Behaviour Interactive has issued an apology to its community following backlash that arose from a collaboration stream featuring controversial streamer TheBurntPeanut. The incident led to player frustration and calls for the developer to address the situation.
The controversy began when TheBurntPeanut, known for playing extraction shooters, was given access to nearly all characters in Dead by Daylight during a Halloween stream. This was perceived by many long-time players as "streamer privilege" and a departure from the game's established community values, particularly given TheBurntPeanut's history of offensive on-stream behavior.
Players expressed disappointment and concern on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, with some reporting they had uninstalled the game. The situation intensified as screenshots circulated, allegedly showing developers defending the collaboration. This mirrored a similar controversy involving the streamer and Fortnite earlier in the year.
In response to the growing outcry, Behaviour Interactive released a statement via its @DbDPulse account. The developer admitted that a team member granted the streamer in-game content without proper approvals. Furthermore, the statement acknowledged that the team member's subsequent comments and conduct did not align with Dead by Daylight's core values.
"When concerns about this decision became apparent during the stream, we should have responded by looking into these concerns, not dismissing them," the apology read. Behaviour Interactive stated it stands with its community in upholding shared values and expressed regret for the inflammatory language directed at players. The company also noted that threats against employees are unacceptable and asked for an end to such engagement.
Behaviour Interactive has begun reviewing its internal processes to prevent similar incidents. However, the response itself has drawn criticism, with some players feeling it was insufficient and that the decision to post on the smaller @DbDPulse account instead of the main Dead by Daylight or Behaviour Interactive accounts was an attempt to minimize the impact.
The incident comes as Dead by Daylight celebrates its 10th anniversary, a period that has also seen the addition of popular characters like Jason Voorhees and Art the Clown, but has also faced challenges such as the temporary removal of Chucky content due to licensing issues.