The debut of Springtrap in Dead by Daylight could be putting together pieces of the lore that it doesn't really need to. The Five Nights at Freddy's series has a notable emphasis on its extensive, sometimes vague lore that has built up across various games. The series' crossover into Dead by Daylight is a move that wouldn't have much impact on that lore on the surface. After all, Dead by Daylight is more or less an all-star game of horror icons. However, one decision by the developers may have shed more light than necessary on the insidious animatronic villain.
An announcement of Dead by Daylight's FNAF crossover last year showed early confidence in the chapter from Behaviour, with said confidence being understandable. After all, Five Nights at Freddy's had emerged as one of the most successful indie games and horror IPs in recent memory, creating a series that could span across several mediums. It was probably only a matter of time before a Dead by Daylight crossover would come along. Not only did said crossover bring in overarching antagonist Springtrap as a killer, but it added the pizzeria itself to the game. Five Nights at Freddy's was undoubtedly a big get for Dead by Daylight, though its handling of William Afton is a bold move.
Why a Star Wars Crossover for Dead By Daylight Would Make Perfect Sense
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Dead by Daylight May Have Presented a Contradiction For Five Nights at Freddy's William Afton
Dead by Daylight including Matthew Lillard's Version of Springtrap is a Big Deal
One cosmetic featured in the game shows Five Nights at Freddy's Matthew Lillard in the role of Springtrap. This shouldn't be much of a surprise, considering the movie's relatively recent status and how well-received Lillard's role as the killer was. Of course, the more classic Springtrap that was seen in Five Nights at Freddy's 3 is still in the game as Springtrap's base design. However, this goes to show how much of an impact Lillard's take on Afton had, at least with Dead by Daylight's developers. Not to mention, it's a fun addition for Five Nights at Freddy's fans, especially those new to Dead by Daylight.
There is a potential problem coming from Dead by Daylight's Springtrap, though. While several forms of media have given William Afton a face, the core games have never done so. The main series has depicted him primarily as a purple humanoid sprite, nicknamed "Purple Guy" by the fanbase. While Afton's crimes were well-documented, his appearance was left a mystery. However, with Dead by Daylight putting the face of Lillard's take on Afton in the game, that could wipe away the mystery surrounding the character. Five Nights at Freddy's main games never properly showed Afton, and Dead by Daylight could diminish his mystique.
Dead by Daylight Could Have Multiple Springtraps
There could be an out for this version of Springtrap, though. Many Dead by Daylight cosmetics feature drastically different versions of the characters involved; some of them even imply different backstories or events for the character in question, or depict different characters entirely. This is the approach that could be used to explain the film version of Afton's presence. The Golden Bunny Afton could be the version from the movie, while the classic version with the head still covered is treated as the one from the games. This is the best explanation for Springtrap's existence in Dead by Daylight that doesn't involve confirming his main iteration's face, and for fans who are less accepting of the film and its take on the FNAF universe, this could be a nice head-canon to justify Springtrap's look.
Five Nights at Freddy's main games never properly showed Afton, and Dead by Daylight could diminish his mystique.
Springtrap joining Dead by Daylight is huge for the game, but puts his home series in an awkward spot. Dead by Daylight's impact on FNAF lore probably shouldn't be significant, since it's more akin to a Super Smash Bros. Appearance than an expansion of the story. However, prominently featuring the film version of WIlliam Afton, complete with his exposed head, could present an issue for fans of the game lore, as it could be viewed as DbD canonizing Lillard as Afton's one and only face. Dead by Daylight included both film and game versions of William Afton, but may have created an anomaly in the process.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 70 /100 Critics Rec: 47%
- Released
- June 14, 2016
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Behaviour Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Behaviour Interactive
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
Ever wished to play as one of the characters from your favorite horror movies? Dead by Daylight is a 1v4 multiplayer game that draws from all corners of the horror world from a powerful slasher to a terrifying paranormal entity.
Choose between playing an unstoppable Killer and one of 4 Survivors trying to evade a gruesome death. Each character has their own deep progression system and plenty of unlockables that can be customized to fit your personal strategy. Work together to escape, or stalk and sacrifice every Survivor.
This Edition of Dead by Daylight gives you access to a roster of 7 Killers (The Trapper, The Hillbilly, The Wraith, The Nurse, The Hag, The Huntress and The Doctor) and 9 Survivors (Meg Thomas, Claudette Morel, Jake Park, Dwight Fairfield, Ace Visconti, Nea Karlsson, Bill Overbeck, Feng Min and David King). It also includes two cosmetic add-ons packed with outfits for various characters.
- Genre(s)
- Horror, Survival
