DBD 2v8 mode release date and details

When are the next DBD 2v8 mode dates? 2v8 is one of a few game-changing DBD game modes that Behaviour runs on a regular schedule to breathe new life into the asymmetrical multiplayer. As two killers go against a team of eight survivors, the chaos is off the charts, and we know when the event returns next.

As more maps and killers get added to the roster each time, Dead by Daylight 2v8 mode gets more evolved and more chaotic with every new launch, and this next event is no different. Below, we take a look at when the next event takes place and which killers are learning to play with others in the horror game this time around.

DBD 2v8 dates

Dead by Daylight 2v8 returns on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 8am PDT / 11am EDT / 4pm BST, and adds a game-changing new Play While You Wait mechanic.

To combat disastrous queue times for the killer, you can now play 2v8 as a survivor while waiting to drop into a match as killer. We're not totally sure how this plays out yet, as the patch notes confirm you return to your place in the queue once the match is over, but doesn't say what happens if you reach the front of the queue while in another game.

You should also check out the patch notes if you're a survivor main as three of the classes have had considerable perk overhauls. Meanwhile, no killers are added to the game this time, but three more realms have been put into rotation in the 2v8 mode: Treatment Theatre, The Shattered Square, and Greenville Square.

DBD 2v8 event rewards

There are usually new rewards with each new iteration of 2v8 mode, as you're tasked with completing mode-specific challenges. We don't know what the rewards are yet, but will add details as soon as they're revealed.

Previous DBD 2v8 event dates

• May 15 - 19, 2025 - Oni and Ghost Face
• February 10 - March 4, 2025 - Resident Evil 2v8
• November 12 - 26, 2024
• July 25 - August 15, 2024

What is DBD 2v8?

So, how does the mode work? Before we get onto the nitty gritty of survivor and killer gameplay, there's a bit of recent news worth mentioning. In previous 2v8 events, the killer player queue has been known to be a little long. As of the November 2025 event, a new 'play while you queue' feature is being added, enabling killers to play survivor matches while you wait.

Survivors

Unlike the usual lobby of four survivors, there are eight of you in a 2v8 match, so naturally the maps are much bigger. Spread across these larger maps are 13 generators, and you and your teammates must repair eight. While this is relatively less than a standard game, it might be a little harder to coordinate yourselves given the sheer size of the group.

Where things really start to change, though, is that perks are disabled in 2V8, and survivors must instead choose one of four classes: The Guide, The Medic, The Escapist, and The Scout.

The Guide is all about objectives and is shown the auras of nearby gens while granting speed buffs to teammates during co-op repairs. The Medic, naturally, is the healer, and they can see the auras of injured survivors. They also receive a buff to healing speed. Escapists should be your 1v1 pros who love the chase, as they can reveal the auras of windows and pallets, grant a speed buff to nearby survivors, and have base kit MFT. Finally, the Scout sees the killers' aura whenever they break a pallet or damage a gen, moves quicker while crouching, and has base kit Iron Will. Only four of any class can be in one match at a time in order, so you won't ever see eight medics, for example.

Killers

As with survivors, killers are also unable to bring the normal perks into the match. Instead, they have specific perks that enhance their power in this unprecedented team environment. For example, the Nurse gets one extra Blink when she's near a teammate, while the Trapper has more traps, carrying up to four of his 12 total traps.

Instead of hooking survivors, killers now stomp on a prone player to put them in a distant cage, similar to Pyramid Head's Cage of Atonement. Of course, in many ways, this is a benefit to the killer - no body blocks or wriggling free. That said, you can't choose where the survivor ends up, and you have to drop them if you pick them up from a vault or locker, so there are pros and cons to this mechanic.

Another benefit the killer has is that any survivor who hasn't been caged has their aura revealed every time a generator is completed. This is vital information given you can't bring any info perks in.

The big question as a killer, especially a solo queue killer, is whether to team up or stay apart. There are a lot of generators to keep an eye on, but combining your perks and abilities as I alluded to in the intro might be the best way to keep survivors on their toes. How are you going to play?

How many hatches are there in DBD 2v8?

If the killers are doing well and have dealt with most survivors, it's time for the hatches to open up. In a standard match, one hatch opens for the remaining survivor. In 2v8, three hatches open up for the last two players.

As you can imagine, this can be incredibly fun, as two killers might find it hard to find three hatches. As for survivors, do you just get yourself out, or do you try and help your teammate, too? What you do need to know as a survivor is that a hatch still closes after one player leaves through it, so two survivors can't use the same hatch.

As you prepare to get involved in the next round of DBD 2v8, take a look at which of the DBD killers you might want to use, in and out of the chaotic mode. There are always new characters being added in each new Dead by Daylight chapter, too, so keep up to date in case they're added to the 2v8 roster next. Finally, don't forget to redeem the latest DBD codes for free Bloodpoints and cosmetics.