Behaviour Interactive’s missing bear returns after a decade-long dormancy. Yes, you read that correctly: Cult classic reverse horror game Naughty Bear is crossing over with the popular online game Dead By Daylight!
On Friday morning, Behaviour Interactive, developers of the ongoing live service Dead By Daylight, released a trailer for the game’s annual Halloween event, Haunted By Daylight. The end of the trailer featured a rather revealing tease that Naughty Bear will be added to the game in a future update. The reveal comes months after Naughty Bear’s inclusion was first announced back in May 2023. The gruesome grizzly will be added as a unique cosmetic for The Trapper, one of Dead By Daylight’s very first Killers.
Bear Necessities
For those unfamiliar, Naughty Bear was developed by Behaviour Interactive back in 2010 when the studio was known as Artificial Mind and Movement. Players took control as the titular bear who simply wants to be accepted by the other bears. Unfortunately, he is relentlessly teased and ridiculed, opening up the wacky-toned narrator to plant sinister ideas in Naughty’s head. Every mission required players to stalk and “de-fluff” the bears to rack up points. Each devious deed bumped up a score multiplier.
It’s NAUGHTY TIME!! | Naughty Bear on Xbox 360 – YouTube
Naughty Bear released to less than stellar reviews, the highest ratings being “5.5 out of 10’s”. Critics cited the repetitive level design, broken camera, and awful optimization as major problems that wash over the game’s unique concept and humor. Though sales numbers were never given, one can assume Naughty Bear did not meet sales goals. However, that did not halt plans for DLC for three new story missions, new weapons, and multiplayer modes. A sequel, Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise, was released on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network in 2012 as well.
A Furry Friend
So, why are folks excited for a cartoon bear from one of 2010’s most poorly received games? Simply put, it’s a game built on dumb fun. Yes, the AI was busted, often made dumb mistakes, and could not correctly follow its pathing. And yet, it added to the entertainment of high-pitched bears screaming as they lost their fluff. That’s all it took for this writer and thousands of other players to become fans.
Players can expect Naughty Bear to make his return in Dead By Daylight on October 18, 2023. Whether this could signify potential remasters, ports or sequels is anyone’s [hopeful] guess. Until then, yours truly will be in the Fog, offing Survivors in the only way Naughty Bear can – “BOOOOO!”
