Dead by Daylight teases Jason arrival

Behaviour Interactive used Dead by Daylight’s anniversary rollout on May 23 to confirm that Jason Voorhees is finally entering the game. The reveal ended a long stretch in which Jason was one of the most requested horror icons still missing from the multiplayer title’s licensed roster. Multiple outlets reporting on the announcement said Jason will arrive on June 16, though Behaviour’s own anniversary materials focused more broadly on the game’s 10-year celebration. Dead by Daylight has spent years building its identity around crossovers with major horror franchises, and Jason’s absence had become conspicuous for players who viewed Friday the 13th as one of the genre’s foundational properties. Behaviour said earlier this month that the game was approaching its 10th anniversary with 41 killers and 51 survivors in the roster, a mix of original creations and licensed characters from film, games and manga. (polygon.com) ### How was Jason revealed? May 23 coverage from Polygon, Shacknews and other gaming outlets said Behaviour stretched the announcement across a long livestream built around a cabin scene before confirming Jason as the next killer. Reports described the teaser as a slow-burn reveal that ended with Jason taking up his mask and machete. (deadbydaylight.com) Vandal reported on May 23 that Behaviour and the game’s publisher had been signaling a new horror collaboration tied to the anniversary festivities before the character was shown. That report also linked the reveal to broader 10th-anniversary promotion, including merchandise and event activity around the game’s June celebrations. (polygon.com) ### Why is this crossover a big deal for Dead by Daylight players? Jason Voorhees is one of the best-known slasher villains in horror, and several outlets framed his addition as a gap finally being filled in Dead by Daylight’s lineup. The game has already licensed figures from series including Halloween, Saw, Silent Hill, Alien and Five Nights at Freddy’s, making Jason’s arrival notable less as a surprise than as a long-delayed inclusion. (dotesports.com) Behaviour’s own anniversary post on May 14 underscored how central licensed horror has become to the game’s identity. The studio said the roster had expanded far beyond the original 2016 cast, with many characters drawn from “beloved horror franchises” and others created in-house. ### Did Behaviour give a release date? (polygon.com) June 16 is the date cited by several outlets that covered the May 23 reveal, including Polygon, Shacknews and Final Weapon. Those reports also said Jason would be part of the title’s 10th-anniversary cycle rather than a distant future tease. Behaviour’s official anniversary pages available on May 24 did not prominently spell out Jason’s launch timing in the search results reviewed for this story. (deadbydaylight.com) The company’s public materials did, however, set out the anniversary schedule and direct players to upcoming event details. That means the June 16 date is, at this stage, best supported by contemporaneous coverage of the reveal rather than a Behaviour news post surfaced in search. (polygon.com) ### What else is part of the 10th-anniversary rollout? Behaviour’s anniversary site says the company will hold a one-day 10th Anniversary Party in Montreal’s Old Port on June 14, 2026. The schedule lists developer panels, meet-and-greets, gaming stations, merchandise, an art exhibit and the Year 10 Anniversary Broadcast at 8 p.m. Eastern time. (deadbydaylight.com) The same anniversary materials say tickets were sold in standard and premium tiers and that the event will be held at the Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal. Behaviour also published a separate 10th-anniversary announcement in December saying Senior Creative Director Dave Richard and Head of Partnerships Mat Cote would help kick off the broader celebration. (10thanniversary.deadbydaylight.com) ### What should players watch next? June 14 is the next fixed date on Behaviour’s public calendar. The Year 10 Anniversary Broadcast is scheduled for that night in Montreal, and the event page says it will include reveals alongside the live celebration. June 16 is the date multiple gaming outlets say Jason will join Dead by Daylight. (10thanniversary.deadbydaylight.com) Behaviour has not, in the official pages surfaced here, published the full breakdown of his powers, perks or pricing, so those details are likely to come closer to launch or during the anniversary broadcast. (polygon.com)