It’s an exciting time to be a Dead by Daylight fan considering the DBD Tokyo Ghoul crossover that was just announced. Ken Kaneki, the one-eyed ghoul who had a huge impact on the lives of 90s manga and anime fans, is now coming to the game as the next killer. The Dead by Daylight Tokyo Ghoul DLC will see Kanehi enter the multilayer action survival horror game next month, bringing his ghoulish strengths and demonic appendage with him.

The DBD Tokyo Ghoul killer launch is scheduled for April 2, 2025, which is also the same day we expect to hear more about the Nintendo Switch 2. The many joys of adoring the gaming industry will never fail to overwhelm us. 

Dead by Daylight Tokyo Ghoul Kaneki

Image: The Dead by Daylight x Tokyo Ghoul collaboration is coming on April 2.

What We Know About the DBD Tokyo Ghoul Crossover

If you aren’t familiar with Dead by Daylight or DBD, it is a survival horror video game by Behaviour Interactive. The 4v1 horror game allows one person to play the role of a killer, while four others play as Survivors. The killer has the obvious mission of taking down the survivors, while the others fight to stay alive. 

The interesting thing about Dead by Daylight is its collaborations with other franchises that allow it to bring brand-new characters to the game. The murderous game has always offered up a good bit of fun for players, allowing them to take on the role of some iconic characters from pop culture like Sadako from The Ring, the Pig from Saw, Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare On Elm Street, and the Demogorgon from Stranger Things. All of these characters come with their own strengths that they can exploit around the map, making it that much harder to keep up with them.

Each DLC offers a fun and unique experience for gamers and the DBD Tokyo Ghoul crossover won’t be any different. 

Dead by Daylight x Tokyo Ghoul: Kaneki Is the Newest Killer

Tokyo Ghoul is a story set in an alternate version of Tokyo where ghouls roam the streets, coexisting to a degree with their human counterparts. The story focuses on shy college student Ken Kaneki who gets turned into a half-ghoul after an organ transplant from one of the creatures leaves him stuck in between the two worlds. 

The white-haired protagonist—one of many such iconic anime characters—is not what we would call a villain, so his inclusion in this DBD Tokyo Ghoul crossover is an unusual choice. Despite that, there is sufficient darkness in the Tokyo Ghoul world where one might picture Kaneki sacrificing his humanity permanently and turning into an evil force to be reckoned with. 

The reimagining of the character in the Dead By Daylight x Tokyo Ghoul crossover will see Kaneki consumed by his evil side, using his Kagune abilities to take down the survivors. These predatory organs take the shape of tentacles that emerge from his back in odd and unsettling ways.

Why Did the Dead by Daylight x Tokyo Ghoul Collaboration Pick Kaneki?

Considering Kaneki is a more humane and balanced character than others in the original manga-anime-live-action film adaptation versions of the franchise, the decision to choose him as the protagonist and turn him evil is an unexpected one. 

The original Kankei character is better suited to being a Survivor than a Killer, and characters like Yakumo Oomori, Seidou Takizawa, and Rize could have taken on the killer character better without having to change much from the original. Still, he is the protagonist that most fans would likely want to interact with, making him the top choice for the collaboration.

According to the PlayStation blog post on the topic, the team wanted to acknowledge Kaneki as the central character of the series and also “lean into the horror and present an alternate reality where Kaneki became exactly what he feared.” The post explained that the Tokyo Ghoul Production Committee was willing to work with the game devs to cook up this alternative version of the red-eyed ghoul, and that’s why the DBD x Tokyo Ghoul crossover is what it is today.

Dead by Daylight Tokyo Ghoul DLC

Image: Excited to test out DBD Kaneki’s abilities and perks?

DBD X Tokyo Ghoul Offers New Content for Fans

To enhance the Dead by Daylight x Tokyo Ghoul experience Kaneki’s voice lines are provided by Natsuki Hanae, who also voiced the role in the popular anime series. The original anime was considered too violent and even banned in China for it. Although the country is particularly quick to sensor and ban content it deems unsavory, there was indeed considerable violence and gore that often trailed the series. 

The psychological horror and the many flaws of humanity in the show always disturbed us most, but the blood and body horror are not to be dismissed either. This makes it a perfect match for DBD.

So with DBD Kaneki, what abilities and perks can fans expect? According to PlayStation, players will be able to use Kaneki’s Killer Power and Kagune tentacles to launch themselves around the map and take down survivors. Dealing a blow accurately will allow Kaneki to enter the Enraged Mode which will enhance his abilities and allow him to throw in another additional jump to expand on his reach. With each token he gains by landing a hit or hooking a survivor for the first time, his abilities will level up.

Kaneki’s playstyle is not going to be slow or subtle—it’s all about committing to the chase and running down your victims. The character perks associated with him include Hex: Nothing But Misery, Forever Entwined, and None Are Free, and they rely on speeding through the game relentlessly with those unsettling tentacles. 

The DBD Tokyo Ghoul Killer Launch Will Happen in April

The Dead by Daylight anime DLC will arrive on April 2, 2025. To bring Kaneki into your game, you’ll have to use Auric Cells or purchase the DLC from the store you acquired the game at, such as Steam. Only original DBD characters can be bought with the Shards you gain from playing the game, so to access these externally licensed killers, you’ll have to use real money. 

You can currently access the PTB (Public Beta Test) of the game via the Steam Beta feature if you’re interested in testing it before it comes to the live servers. Dead By Daylight is purchasable on Steam, Windows Store, Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, or even Mobile, so if you’re interested in playing the game, now’s a good time to get a headstart and familiarize yourself with the game before the new DBD Tokyo Ghoul content becomes available.

Players will also be able to purchase a Rize Kamishiro-inspired outfit in remembrance of the she-devil who set the entirety of the Tokyo Ghoul saga into motion, as well as four very rare survivor outfits and similarly numbered killer masks.

Final Thoughts on the Dead by Daylight Tokyo Ghoul DLC

For fans of the horror and slasher genre, Dead by Daylight is an unmissable experience as it combines some truly nightmarish situations with characters we have watched and feared over the years. The game has already had many iconic collaborations and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down on them anytime soon. 

The Dead by Daylight Tokyo Ghoul DLC will give some non-anime/manga fans a chance to explore the franchise by themselves. For fans of the series, this reimagined version of Kanei will also be fun to explore and experiment with.

Dead by Daylight also has a collaboration with Five Nights at Freddy’s scheduled for later in the year, so even if you choose to skip this DLC and test out the existing character until the next DLC release.

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