After a decade of players practically begging and pleading, the horror gaming gods have finally answered. Dead by Daylight, in a monumental partnership with Jason Universe, is officially welcoming the undisputed king of Camp Crystal Lake: Jason Voorhees.
To celebrate Dead by Daylight’s massive 10th anniversary, the ultimate slasher is bringing his 45-year legacy of hockey masks and heavy breathing into the game. The carnage kicks off today, May 26, 2026, on the Steam Public Test Build (PTB), before officially slashing onto live servers on June 16, 2026.
The Ultimate Milestone
For a game that prides itself on being the “Avengers of Horror,” missing Jason was like throwing a pizza party and forgetting the pizza. He’s been the number-one requested character since 2016.
“There was never a question that our 10th Anniversary Chapter couldn’t just be big – it needed to be something really special,” says Dave Richard, Sr. Creative Director. “When we started to see a path to finally making this partnership a reality… we knew the perfect Jason moment had come.”
Robbie Barsamian, Executive Vice President at Horror, Inc., is equally hyped.
“Our fans have wanted Jason to enter The Fog since Dead by Daylight launched. We’re thrilled to help make the game’s 10th anniversary celebration even more special.”
Kit Reveal: How Jason Will Ruin Your Night
Jason’s gameplay is designed to make Survivors second-guess every single decision they make. His kit is divided into two delightfully brutal mechanics.
Omnipresent Evil (The Ultimate Jump-Scare)
Ever wonder how a 250-pound man in heavy boots manages to teleport right behind someone without making a sound? This is how.
-The Power: Activating this ability causes Jason to vanish from the map entirely. He gains a massive speed boost and can track Survivors via faint visual cues like footsteps.
-The Surprise: To reappear, Jason targets environmental structures like Pallets, Vault points, or breakable walls, bursting through them with explosive force. This instantly destroys the obstacle and forces nearby Survivors to scream in terror. Good luck looping that.
Improvised Carnage (Environmentally Friendly Murders)
Jason doesn’t just rely on his trusty machete; he’s a creative handyman when it comes to slaughter.
-The Power: Scattered around the map are containers filled with makeshift projectiles. The loot includes broken generator parts, shattered pallets, locker fragments, and even hooks.
-The Yeet: Jason can chuck these items with devastating velocity. If he hits an injured Survivor near a wall, they get pinned directly to it. They are left completely helpless until Jason casually walks up to finish the job. He has to manually reload these items by entering Omnipresent Evil, adding a fun layer of strategy to his ranged game.
Looking Sharp while Cutting Deep: The Jason Collection
You can’t join the entity’s realm without a wardrobe change. Jason is launching with a stellar lineup of outfits to ensure he looks fabulous while committing atrocities:
-The Default: The iconic look from Jason Universe, meticulously designed by horror legend Greg Nicotero (complete with the 13-holed hockey mask and weathered jacket).
-Backwoods Terror: Trades the jacket for some cozy flannel and suspenders, swapping the machete for a heavy lumberjack axe.
-Death Forsaken: A grotesque, decayed version of Jason featuring exposed bones and a weaponized grave shovel.
-Depths of Despair: A soggy, terrifying tribute to his time at the bottom of Crystal Lake, covered head-to-toe in coral, seaweed, and barnacles.
The camp counselors of the entity’s realm never stood a chance. Fire up Steam, jump into the PTB today, and get ready for the ultimate summer camp nightmare on June 16!
