Since its introduction, the crossplay feature in Dead by Daylight has been a game-changer, fundamentally altering how players experience the Fog. Years later, in 2025, it remains one of the most talked-about aspects of the asymmetrical horror title. It promised to unite the player base from different platforms, creating a single, massive pool of Survivors and Killers. While it largely succeeded, the journey has been filled with intense debate and mixed experiences, shaping the community in ways no one fully anticipated.

What is Dead by Daylight Crossplay?

At its core, Dead by Daylight crossplay is a feature that breaks down the walls between different gaming platforms. Initially rolled out to combine the communities of PC (Steam and Windows Store), PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, it allows players to matchmake with or against each other regardless of their hardware. This was a direct response to a major community request.

Alongside cross-platform play, Behaviour Interactive also introduced "Cross-Friends." This system lets you add friends from other platforms to your in-game list, making it seamless to squad up with your pals for a few trials. The initial goals were clear and celebrated by many:

• Shorter Queue Times: A larger player pool means faster matchmaking.

• Play with Friends: No more being separated from friends just because they own a different console.

For many, this was a massive win, breathing new life into the matchmaking system and making the game more accessible than ever. Who wouldn't want to jump into a match faster? 😉

The Double-Edged Sword of Queue Times

On the surface, crossplay was the perfect solution to dwindling queue times, especially during off-peak hours. And for the most part, it worked! Players widely reported that finding a match became significantly quicker after the feature was enabled. However, this created a new dilemma for those who might want to opt out.

The reality is that disabling crossplay in 2025 can lead to an almost unplayable experience. By turning it off, you are restricted to a tiny pool of players on your specific platform who have also turned it off. This results in queue times that can stretch from 30 minutes to several hours, if a match is found at all. This effectively makes crossplay mandatory for anyone who wants to play the game regularly, whether they like the implications or not.

The Cheating Controversy and Player Experience

A major point of contention that arose with crossplay is the issue of cheating. Many console players, who had previously enjoyed a relatively cheat-free environment, suddenly found themselves in lobbies with PC players who sometimes used hacks. These can range from subtle advantages to blatant exploits like speed boosts or seeing all survivors' auras.

This has created a sharp divide in the community. Some players, like the one in a popular forum post, claim to encounter cheaters in nearly every match, ruining their enjoyment. Others, including many PC players, state that they have hundreds or even thousands of hours in the game and have only seen a handful of cheaters. The true prevalence is hard to pin down, but the fear is real. It's important to note, however, that this is arguably an issue with the game's anti-cheat system rather than crossplay itself. The feature simply opened the door; it's the anti-cheat's job to guard it. BHVR continues to issue ban waves, but for some, it's not enough.

A Clash of Gaming Cultures

Beyond technical issues, crossplay also seems to have exposed a cultural divide between platform communities. An interesting theory suggests that PC players, long accustomed to a post-game text chat, developed an unwritten code of conduct. Abusing certain mechanics, like relentlessly focusing one survivor out of the game (tunneling) or camping hooks, was often called out, leading to a level of self-regulation.

Console players, without this direct communication channel, may have a different philosophy: a win is a win. This can lead to matches that feel frustrating and "unfair" to players accustomed to the PC lobby etiquette. While it's a generalization, this perceived difference in playstyle has become a common complaint, with many feeling that the world of Dead by Daylight dead by daylight crossplay has made matches more cutthroat and less about shared fun. 😥

Feature	Pros	Cons
Shorter Queues	Drastically reduced wait times for most players.	Makes turning off crossplay result in impossibly long queues.
Unified Community	Can play with friends on any platform.	Exposes console players to a higher prevalence of PC cheaters.
Gameplay Meta	Creates a single, large competitive environment.	Potential clash in "player etiquette" between platforms.

Ultimately, the introduction of crossplay has been one of the most impactful updates in the game's long history. It solved the critical issue of queue times and connected friends across platforms, but not without introducing new challenges. The debate over cheaters and playstyles continues to rage in 2025. For better or worse, crossplay is now a core part of the Dead by Daylight experience, and the developer's ongoing task is to sand down its rough edges to keep the Fog a fun, and fair, place for everyone. 👻