Dead by Daylight released its 9.0.0 update, introducing a fresh killer inspired by Five Nights at Freddy’s and a brand new map. This patch also brings a host of gameplay tweaks, quality of life improvements, and bug fixes that players might find helpful.
The highlight of this update is The Animatronic, a killer who wields a Fire Axe that sticks into Survivors, forcing them to remove it before healing. The new map, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, sets a chilling scene with its eerie, deceptive atmosphere.
New Killer – The Animatronic
The Animatronic’s power is called FAZBEAR’S FRIGHT. His Fire Axe can be thrown at Survivors, embedding in them and making them vulnerable until it’s removed. The axe mechanic adds a tense layer to chases and rescues.
Map Feature: Security System
- Seven Security Doors spawn randomly at the start, accessible by both Survivors and the Animatronic.
- Each door has a Camera; Survivors can cycle through cameras and travel to doors they view, potentially revealing the Animatronic’s aura.
- Using cameras drains limited battery power, requiring a reboot once depleted.
- The Animatronic can teleport between Security Doors, grabbing Survivors if the door is occupied.
New Killer Perks
- Help Wanted: Damaging a generator compromises it. When that generator is completed, basic attack cooldowns speed up for a limited time.
- Phantom Fear: Survivors scream and reveal their aura briefly when looking at the killer within terror radius.
- Haywire: Exit gate switches regress when nearly complete, with flickering exit gate lights to distract Survivors.
New Map – Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza
This map is a twisted version of a place that once brought joy, now filled with unspeakable terror. Bright colors and parlor tricks mask the many deaths that happened here — a perfect setting for intense matches.
Quality of Life Improvements
AFK Crow System Update
- Survivors accrue AFK points when inactive for 10 seconds, spawning crows above them.
- Crows increase up to 3, with loud noises and loss of collision after 90 seconds.
- Points decrease with movement or proximity to the killer, and vanish when survivors interact again.
- The system disables when the Hatch spawns or End Game Collapse triggers.
Bloodweb Spending Improvements
- An Auto Bloodweb button is now available after prestiging a character once, allowing automatic level progression if you have enough Bloodpoints.
- Introductory pop-ups and perk unlock notifications no longer repeat after the first time.
Disconnection Penalties
- Penalties now track your last 20 matches, counting disconnects as penalty points.
- Points decrease as you play matches without disconnecting.
Gamma Setting
- A new gamma calibration popup appears on launch, adjustable anytime under Graphics settings.
“Going Next” Prevention
- Survivors who intentionally die early receive a disconnection penalty and lose a full grade.
- Attempt Unhook ability is limited to certain conditions, reducing abuse.
- Struggling mechanics and scoring related to giving up have been adjusted for fairness.
Mori Update
- Killer can now perform a Mori when two Survivors are alive if one is hooked and struggling and the other is dying.
- This triggers immediate sacrifice of hooked Survivors in struggle phase.
Offerings Updates
- Realm and Map offerings now grant a flat 20% chance to send players to the associated map.
- Duplicate offerings no longer stack and most gameplay-altering ones are secret during loading screens.
Spawn Rules
- Survivors now spawn closer together and on the same floor by default.
- New offerings replace older ones to affect spawn separation and rejection by The Entity.
Spectator Mode
- Custom games now allow 5 spectators.
- Hotkeys and controller support make cycling through players easier.
Voiceover Language Setting
- French voiceovers are now available for a selection of characters.
Performance
- Optimizations reduce stuttering at game launch.
Killer Updates
The Lich
- All spells available from the start of trials.
- Cooldowns for several spells reduced.
- Removed camera lock when activating Dispelling Sphere.
- Various bug fixes and adjustments to spell effects and durations.
The Twins
- Victor can now trigger chases with Survivors.
Killer and Survivor Perk Changes
Several perks have been adjusted for balance, such as reducing haste bonuses or increasing durations and effect areas. Survivor perks like Botany Knowledge no longer reduce healing item efficiency, and others have cooldown changes.
Emblem Updates
Adjustments to Lightbringer and Evader emblems change how points are awarded during matches, especially when being chased or supporting teammates.
Miscellaneous
- Daily Quest Blood Point rewards have doubled.
- A new Map Game Mode lets you queue for a specific map.
- Hellraiser DLC perks have been reclassified as General Perks with new names and icons.
Bug Fixes
Numerous fixes across audio, characters, environment, perks, UI, and more improve stability and polish. Notably, several issues with The Animatronic’s power and security doors have been resolved, along with fixes to map glitches and character animations.
Known Issues
- Survivors misaligned during The Animatronic’s locker grab with certain outfits.
- Shadows visible when traveling through Security Doors.
- Phantom Fear perk has no effect on add-ons that create a Terror Radius.
- Directional sound effects for Survivors may not work correctly with some headphones.
- Crash issues for The Animatronic on Switch 2 platform during lobby loading.
Have you tried out The Animatronic or explored Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza yet? What do you think about the new mechanics and map setting?
