Behaviour Interactive pushes back hard on union-busting claims following Dead By Daylight studio layoffs

Behaviour Interactive, the studio behind Dead By Daylight, is firmly denying rumors that recent layoffs were connected to union activity among its workforce. According to a Kotaku report, the company issued a statement emphatically rejecting the suggestion that the cuts were retaliatory or targeted in any way.

"These layoffs were in no way related to any employee's sentiments regarding unionization, AI or anything else," the studio said in its statement, as reported by Kotaku. That's about as direct a denial as you can get, though the gaming industry's rocky track record with layoffs and labor relations means skepticism from workers and observers is understandable.

Context behind the claims

The rumors appear to have circulated following the layoffs, with speculation that affected employees may have been vocal about organizing or had expressed opinions on the studio's use of AI. Behaviour did not elaborate publicly on the actual business reasons behind the cuts, which leaves some questions open even as they shut down others.

This situation lands in a broader and increasingly tense conversation across the games industry about labor rights. Over the past couple of years, studios ranging from small indie teams to major publisher subsidiaries have seen unionization efforts gain traction - and layoffs at those same studios have frequently drawn scrutiny about timing and intent.

What this means for the studio

Dead By Daylight remains one of the more enduring live-service games on the market, consistently pulling in new crossover content and maintaining an active player base years after its 2016 launch. Behaviour has a real incentive to keep morale stable and its reputation intact - union-busting allegations are exactly the kind of PR problem that can linger.

For now, the studio's position is clear: the layoffs were a business decision, full stop. Whether that explanation satisfies affected workers or outside observers is another matter entirely. Kotaku's full report is worth reading for additional context on how the rumors developed and what employees were saying in the lead-up to the cuts.

With labor organizing continuing to grow as a force in the games industry, how studios handle - and communicate - workforce reductions is only going to face more scrutiny going forward.