Stranger Things Resurrected in Dead by Daylight: A Reunion After Two Years
The entwined realms of Netflix’s Stranger Things and the popular online game Dead by Daylight have once again merged, much to the delight of fans who have been eagerly awaiting this reunion for the past two years. The Stranger Things chapter, a downloadable content (DLC) package for Dead by Daylight, was abruptly retracted on November 17, 2021, leaving players and enthusiasts disappointed. However, on November 6, 2023, as part of Netflix’s Stranger Things Day celebrations, the chapter made a triumphant return, bringing back the Demogorgon as the Killer, along with survivors Nancy Wheeler and Steve Harrington.
Originally introduced as the 13th chapter DLC for Dead by Daylight, the DLC’s removal was a result of the expiration of the licensing agreement between Behaviour Interactive, the developer of Dead by Daylight, and Netflix, the owner of the Stranger Things franchise.
The characters, including the iconic Demogorgon, Nancy Wheeler, and Steve Harrington, are now available for purchase again across all platforms, marking a joyous reunion for fans. This news was unveiled on Stranger Things Day, a date significant in the fictional town of Hawkins, where the Demogorgon first took Will Byers, setting the stage for a thrilling series of events involving Eleven and her friends.
Be on the look out for the Hawkins National Laboratory ID offering in your blood web because we also get the exciting opportunity to revisit Hawkins Lab! A chilling map inspired by the secretive government laboratory featured in the Stranger Things series. This eerie setting adds a nostalgic and suspenseful touch to the gameplay, allowing fans to immerse themselves once again in the haunting world of Stranger Things.
The absence of the Stranger Things DLC for two years raised concerns among fans, particularly as there still isn’t an official update on the release date for Stranger Things Season 5. The show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, emphasized their commitment to delivering a high-quality final installment and expressed reluctance to rush production, ensuring that the visual effects team maintains standards comparable to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
With the union strike having delayed production, a return to the Upside Down in 2024 seems unlikely, and an early 2025 release date is considered optimistic at best. The gap between Stranger Things Season 3 and Season 4 already spanned 35 months, making fans accustomed to the wait between installments.
Behaviour Interactive’s head of partnerships, Mathieu Côté, expressed excitement about renewing the collaboration with Netflix, inviting players who missed out on the initial release to fully engage with the gaming experience.
While the reintegration of Stranger Things into Dead by Daylight brings back fond memories for players, it also sparks speculation about potential future additions to the game. Fans hope for new content and chapters inspired by the beloved Netflix series, enhancing the diversity and longevity of Dead by Daylight’s evolving roster.
In the midst of the celebratory return, it’s worth noting that this reunion aligns with a broader trend of popular franchises making their mark in the gaming world. Dead by Daylight has previously collaborated with Alien, introducing the Xenomorph as a Killer and Ripley as a Survivor, expanding the game’s universe with each crossover.
For those eager to dive back into the Stranger Things universe, whether in the eerie Hawkins or the asymmetric horror of Dead by Daylight, the wait is finally over, and the stage is set for another thrilling adventure in the interconnected worlds of streaming and gaming.
My only question is… will we soon see Vecna in the fog? I guess only time will tell.
WHAT IS DEAD BY DAYLIGHT?
Dead by Daylight is an online asymmetric multiplayer survival horror game created by the Canadian studio, Behaviour Interactive. The game revolves around a one-versus-four dynamic, with one player assuming the role of the Killer, while the other four become Survivors. As the Killer, the objective is to capture and impale each Survivor on sacrificial hooks to satisfy a malevolent entity referred to as the Entity. On the other hand, the Survivors must evade capture and collaborate to repair five generators, which, in turn, powers up the exit gates, allowing them to escape.
