Dead by Daylight Players Criticize Hellraiser NFT Partnership, Behaviour Responds

Dead by Daylight’s Hellraiser Chapter featured the arrival of one of the game’s most anticipated Killers, but it’s now part of an NFT controversy involving Pinhead himself. Behaviour Interactive, the developers of Dead by Daylight, partnered with NFT creators Boss Protocol which created NFTs based on the game’s model for Pinhead. NFTs were controversial enough on their own already, but these Pinhead NFTs have been deemed more problematic still given that some of them have a chance of awarding people access to the Hellraiser Chapter and in-game cosmetics. Frustration has ensued from those who either think the NFT announcement should’ve been shared before the Chapter went on sale or those who don’t want their purchases associated with NFTs in any way.

There were first talks of NFTs associated with Dead by Daylight before the official announcement was made. Behaviour responded by explaining the processes involved in working with licensing partners and that, should a model be used by a partner, there would be “no exclusive in-game content” associated with the models. The Hellraiser NFT has a chance of granting people the Chapter and a Chatterer skin, for example, but you can always buy that skin yourself and don’t need to buy an NFT just to own it.

Players were still left with questions after that response, but those questions were addressed a few days later when the Pinhead NFT was officially unveiled. A total of 10,000 Pinhead NFTs are being made which come in “common, rare, ultra-rare, or legendary” varieties which have a chance of granting in-game content such as cosmetics and the Hellraiser Chapter itself. Owning the NFT guarantees access to “additional NFT drops” and events, but we don’t yet know what those are.

Behaviour worked with Boss Protocol over several months to adapt in-game models for use as NFTs and approved them prior to the release of Pinhead in DbD. The NFTs have a chance to grant access to the #Hellraiser chapter of DbD. pic.twitter.com/3ZZKq3uPYN

— Dead by Daylight (@DeadbyDaylight) October 18, 2021

It’s an NFT, a loot box, and an unclear roadmap all wrapped into one, and players are none too happy about it whether their frustrations stem from already paying for the Chapter, environmental damage associated with NFTs, or the whole idea of NFTs in general. Behaviour responded to these frustrations on Tuesday in an attempt to assuage the community.

“We hear and understand the concerns you raised over NFTs,” Behaviour said. “Absolutely zero blockchain tech exists in Dead by Daylight. Nor will it ever. Behaviour Interactive does not sell NFTs.”

Boss Protocol is not currently selling the NFTs directly through its site, but there is an option there to be subscribed to a mailing list which will presumably offer more info about the NFT.