes.
These abilities are particularly important for new players, as they can be used without unlocking character-specific perks.
The previously introduced Diminishing Returns system also created room for broader adjustments. As a result, the developer revised effects, bonuses, and activation conditions across multiple perks.
Major Killer perk changes
Among the changes, Unrelenting now further reduces the recovery time after missed basic attacks. The perk also reduces recovery time after successful attacks.
Other perks, including Agitation and Fire Up, receive stronger bonuses. Meanwhile, Hex: Thrill of the Hunt, Shattered Hope, and Undone undergo more extensive reworks.
These changes affect different aspects of Killer gameplay, including movement, pressure on Survivors, and perk effectiveness during chases.
Major Survivor perk changes
| Perk | Main change |
| Better Than New | Significant increases to speed bonuses |
| Plunderer’s Instinct | Improvements related to chests |
| Pharmacy | Changes that improve chest interactions |
| Dark Sense | Now reveals the auras of pallets and windows |
| Windows of Opportunity | Reworked functionality |
| Premonition and Spine Chill | Changes to their effects |
| Stake Out and Small Game | Reworked mechanics |
| Shoulder the Burden | Increased penalties for using the perk |
The adjustments affect abilities focused on awareness, support, and interactions with environmental objects. Some receive direct improvements, while others require players to make more careful decisions.
Shoulder the Burden is an example of the latter approach. The perk becomes riskier due to increased penalties associated with its use.
The Mastermind gets adjustments as Academia Rift adds cosmetics
The update also changes how The Mastermind operates. The adjustments focus on Virulent Bound, addressing collision detection and player control while using the power.
On the cosmetic side, the Academia Rift introduces university-themed outfits for Vee, The Huntress, Claudette, Renato, Thalita, and The Clown.
The update also includes winning outfits from the Design a Cosmetic 2025 contest, featuring designs for Kate and The Deathslinger.
Finally, the Dead by Daylight 10.2.0 update delivers a wide range of technical fixes. These address issues involving audio, bots, maps, perks, the user interface, and achievements.
By combining new features with balance changes, the patch introduces adjustments for both veteran and newer players. The general perk overhaul, in particular, expands the available options for those still building their collection of abilities.
