If you want to play the deadly asymmetric cat-and-mouse game Dead by Daylight, you need something to play it on first. Fortunately, the game has been out for a while and has made its way to most platforms, and I’m here to tell you about each of them.
Here are all the platforms you can play Dead by Daylight on.
All DBD platforms, listed
You can play Dead by Daylight on the following platforms
- PC (Steam and Epic Games Store)
- PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
- Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X
- Nintendo Switch
- Mobile phones (kind of…)
I’ll go over each platform and explain its pros and cons.
PC
PC is the optimal way to play Dead by Daylight. The game was originally a PC exclusive, and the mechanics of the game were built from the ground with Mouse and Keyboard in mind. On PC, you get consistent framerates, better graphics, arguably the best connection, and can use abilities and tricks that are hard to pull on the console (like the spin-dodge). Most of all, if you are planning to buy more Killers in the future, PC gives you the most options because you can buy them from other digital retailers.
PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
If you play on PlayStation 5, you have an almost identical experience to PC players. The framerate and graphics are on par, and with enough practice, you can even pull off some of the more advanced moves. The PlayStation 4 version is decent enough, but because of the limited and unstable framerates, some Killers, such as the Nurse, can be pretty difficult to play.
Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X
Like PlayStation consoles, the next-gen Xbox consoles offer a smooth experience similar to that of the PC. The Xbox One version of Dead by Daylight also has an unstable framerate, making some killers harder to play. I recommend turning off crossplay if you are playing on last-gen hardware. Otherwise, playing DBD on Xbox is a solid experience.
Nintendo Switch
As much as I want to say that playing DBD on the go is great, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Compared to all other versions, the Nintendo Switch version of DBD looks and runs the worst. Some Killers, like the Nightmare, weren’t even in the game until much later because of weird licensing issues, but Survivors could still play against them because of cross-play. I wouldn’t recommend playing some harder Killers because the framerate and the controls can get stiff. Still, if you are traveling, this is a nice way to have DBD on the go without carrying a huge console (or a PC). If you have another way to play DBD, I’d strongly advise you to pick this over the Nintendo Switch. If you don’t, at least turn off cross-play because the last thing you want is to play against PC players.
Mobile devices (iOS and Android)
There is a special mobile version of Dead by Daylight, called Dead by Daylight Mobile, only available on Android and Apple phones and tablets. Dead by Daylight Mobile is essentially a different game than Dead by Daylight (PC/Console), so don’t expect cross-play functions. Like in the regular game, you can buy extra Killers and Survivors and equip different perks. The matches are also shorter. Despite all this, Dead by Daylight mobile runs, looks and plays great.
