“Dead by Daylight” Debuts the Game’s First-Ever Playable Gay Character – Them

The developers of Dead by Daylight have announced that the next update will include the survival game’s first-ever openly LGBTQ+ playable character.

“Today, we’re pleased to confirm that Dead by Daylight can officially celebrate the game’s first gay character: David King,” the game’s team wrote in a press release on Wednesday, praising the LGBTQ+ players who form a significant part of the fan base.

“One of the cornerstones of that community are our LGBTQIA2+ players, who continue to elevate Dead by Daylight with their tireless passion for horror, gaming, and of course – horror gaming,” the team noted. “The fact that our character roster did not openly feature any confirmed LGBTQIA2+ representation was something we have been determined to change.”

King, an existing playable survivor character who was first introduced in July 2017, will be one of the central characters in Dead by Daylight’s next “Tome,” an update that will further flesh out the game’s story and world. The game’s team promised that “there remains much to uncover” about King’s past in the new Tome, which will be available April 28.

King, described as a “hot-tempered ruffian with a penchant for a good scrap,” has long been read by many fans as gay. Dead by Daylight has maintained a significant queer following, gaining popularity among drag queen twitch streamers including Trixie Mattel. In turn, developer Behaviour Interactive has responded positively to the attention, introducing in-game Pride-related content last year.