The Public Test Build, also known as the "PTB" is a special BETA-branch of Dead by Daylight exclusive to the Steam version of the Game.
Overview
Public Test Builds are a way for the Developers of the Game to test and receive community feedback on major upcoming changes prior to their release.
The Public Test Build uses a separate save game state created about a week prior and does not affect the Player's main save game in any way.
A Player can switch between the two builds by opting in and out of the public beta branches through Steam.
Public Test Builds are usually accessible for about a week.
Public Test Builds
2016 Public Test Builds
The first Public Test Build took place between 20-23 September 2016.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of Patch 1.1.2
- Matchmaking Improvements
- Slowed first Hook Stage
- If the Killer is within a certain proximity to a hooked Survivor, the first Hook Stage progression will be slowed to 50 % speed.
- This marked the first attempt at creating an anti-camping mechanic.
However, the mechanic was abused by Survivors with a designated Survivor prompting the Killer to remain close to the Hook without engaging in a Chase (which would have prevented the slow-down) and therefore buying their team mates more time to repair Generators.
The Developers swiftly disabled the mechanic instead of implementing it.
The second Public Test Build took place between 18-19 October 2016.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of Patch 1.2.0
- New currency: Iridescent Shards
- New market: Shrine of Secrets
- Balance Changes to Jungle Gyms
- Quality-of-Life Changes
The third Public Test Build started on 9 November 2016.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Infinite first Hook Stage:
- If a Survivor is hooked for the first time, they can remain on the Hook for ever without the stage progressing.
- This marked the second (and last) attempt at creating an anti-camping mechanic.
Again, the mechanic was abused by Survivors, though this time also to the detriment of the hooked Survivor, leaving them hooked for an entire Trials at some point since the infinite Hook Stage gave no rescue incentive.
This mechanic also was not implemented. - There was a 5 % chance to save one's self from the Hook during the infinite stage, but also a 25 % chance to be sent immediately into the second Hook Stage on a failed attempt.
- The ability for Killers to damage Generators.
- Auto-Repair Hooks
- Respawned after 2 minutes after a sacrifice or sabotage.
- Trapper and Sabotage QoL changes.
2017 Public Test Builds
The fourth Public Test Build took place between 3-10 February 2017 in preparation for Patch 1.4.0.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New game options for Kill Your Friends:
- Map selection
- enabling/disabling of Unlockables and DLC Killers
- New mechanic: damaging Generators
- Changes to Pallet spawns
The fifth Public Test Build started on 6 April 2017 in preparation for Patch 1.5.0, it was a rather long PTB that went on for well over a week.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New mechanic: Status HUD
- New mechanic: Bloodlust
- New mechanic: Exhaustion
- Changes to Perk rarities
- Several Perk changes
- Quality-of-Life changes to The Trapper & The Hag
2018 Public Test Builds
The sixth Public Test Build started on 9 February 2018.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New ranking system: Emblems - 1st iteration
The seventh Public Test Build took place between 15-19 March 2018.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New ranking system: Emblems - 2nd (adjusted) iteration
The eighth Public Test Build started on 29 May 2018.
It marked the first of a new type of PTBs, allowing Players to test the new content of CHAPTER 8 previous to its release in June 2018.
This new type of PTB allows the Developers to deliver a better end-user experience with new content, catching bugs and balance issues up front and hot-fixing accordingly.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 8: Curtain Call
- New content of Patch 2.0.0
- New store for Chapters and cosmetics
- New store currency: Auric Cells
The ninthPublic Test Build started on 10 July 2018.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Patch of CHAPTER 8
The tenth Public Test Build started on 28 August 2018.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 9: Shattered Bloodline
- New content of Patch 2.2.0
The eleventh Public Test Build started on 2 October 2018.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Patch of CHAPTER 9
The twelfth Public Test Build started on 26 November 2018.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 10: Darkness Among Us
- New content of Patch 2.4.0
- New Matchmaking System
2019 Public Test Builds
The thirteenth Public Test Build started on 8 January 2019.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Patch of CHAPTER 10
The fourteenth Public Test Build started on 6 March 2018.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 11: Demise of the Faithful
- New content of Patch 2.6.0
- New Ranking Thresholds
The fifteenth Public Test Build started on 23 April 2019.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Patch of CHAPTER 11
- Dedicated Server Infrastructure
- New Matchmaking System
The sixteenth Public Test Build started on 4 June 2019.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 12: Ghost Face®
- New content of Patch 3.0.0
- Emblem scoring changes
The seventeenth Public Test Build started on 9 July 2019.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- The Nightmare rework
- Mid-Chapter Update of CHAPTER 12
- New content of Patch 3.1.0
The eighteenth Public Test Build started on 3 September 2019.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Dedicated Server infrastructure
- Party Management
- Allows Survive With Friends Groups to stay grouped together through an in-game Friends List without having to create a new lobby after each trial.
- Bloodweb Cube 2.0
- Multiple Perks will spawn as of Level 40 and from Level 50 onwards, up to two Perks can be purchased per Bloodweb.
- New content of CHAPTER 13: Stranger Things (started a day later on the 4th)
- New content of Patch 3.2.0
The nineteenth Public Test Build started on 8 October 2019.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Tome I of the Archives
- Mid-Chapter Update of CHAPTER 13
- New content of Patch 3.3.0
- The Nurse changes
- The Med-Kit changes
The twentieth Public Test Build started on 19 November 2019.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 14: Cursed Legacy
- New content of Patch 3.4.0
- The Spirit changes
- The Legion changes
2020 Public Test Builds
The twenty-first Public Test Build started on 7 January 2020.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of CHAPTER 14
- New content of Patch 3.5.0
- The Doctor Rework
- Hex: Ruin Nerf
The twenty-second Public Test Build started on 18 February 2020.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 15: Chains of Hate
- New content of Patch 3.6.0
- Toolbox changes
- Sabotage changes
The twenty-third Public Test Build started on 7 April 2020.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of CHAPTER 15
- New content of Patch 3.7.0
- Various Map changes
- Repair Changes
The twenty-fourth Public Test Build started on 26 May 2020.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 16: Silent Hill
- New content of Patch 4.0.0
- Slow-down removal for throwing bottles of The Afterpiece Tonic as The Clown.
The twenty-fifth Public Test Build started on 8 July 2020.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of CHAPTER 16
- New content of Patch 4.1.0
- The Hillbilly & Cannibal Rework
- Various updates to Perks
The twenty-sixth Public Test Build started on 18 August 2020.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 17: Descend Beyond
- New content of Patch 4.2.0
- New Offerings affecting the spawn location of the Hatch and the Basement
- New Offering to reject Realm Selection Offerings
- First part of the graphical update: The Realm Beyond - Part One
The twenty-seventh Public Test Build started on 29 September 2020.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of CHAPTER 17
- New content of Patch 4.3.0
- The Executioner Balance Update
- Various updates to Perks
- Standardisation of Perk Rarities
- Standardisation of Generator Terminology
- Second part of the graphical update: The Realm Beyond - Part Two
The twenty-eighth Public Test Build started on 10 November 2020.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content CHAPTER 18: A Binding of Kin
- New content of Patch 4.4.0
- Various updates to The Blight
- Third part of the graphical update: The Realm Beyond - Part Three
2021 Public Test Builds
The twenty-ninth Public Test Build started on 12 January 2021.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Updated of CHAPTER 18
- New content of Patch 4.5.0
- New HUD
- New Survivor Locomotion animations
- Fourth part of the graphical update: The Realm Beyond - Part Four
The thirtieth Public Test Build started on 2 March 2021.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 19: All-Kill
- New content of Patch 4.6.0
- Various updated to The Blight
- Wraith Rework
- Additional HUD changes
- Decisive Strike nerf
- Colour-Blind-Support
The thirty-first Public Test Build started on 13 April 2021.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of CHAPTER 19
- New content of Patch 4.7.0
- Various Killer Balances.
- Many Demogorgon Addons revamped.
- Many Huntress Addons revamped.
- Changes to Survivor Struggling in second Hook Stage.
- Various Survivor Perk changes.
- Fifth part of the graphical update: The Realm Beyond - Part Five
The thirty-second Public Test Build started on 25 May 2021.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New Content of CHAPTER 20: Resident Evil
- New Content of Patch 5.0.0
- Improvements to the Tutorial.
- Settings Menu now has grouped Tabs.
- Updates to The Trapper
The thirty-third Public Test Build started on 7 July 2021.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of Chapter 20
- New content of Patch 5.1.0
- The Trickster Gameplay Update
- Improvements to the Settings menu
- Changes to interaction priories and addition of stun validation.
- Survivor Visual Updates
The thirty-fourth Public Test Build started on 17 August 2021.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New Content of CHAPTER 21: Hellraiser™
- New content of Patch 5.2.0
- A new Killer: The Cenobite
- Settings: Large Text options to increase readability.
The thirty-fifth Public Test Build started on 28 September 2021.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New Content of CHAPTER 21.5: Hour of the Witch
- New content of Patch 5.3.0
- A new Survivor: Mikaela Reid
- New Map Object: Boon Totems
- Overhauls to many Killers (Add-on and power changes)
- Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler's perk name changes.
The thirty-sixth Public Test Build started on 9 November 2021.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New Content of CHAPTER 22: Portrait of a Murder
- New Content of Patch 5.4.0
2022 Public Test Builds
The thirty-seventh Public Test Build started on 7 January 2022.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of Chapter 22
- New content of Patch 5.5.0
- Improvements to Accessibility
- Added the Beta tab
The thirty-eighth Public Test Build started on 15 February 2022.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 23: Sadako Rising
- New content of Patch 5.6.0
The thirty-ninth Public Test Build started on 5 April 2022.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of Chapter 23
- New content of Patch 5.7.0
- Ghost Face and Legion reworks
The fortieth Public Test Build started on 17 May 2022.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 24: Roots of Dread
- New content of Patch 6.0.0
The forty-first Public Test Build started on 19 June 2022.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- Mid-Chapter Update of Chapter 24
- New content of Patch 6.1.0
- Updated 40 Perks
The forty-second Public Test Build started on 9 August 2022.
The main changes the Developers intended to test with this build:
- New content of CHAPTER 25: Resident Evil™: PROJECT W
- New content of Patch 6.2.0
Accessing the Public Test Build
As long as the Public Test Build is live, it can be accessed by all Players who own the Game on Steam.
Opting in
- Right-Click the Dead by Daylight Application in your Steam Library
- Access Properties
- Access the "Betas" Tab
- Select "public-test" from the drop-down menu
Opting out
- Right-Click the Dead by Daylight Application in your Steam Library
- Access Properties
- Access the "Beta" Tab
- Select "NONE - Opt out of all beta programs" from the drop-down menu