During Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight 10th anniversary event earlier this month, it was announced that horror-metal juggernauts Ice Nine Kills would be arriving in the Fog as part of an exclusive new Collection.
During the festivities, fans were treated to a sneak peek of the music video for an all-new track, “Play Dead,” written specifically for the game’s milestone celebrations. On Friday, the band officially unleashed the track and its star-studded music video to the rest of the world.
“Collaborating with Dead by Daylight gave us the chance to step into a world that feels deeply aligned with our creative instincts,” said Ice Nine Kills frontman Spencer Charnas. “The game has an incredible legacy, and that chaotic, eerie, immersive energy is something we respect and admire. We wanted the song to feel like a real extension of that universe, not just inspired by it, but genuinely part of it.”
The track was created in tandem with longtime Dead by Daylight composer Michel F. April, ensuring the song seamlessly blends the band’s signature breakdowns with the game’s iconic atmosphere. The release arrives alongside an in-game Ice Nine Kills Collection, allowing players to represent the band with unique cosmetics.
“We worked closely with longtime composer Michel F. April to ensure every detail, from the atmosphere to the intensity, felt true to the game, and we spent time on set with Dead by Daylight creatives Mathieu Cote and Eric Pope, as well as player experts like SpookyLoopz,” adds Charnas.
The music video also continues Ice Nine Kills’ ongoing cinematic lore, which has previously featured genre icons like Matthew Lillard (“Scream”), David Arquette (“Scream”), Terry Kiser (“Weekend at Bernie’s”), Catherine Corcoran (“Terrifier”), and Bill Mosely (“The Devil’s Rejects”), among many others.
“Play Dead” welcomes skateboard legend Tony Hawk, Devon Sawa (“Idle Hands”), Krsy Fox (“Terrifier 3”), and the Dead by Daylight team to the “INKverse.” Better yet, fans won’t have to wait long for more from the INKverse. Part two of the video is coming soon and promises to deepen the lore even further.
“Having Tony Hawk appear with us felt essential because he isn’t just the Michael Jordan of skateboarding,” says Charnas. “He’s synonymous with the marriage of music, gaming, and subculture. We bonded over the same offbeat pop-culture touchstones, from punk rock to the irreverent ’80s comedies like ‘The Naked Gun’ that shaped my brain just as much as horror did.”
Fans can stream “Play Dead” now on all major digital music platforms, and the Ice Nine Kills Collection is now live in the Dead by Daylight in-game store.
