Dead by Daylight Developer Publishing New Horror Extraction Game

Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive has signed on to publish Blight: Survival, a new game from Haenir Studio which was first revealed back in 2022. Billed as a “medieval co-operative extraction-lite” game, Blight: Survival takes place in an alternate 14th century timeline where players have to contend with humans and creatures alike to suppress an affliction known as the Blight and the infected beings it spawns. The game does not yet have a release date, but Behaviour Interactive and Haenir Studio suggested that those interested in the game will be hearing more about it hopefully soon now that the publishing deal has been announced.

If you haven’t heard of Blight: Survival before, you’re not alone. First revealed back in 2022 by Haenir Studio as the developer’s first project, Blight: Survival has just one full video up on its YouTube channel to show off some of the PvE gameplay from the game’s pre-alpha stage. That was shared around a year and a half ago with similarly sporadic posts made on the game’s other socials, but now that Haenir Studio has teamed up with Behaviour Interactive, the small studio says the partnership and the publisher’s resources “will be instrumental” in bringing Blight: Survival to the public.

“Teaming up with Behaviour Interactive signals the next major phase of development for Blight: Survival,” said Haenir Studio co-founder Mads Christensen. “With Blight: Survival, we set out to deliver an ambitious and unique experience for players. Being able to utilize Behaviour’s resources, expertise, and horror pedigree will be instrumental in bringing our vision to life. We’re thrilled to kick off this journey together.”

What Is Blight: Survival?

So, what do you actually do in Blight: Survival? Extraction games have emerged as one of the latest trends, but as Haenir Studios said, that’s only part of what this game is. The game’s Steam page that went live years ago after it was revealed in 2022 sets up the premise of why you’re out in the 14th century swinging on creatures and other humans alike.

“The game takes place in the no man’s land between two desperate kingdoms in a ceaseless war. Within this purgatory, a new strain of Blight has erupted from remains of the fallen. Fed and strengthened by the blood that has been spilled, it rapidly spreads – turning man into monster. As the people bleed – paralyzed by war – they have turned to you and your kin. Being the only ones willing, you’ve been tasked to venture forth and vanquish the all-consuming Blight.” 

Blight: Survival allows for 1-4 players in a match and only consists of PvE, so no need to worry about some high-level PvP player barging in on your experience. Ranged and melee weapons as well as different armors and talents are pickable, and like other extraction games, you can push the limits of your team to earn better rewards or call it quits when it suits you to get out alive with your spoils.

As for Dead by Daylight‘s creators, publishing this game is something new for Behaviour Interactive. The studio that’s best known for that asymmetrical game has developed other titles in the past such as the Game of Thrones: Beyond the Wall, Meet Your Maker, and Flippin Misfits and is working on a new game called The Casting of Frank Stone, but its more recent games have struggled to retain followings like Dead by Daylight has. Stephen Mulrooney, the executive vice president and chief technology officer of Behaviour Interactive, said this partnership is “the start of something new and exciting for Behaviour,” so perhaps we’ll see more games published by Behaviour Interactive in the future.