Dead by Daylight Removes Streamer's Free DLC After Backlash

Behaviour Interactive removed free DLC it had gifted to Twitch streamer TheBurntPeanut, and the developer later admitted the decision broke community trust. The developer said the gift happened without the usual checks and that its response to criticism escalated the situation. Here is what creators should know about partnerships, unfair gifting and what to do if you are offered exclusive perks on stream.

What happened with TheBurntPeanut

TheBurntPeanut was playing Dead by Daylight on stream when Behaviour Interactive granted him access to all the game's DLC characters and perks. The streamer joked about "streamer privileges" after realizing what had happened. The official Dead by Daylight Twitch account then commented, "WE CAN TAKE THE HEAT! THEY ARE YOURS TO KEEP."

The community responded negatively. Fans raised concerns about the decision, and the developer's dismissive reply made it worse. Behaviour later said the decision was made without appropriate approvals, and the developer published a statement confirming the content had been removed and outlining changes to how it works with creators.

Why the gifting was a problem

Behaviour explained that members of the team saw a large audience watching a streamer who had not played Dead by Daylight before and wanted to welcome new players. The decision to grant content and participate in the chat happened without the usual team discussions or checks.

"When collaborating with a new creator, we normally look thoroughly at their past content to determine whether they are representing the values of inclusion our community expects from us," Behaviour said. "In this case, this was not taken into proper consideration or discussed as a group."

The developer also addressed its "WE CAN TAKE THE HEAT!" message after the streamer offered to return the content. "This message, along with some others in that session, showed a disregard for the context we were suddenly in and crossed the line of appropriate responses from our brand," the statement continued. "That reply escalated the situation for us and for our community, especially our content creators on the frontlines of these conversations, and that's unacceptable."

What Behaviour is changing

Behaviour confirmed it had already removed the gifted content and was rewriting its guidelines for interacting with creators. The updated guidelines will focus on identifying creators whose past conduct conflicts with the inclusive community the developer says it wants to build.

The changes include:

• Deciding who on the team can authorize gifting decisions
• Updated approval procedures for granting content and currency
• Staff training and communication standards

Behaviour said it was "taking appropriate action internally" but would not share further details because the matter is confidential.

What this means for creator partnerships

This incident shows how quickly a partnership can go wrong when the developer does not check the creator's past content or follow its own approval process. If you are offered free content, currency or exclusive perks on stream, here is what to consider:

Ask why you are being offered it. If the offer comes out of nowhere, especially during a first-time stream of the game, the developer may not have done its usual checks. Behaviour said legitimate collaborations normally involve looking at past content first. This case skipped that step.

Check if the offer is public. If the developer is giving you something that regular players have to pay for, and the community does not know about the partnership, expect backlash. Viewers notice when a streamer gets special treatment, and they will ask why.

Know the developer's values. Behaviour said it looks at a creator's past content to see if they represent the values of inclusion the community expects. If your past content conflicts with those values, a partnership can damage both your reputation and the developer's.

Get it in writing. A chat message or a verbal offer is not a contract. If the developer changes its mind or the community reacts badly, you have no protection. A written agreement with clear terms is the only way to know what you are getting and what happens if things go wrong.

What to do if you are offered exclusive perks

If a developer offers you free content, currency or exclusive access on stream, pause before you accept. Here is a checklist:

1. Ask for details. Who authorized the offer? Is this a one-time gift or part of a partnership? What are the terms?
2. Check your past content. Does anything you have said or done conflict with the developer's values? If yes, the partnership may not last.
3. Look at the community. How do other creators and players feel about the game? If the community is already frustrated with the developer, a public gift may make you a target.
4. Get it in writing. If the offer is legitimate, the developer will send you a written agreement. If they will not, the offer is not worth the risk.
5. Be ready to return it. If the community reacts badly, the developer may take the content back. Behaviour removed TheBurntPeanut's DLC after the backlash. You should be prepared for the same.

How to avoid unfair gifting accusations

If you do accept a partnership or a gift from a developer, make it clear to your audience. Say it on stream, put it in your title or description, and explain what you are getting and why. Transparency does not guarantee a positive reaction, but it is better than letting viewers find out later.

If the developer gives you something without asking, and you are not sure if it is a partnership, ask them to clarify on stream or in chat. If they will not, consider declining the gift. A few free characters are not worth damaging your reputation.

Turn your streams into clips

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If you are streaming talk or commentary, choose AI Creator. The AI listens to what you say and picks funny lines, strong statements and reactions. Choose your preferred format and keep your facecam in frame.

Sources

• Dexerto: Dead by Daylight removes TheBurntPeanut's free DLC following backlash
• Dexerto: Dead by Daylight team respond following backlash to TheBurntPeanut receiving free DLC