The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Haunted by Daylight is a temporary event layer applied to normal Dead by Daylight Trials. In the 2026 version, you do not enter the large standalone Void Tile used in older events. Instead, every event Trial can contain paired Void Portals, roaming Void Haunts, a Void Energy resource, and role-specific event abilities. Generators, chases, hooks, escapes, and sacrifices still define the match.
The practical choice is straightforward: play Haunted by Daylight when you want portal movement, extra hazards, event abilities, and seasonal progression; choose a regular Trial when you want the standard map and perk-and-power experience without the additional resource loop. No official source currently publishes a win-rate, queue-time, or Bloodpoint-efficiency comparison between the two queues.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Last of Us Part I – PlayStation 5 | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu - Deluxe Edition (PS5) | $55.64 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition (PS5) | $25.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Dead by Daylight: The Legion | $12.13 | Buy on Amazon |
Haunted by Daylight and a regular Trial at a glance
| Match element | Regular Trial | Haunted by Daylight (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Map movement | Uses the ordinary map layout and its normal traversal options. | Paired Void Portals add teleport routes. Opening Void Rifts can unlock additional portal pairs that remain available for the rest of that Trial. |
| Additional threats | No seasonal Haunt hazard. | Void Haunts roam the map, seek Survivors, and can apply Hindered effects. |
| Extra resource | No Void Energy loop. | Both roles gain Void Energy through event interactions and ordinary Trial actions, then spend it on event abilities. |
| Survivor tools | Uses the normal Survivor item, perk, and interaction set. | Survivors begin with Void Crystals, which can become Smoke Bombs or be placed on a Generator for remote repair. |
| Killer tools | Uses the selected Killer power, perks, and ordinary interactions. | Killers can launch Void Haunts and perform Empowered Breaks that destroy objects faster. |
| Progression | Ordinary Bloodpoint and account progression. | Adds event Tome challenges, Halloween cosmetics, and time-limited login or event rewards when the event is active. |
These are additions inside a Trial, not a replacement for the Trial’s objective. A Survivor still needs to manage generators and escape, while the Killer still applies pressure through chases, hooks, and sacrifice. The event changes how players move, gather information, and spend time; it does not create a separate win condition.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What the 2026 event mode actually is
Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight 10.2.1 patch notes describe the current format in direct terms: “The Void Tile from previous years is no longer accessible, however Void Portals and Void Haunts are present in all trials.” That wording matters because many older guides describe Haunted by Daylight as a trip into a separate Void area. For the 2026 rules, that description is no longer accurate.
#1 Best Overall
- Enhanced visuals: Completely rebuilt from the ground up using Naughty Dog’s latest PS5 engine technology to improve every visual detail, The Last of Us experience has been faithfully enhanced with more realistic lighting and atmosphere, more intricate environments and creative reimaginings of familiar spaces.
- Fast loading: Initial loading times are near instant, and seamless after the first instance thanks to the PS5 console’s SSD – so you can pick up where you left off in the story and load specific encounters and chapters more quickly.
- Haptic feedback: DualSense wireless controller haptic feedback support for every weapon elevates combat encounters, and environments are brought to life through DualSense wireless controller haptic sensations of subtle falling rain, the crunch of stepping on snow and more.
- Adaptive triggers: All The Last of Us iconic weapons, including Joel’s revolver and Ellie’s bow, now deliver dynamic DualSense wireless controller trigger resistance and kickback on firing for deeper combat immersion.
- 3D Audio: Designed to make use of the PS5 console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, Naughty Dog’s newly upgraded audio engine delivers richer soundscapes, bigger explosive moments and more visceral gameplay through compatible stereo headphones (analogue or USB) or TV speakers.
Think of Haunted by Daylight as a rules layer over the selected map. The usual map is still where the match takes place, but event objects and interactions are added to it. A portal network changes routes between areas, Haunts introduce moving danger, and Void Energy gives both sides another short-term decision to make. The result is a normal Trial with additional movement, threat, and resource systems rather than a second map with a different objective.
How Void Portals change map movement
Paired teleport routes
Void Portals appear in pairs. Once a pair is available, players can use the network to move between its linked locations, creating routes that do not exist in a regular Trial. A portal can therefore shorten a rotation, open an unexpected escape line, or let a Killer arrive near a developing objective without following the ordinary path.
The network affects both roles differently. Survivors can use a portal to break line-of-sight assumptions, rotate toward a safer generator, or leave a dangerous area quickly. Killers can treat a portal as an interception route: a Survivor who appears to be rotating across the map may instead emerge from a linked portal near another objective.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Opening more portal pairs
Additional pairs become available when players open Void Rifts. Once a pair has been opened, it remains available for the rest of that Trial. This persistence means the map can become more connected as the match progresses. Early movement may rely on the original pair, while later chases and generator rotations take place on a larger event network.
Because the new routes remain active, opening a Rift is not only a momentary interaction. It changes the route options that everyone can use for the remainder of the match. Survivors should avoid assuming that a route is safe simply because it was quiet earlier; a newly opened pair can give the Killer a faster approach. Killers should likewise track which pairs exist before committing to a long rotation.
How portals differ from ordinary map shortcuts
A normal Trial’s windows, pallets, tiles, and corridors are fixed by the map. Void Portals add a conditional transportation layer that can be expanded during play. They do not remove the ordinary map, and they do not turn every chase into a teleport chase. Their value comes from changing where a player can appear and how quickly an objective or chase location can be reached.
Void Haunts add a roaming hazard
Void Haunts are event entities that roam the map and seek Survivors. They create danger independently of the Killer’s ordinary power and can apply Hindered effects. A Survivor therefore has to account for a moving hazard while repairing, cleansing, opening an exit gate, or choosing a chase route.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe Haunt threat is different from a static map obstacle. A pallet or wall is known once it is seen; a roaming Haunt can change the safety of an area while a Survivor is using it. Hindered effects also matter because even a brief movement penalty can alter a vault decision, extend the distance needed to reach a pallet, or make a portal rotation less reliable.
For Survivors, audio and visual awareness are especially important around generators and portal entrances. A Haunt can make an otherwise efficient repair position costly if it forces a movement interruption or slows a subsequent rotation. For Killers, Haunts are a way to add pressure to areas that the Killer is not physically occupying, making a distant objective less comfortable for Survivors.
Rank #2
- In up to four player co-op, form a group of explorers searching for treasure. In this cursed jungle, danger is everywhere and monstrous creatures alter reality. Stay clear-headed and tame the jungle before it devours you…
- Join a team of explorers in search of treasure. Aboard your galleon, prepare for each mission by selecting weapons and equipment before setting off for adventure in the cursed jungle.
- The Mound is inspired by the stories of H.P. Lovecraft with their oppressive and unpredictable atmospheres. Here, the supernatural forces don't just hunt you down: they distort your perception of every situation to throw you off balance.
- In The Mound, survival depends on communication and helping each other. But as madness sets in, hallucinations intensify. Can you still trust your perception, and do you really have time to assess the situation?
- The Deluxe Edition contains the Abyssal Gear Pack, The Fortune Hunters Characters Pack including two exclusive characters, and the exclusive Temple of Yig mission: a brand-new contract at the heart of a dedicated zone, offering a radically different playstyle.
Void Energy creates a second resource loop
How the resource is earned
Both Survivors and Killers can collect Void Energy through event interactions and ordinary Trial actions. The event therefore rewards players who stay active in the match rather than limiting the resource to one special object. Exact amounts and thresholds can vary with the event implementation; the current material establishes the system, not a universal numerical conversion for every action.
How the resource is spent
Void Energy is spent on event abilities. The important 2026 change is that players no longer need to craft those abilities in the Void. The 10.2.1 patch notes state: “Players no longer need to craft in the Void to gain Event Abilities.” In practical terms, collecting enough energy unlocks the relevant ability directly, so a player does not have to make a separate crafting trip before using it.
This creates a timing decision. Spending energy as soon as an ability is available may help win a chase or protect a generator, while holding it can preserve flexibility for a later high-value moment. Regular Trials do not ask either role to make this seasonal gather-and-spend decision.
What the resource loop does to match tempo
Event interactions compete with ordinary objectives for time. A Survivor who leaves a generator to gather energy may gain an ability but lose repair progress or give the Killer information. A Killer who diverts to an event interaction may delay a hook or relinquish pressure on a generator. The correct choice depends on the current state of the Trial, not on a rule that event interactions are always worthwhile.
Survivor event abilities and decisions
Starting with Void Crystals
Survivors begin an event Trial with Void Crystals. These crystals are the starting point for two listed uses: creating Smoke Bombs or placing a crystal on a Generator for remote repair. They give Survivors an event tool before the ordinary resource loop has fully developed.
Smoke Bombs
A Smoke Bomb is a tactical option for disrupting information and chase flow. It can help obscure a movement decision, create uncertainty near a tile, or make a rescue or rotation harder to read. Its value depends on timing and location; using it in an open area with no follow-up route may provide little protection, while using it at a transition point can force the Killer to guess.
Remote Generator repair
A Void Crystal can be placed on a Generator for remote repair. This lets a Survivor contribute to generator progress without remaining physically at the machine for the entire interaction. Remote repair does not remove the need to protect the objective: the Killer can still patrol, pressure nearby Survivors, or capitalize on a player who leaves an unsafe position.
Use remote repair when the distance or danger of the generator makes a normal repair position unattractive. Before committing a crystal, consider whether another Survivor is already repairing, whether the Killer is approaching, and whether the crystal’s contribution will justify giving up its alternative Smoke Bomb use.
A practical Survivor sequence
- Check the immediate area for a Void Portal, a Void Rift, and signs that a Haunt is nearby.
- Begin ordinary generator or team actions while collecting Void Energy when doing so does not expose the team to unnecessary downtime.
- Choose between Smoke Bomb utility and remote repair based on the next likely danger, rather than treating both options as interchangeable.
- Use portals to change your route only after checking where the linked exit places you and whether the Killer can reasonably intercept it.
- Reassess after each newly opened Rift, because the permanent portal pair changes the routes available to everyone.
Killer event abilities and pressure
Launching Void Haunts
Killers can launch Void Haunts. This gives the Killer an active way to add the roaming hazard to the map rather than merely reacting to Haunts already present. Launching one can support pressure on a generator, complicate a rescue, or make a known rotation less comfortable for a Survivor.
Rank #3
- Wield the Yamato: Take the stylish action to a new level as Vergil, Dante's long-time rival and twin brother. DmC5 players on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC will also be able to access all Vergil content in the playable character: Vergil DLC at a later date
- New Gameplay Modes: Test your skills against the unique challenges of the new legendary dark Knight mode and Turbo mode. Legendary dark Knight mode: fans seeking an added challenge can Pit their skills and style against a crazy amount of enemies in the perilous legendary dark Knight mode
- Ascend the Bloody Palace: Tackle the increasingly difficult floors of the bloody palace challenge mode, originally introduced as free post-launch content for Devil May Cry 5. Only the most skilled demon hunters will make it to the top floor to face the ultimate challenge
- High-Octane Stylized Action: Play as four different characters: Nero, Dante, V, and the newly-added Vergil. Cut a path through the ruins of redgrave city with each character using radically different play styles as they take on the teaming hordes of demons
- Groundbreaking Graphics: Developed with Capcom in-house proprietary RE engine, DMC5SE brings the visual quality to new heights, with graphics that utilize photorealistic character designs, stunning lighting and environmental effects
The ability is most useful when it complements the Killer’s current pressure. Sending a Haunt into an area no Survivor can reach soon may have less impact than using it where a Survivor must choose between continuing an objective and taking a risk. The event does not replace the Killer’s power; it adds another timing tool.
Empowered Breaks
Empowered Breaks let Killers destroy objects faster. The faster interaction can reduce the time needed to remove a pallet, break a breakable wall, or clear another relevant object, depending on the event’s supported interactions. The benefit is tempo: shortening the break animation can preserve chase pressure and return the Killer to patrol more quickly.
Because the ability is event-specific, it should be spent where the faster break changes the next decision. Using it on an object that the Survivor would never revisit may save little, while using it on a central pallet or a route that blocks access to a generator can affect several later chases.
A practical Killer sequence
- Collect Void Energy during normal patrol and chase activity instead of abandoning a strong down or hook opportunity solely to farm the event resource.
- Use a Void Haunt where it can overlap with an objective, rescue route, or likely Survivor rotation.
- Track the currently active portal pairs before beginning a long patrol; a Survivor may take a portal rather than the visible map route.
- Reserve Empowered Breaks for objects that materially shorten a chase or reopen access to an important map area.
- After a Rift opens, update your patrol assumptions because the new pair remains available for the rest of the Trial.
What does not change from a regular Trial
Haunted by Daylight remains built around the ordinary Dead by Daylight match structure. Generators are still the Survivor objective, and the Killer still wins pressure through downing, hooking, and eventually sacrificing Survivors. Survivors still need to coordinate repairs, rescues, and escape-gate timing. The event systems sit alongside those actions.
Your selected Killer power, perks, Survivor perks, items, and ordinary map interactions remain relevant. A portal does not make a chase automatically safe, a Haunt does not replace the Killer’s power, and Void Energy does not remove the need to read the opposing team’s position. Event abilities are advantages and complications layered onto the same fundamental contest.
How 2026 differs from older Haunted by Daylight versions
The former Void Realm and Void Tile
A 2024 guide described an explorable Void Realm with no Generators, but with Hooks, Pallets, Breakable Walls, Lockers, and Chests. It also described the Killer having no Terror Radius in the Void and injured Survivors becoming Exhausted and Broken there. Those rules belong to the older format and should not be used as a description of the 2026 event.
The current 10.2.1 notes explicitly remove access to the previous Void Tile. For the current event, use “event layer in Trials” rather than assuming that a large separate Void space is available. Older videos and walkthroughs can still explain historical rewards or terminology, but their movement and status-effect advice may not apply.
Crafting in the Void is no longer required
Earlier versions required depositing Void Energy into a Void Well to craft a Void Crystal for Survivors or a Captured Haunt for Killers. The current system removes that crafting step. Players unlock event abilities directly after collecting enough energy, so an old instruction to carry energy to a Void crafting location is outdated for the 2026 rules.
Historical reward thresholds are not current guarantees
An earlier 2022 guide described a Halloween cosmetic for depositing 30 Void Energy in one Trial. That threshold is historical evidence of how a past event rewarded play; it is not a promise that the 2026 event uses the same amount or reward.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchRank #4
Rewards, Tomes, and event dates
Official event coverage describes Event Tome challenges, Halloween cosmetics, and time-limited login rewards as part of Haunted by Daylight. These opportunities are the main progression reason to enter the event queue when you would otherwise play a regular Trial.
The published 2025 event guide listed Bloodpoints, Iridescent Shards, and Dark Trinkets among daily rewards for an October 14–November 4, 2025 event period. Those dates identify the 2025 schedule only. They do not establish the availability window, reward amounts, or login calendar for 2026.
Earlier events also awarded cosmetics for depositing Void Energy and completing matches, in addition to Tome outfits and charms. Check the in-game event page for the active year’s exact challenges, claim requirements, and expiration time. A reward can be time-limited even when the normal Trial system remains available.
Which queue should you play?
Choose Haunted by Daylight when
- You want event Tome progress, seasonal cosmetics, or login rewards that are unavailable in a plain Trial.
- You enjoy adapting to changing routes and are comfortable tracking portal pairs.
- You want extra tactical options such as Smoke Bombs, remote repair, Void Haunts, or Empowered Breaks.
- You are willing to spend attention on Void Energy decisions while still completing the normal objective.
Choose a regular Trial when
- You want to practice a Killer power, Survivor loop, or perk interaction without seasonal objects affecting routes.
- You prefer predictable map movement and do not want a second resource system.
- You are testing a build and need results that are easier to compare across ordinary matches.
- You simply want the standard Trial framework after completing the event rewards that matter to you.
Use both queues during an event
There is no evidence that one mode universally produces better win rates, queue times, or Bloodpoint efficiency. A sensible schedule is to use Haunted by Daylight for event challenges and abilities, then switch to regular Trials when you want unaffected practice. Treat the queues as different environments for different goals, not as a permanently superior and inferior mode.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Common misconceptions and troubleshooting
“I should be able to enter the old Void Realm.”
Not in the 2026 format described by patch 10.2.1. The previous Void Tile is no longer accessible; event gameplay occurs through portals, Haunts, Rifts, and abilities embedded in the ordinary Trial.
“I need to carry Void Energy to craft an ability.”
The current notes say crafting in the Void is no longer required. Collect the required energy and use the event ability when it becomes available under the active rules.
“Portals replace generators or hooks.”
They do not. Portals alter movement. The normal generator, chase, hook, escape, and sacrifice framework remains the context for the match.
“A Haunt is just another Killer power.”
Void Haunts are event tools available to the Killer, but they are also part of the event’s roaming-hazard system. Their presence adds pressure beyond the Killer’s selected power and can affect Survivors through Hindered effects.
Recommended Free Tools
“2025 reward dates apply to 2026.”
They do not. October 14–November 4 is the documented 2025 window. Use the in-game 2026 event notice for the current schedule and reward list.
Bottom line for players deciding where to queue
Haunted by Daylight changes the texture of a normal Trial rather than replacing it. The 2026 version adds permanent-as-opened portal pairs, roaming Void Haunts, Void Energy, Survivor Void Crystals, Killer Haunts, and faster Empowered Breaks. Regular Trials omit those seasonal systems and provide the cleaner baseline for ordinary practice. Queue for the event when its rewards and tactical layer are worth the added complexity; queue normally when consistency is the priority.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
