Exclusive: Dead by Daylight Devs Dive Deep Into the Five Nights at Freddy’s Chapter Featuring Springtrap

Dead by Daylight has always thrived on crossover chaos—pulling terrifying legends from all corners of horror into one shared universe where survivors run, killers stalk, and the Fog always thickens. But its upcoming collaboration may be its most ambitious yet. Behaviour Interactive is preparing to launch a crossover chapter with none other than Five Nights at Freddy’s, the cult-classic horror franchise that’s terrified millions with its haunted animatronics and nail-biting surveillance gameplay.

Launching on June 17, 2025, this new chapter will introduce the infamous Springtrap as a playable killer. It’s a pairing that seems almost destined: the jump-scare legacy of Five Nights at Freddy’s fusing with the cat-and-mouse tension of Dead by Daylight’s asymmetrical gameplay. But this isn’t just a character reskin or a shallow nod to a fan-favorite franchise—this chapter is shaping up to be one of the most faithful, authentic crossovers in the game’s history.

Bringing Springtrap Into the Fog

Fans of Five Nights at Freddy’s know Springtrap well. A dilapidated, blood-soaked animatronic rabbit with a grotesque past, Springtrap (or William Afton, for lore aficionados) embodies the twisted heart of the FNaF series. Yet despite his central role in FNaF’s lore, he’s never had his moment in the spotlight as a playable antagonist in a major horror game—until now.

In Dead by Daylight, Springtrap is formally referred to as “The Animatronic,” and Behaviour has leaned hard into the eerie aesthetic fans expect. His main weapon? A monstrous, rusted pizza cutter that would make any pizzeria employee quit on sight. His Power is even more disturbing: a firefighter’s axe that functions as a ranged, area-of-effect (AOE) ability. When thrown, the axe reveals any survivors caught in its radius. But there’s a twist. If it lands squarely in a survivor’s back and is retrieved by Springtrap, it triggers a signature FNaF jump scare—complete with visual and audio cues that are sure to rattle even seasoned Dead by Daylight players.

In a conversation with IGN, the developers explained that they wanted this killer to be more than a visual novelty. “We weren’t interested in just dropping a FNaF skin into the game,” a Behaviour developer said. “We wanted to recreate that feeling of dread, of helplessness that FNaF thrives on—only now, you’re the one being hunted.”

Matthew Lillard Returns—With a Twist

Authenticity is at the heart of this crossover, and Behaviour went the extra mile to ensure fans feel right at home—or rather, uncomfortably out of it. That includes bringing back Matthew Lillard, the voice of William Afton in the recent Five Nights at Freddy’s film adaptation. Not only does Lillard lend his voice to Springtrap, but his likeness also appears in the form of a Legendary cosmetic skin called “Yellow Rabbit.”

It’s a surreal moment for fans, especially those who’ve followed both franchises from their earliest days. The merging of two horror icons—Springtrap in full killer form and Lillard’s haunting performance—elevates this chapter beyond gimmickry.

Springtrap also arrives with a wardrobe of twisted flair. In addition to Yellow Rabbit, players can unlock other skins, including:

  • Glitchtrap (Legendary Skin): A digital fever dream of fractured pixels and corrupted code.

  • Clown Springtrap (Very Rare): Equal parts carnival and catastrophe, this grotesque version adds a maniacal touch.

  • Toxic Springtrap (Very Rare): Dripping with radioactive slime and menace, it’s a skin that screams “do not touch.”

  • Fazbear-Themed T-Shirts (For Survivors): Because even in terror, fashion finds a way.

These cosmetics aren’t just about aesthetics—they deepen the narrative crossover, showing the many faces (and glitches) of the FNaF mythos in Behaviour’s unsettling sandbox.

Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Reimagined

If you’re going to bring Five Nights at Freddy’s into Dead by Daylight, you can’t skip the pizzeria. And Behaviour knew this.

The new map, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, is a full-scale recreation of the original nightmare-factory, but now reinterpreted through the haunting lens of Dead by Daylight’s ever-watching Entity. From the eerie animatronic stage to the grease-stained kitchen and shadowy janitor’s closet, the level is packed with visual storytelling. Familiar rooms have been tweaked, distorted, and corrupted, yet remain unmistakably FNaF at their core.

Players will find the dining hall, the main entrance, and even animatronic idols like Bonnie and Chica looming in the background—lifeless, or perhaps not. It’s a map filled with hidden Easter eggs and sudden scares that harken back to the original point-and-click gameplay FNaF built its legend upon.

Behaviour didn’t just create a setting—they recreated a feeling. The pizzeria is claustrophobic, unsettling, and alive with tension. And even without a new survivor in this chapter, the environment alone tells stories of its own.

Classic FNaF Mechanics—Reborn in Any Map

While the pizzeria map is a treasure trove for horror fans, the FNaF influence doesn’t stop there. In a bold design choice, Behaviour has added franchise-specific mechanics that can appear on any map where Springtrap is the killer.

You’ll find interactive elements like security doors, surveillance cameras, and a monitor-equipped office station scattered throughout. These aren’t just for show. Survivors can actively use these tools to track Springtrap’s movements—mimicking the original gameplay loop of FNaF where players monitor animatronic paths through grainy video feeds.

But as with everything FNaF, there’s a catch: these tools are battery-operated. Use them too often and you’ll find yourself in the dark—literally. The resource management element adds a fresh layer of strategy to Dead by Daylight’s tried-and-true gameplay. Knowing when to monitor, when to run, and when to conserve power could mean the difference between survival and getting sliced.

It’s a masterstroke of design that respects both franchises. The nods to FNaF’s gameplay mechanics are lovingly implemented and meaningfully affect how matches unfold.

Early Access Through the PTB

For those itching to experience the chapter before launch, Behaviour has good news. The Public Test Build (PTB) is already live as of May 27, 2025. Players on PC can jump in starting at:

  • 9 AM PT

  • 12 PM ET

  • 6 PM Paris time

The PTB includes full access to Springtrap’s abilities, the new pizzeria map, and cosmetic previews. It’s a golden opportunity for players to test the new mechanics, provide feedback, and uncover the many secrets Behaviour has hidden within this crossover.

The full release on June 17 will also include a suite of quality-of-life improvements and balance updates based on PTB data, ensuring the experience is polished and terrifying from the moment it goes live.

A Love Letter to Horror Fans

In a genre that often struggles to keep crossovers from feeling shallow, Dead by Daylight’s Five Nights at Freddy’s chapter is a glowing exception. From the disturbing detail of Springtrap’s animations to the clever integration of security cameras and jump scares, this collaboration is more than a marketing move—it’s a tribute to a franchise that changed indie horror forever.

Behaviour Interactive clearly understands what makes both games tick, and instead of diluting either, they’ve fused them into something truly special. This chapter doesn’t just drop a killer into the Fog—it reimagines what a crossover can be when developers care deeply about both sides of the equation.

So whether you’re a long-time FNaF fan ready to relive the horror from the other side of the screen, or a Dead by Daylight player curious to face something new and unnerving, this chapter promises a nightmarish delight.

One thing’s for sure—when Springtrap enters the map, no corner is safe, no camera is comforting, and no battery lasts forever. Let the games begin.