Dead by Daylight Removes Leatherface Feature Following Racist Harassment

01/05/2022 04:11 pm EST

Texas Chainsaw Massacre's Leatherface has been a part of Dead by Daylight since 2017, but developer Behaviour Interactive has announced a major change to the killer's mechanics following a new update. In an ode to the films, the killer could unlock and wear the faces of the game's four original survivors by killing each of them 25 times. As a result, players could earn deformed masks based on the faces of Jake Park, Meg Thomas, Dwight Fairfield, and Claudette Morel. Morel is black, and her mask was frequently worn by players that were targeting black characters and black players, using it as a tool to harass them through the game.

This issue has apparently been a persistent problem since the feature was added to Dead by Daylight. That will no longer be the case, as Behaviour Interactive announced via the game's official website that it will be removing the mask option altogether through a mid-chapter update. The developer will also be giving 6,000 Iridescent Shards to anyone that has played as Leatherface.

"Members of the community have shared their experiences with people targeting and harassing them while using some of these masks. These reports were disheartening to hear, and we absolutely condemn this behaviour. We are not comfortable having these masks in the game when they are used as a tool to spread hate. To that end, we will be removing The Cannibal's unlockable faces in this upcoming Mid-Chapter."

It's really unfortunate that some players have taken what was clearly meant to be a fun nod to Texas Chainsaw Massacre and used it as a way to harass players. Clearly this was not Behaviour Interactive's intent for the masks, but it's easy to see why the option is being dropped. Video games are meant to be a form of escapism for everyone. Hopefully, the feature's removal will make Dead by Daylight a more enjoyable experience.

Dead by Daylight is currently available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Google Stadia, and Android. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the game right here.

Are you a fan of Dead by Daylight? Are you happy to see this feature removed? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: Kotaku]

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