Fans of the Dead by Daylight game or Supermassive Games’ previous works are likely keeping close tabs on The Casting of Frank Stone. This title is one of the first new gameplay experiences to be released and is tied to the Dead by Daylight IP. However, rather than being developed by the creators of Dead by Daylight, this game is coming from the talented folks at Supermassive Games.
Supermassive Games is probably a name you’re familiar with by now. However, if by chance you don’t recall this team, then you’re undoubtedly familiar with their previous works. This team has a solid track record for delivering some thrilling horror gameplay experiences, and we expect the same trend to continue with this game. Some of their previous works include hits like Until Dawn, the various games under The Dark Pictures Anthology series, and The Quarry. So, they set quite a high bar for their next title release.
Get ready to step back into the 1980s in The Casting of Frank Stone. Here in this title, you’ll follow a young group of filmmakers trying to make a big breakout horror movie. Using a notoriously violent location of Cedar Hills that once was haunted by the infamous Frank Stone, you’ll find our group of filmmakers bitten off more than they could chew. Now, it’s a rush to keep your characters alive by any means necessary.
Recently, we had the chance to interview the Creative Director Steve Goss and Executive Producer Traci Tufte about their upcoming horror game.
Gameranx: When did the collaboration between Behaviour Interactive and Supermassive Games kick off?
Steve Goss: We started talking just over two years ago. And as soon as we did we knew there was a real connection between us, and the idea of exploring a single player Dead by Daylight game immediately struck us as an exciting and interesting project to collaborate on.
At Supermassive Games we love to hook our games and their stories into real world horror mythology, legends and stories, and the thought of exploring and exposing such a lore rich world was a perfect fit for our type of dark storytelling and game making – so we seized the opportunity to work together with both hands!
Gameranx: Were there specific story beats that Behaviour Interactive approached Supermassive Games with to help connect The Casting of Frank Stone to Dead by Daylight?
Steve Goss: We both share a love of horror stories in all their forms, and as we started to explore what the game might be, what story we might tell, it became so clear we shared a huge amount of the same inspirations and passions!
Jumping into the world of Dead by Daylight has been a fun process, and so many of the themes and lore we discovered resonated really strongly with us – it became a natural fit creatively as we started to craft a story that digs into the secrets of Dead by Daylight.
Gameranx: What inspirations did you tap into for the development of the story?
Steve Goss: We draw inspiration from across the universe of horror, dark fantasy and twisted mythologies – there is no one inspiration we lean on. For The Casting of Frank Stone, we dove deep into the lore of Dead by Daylight and pulled up threads of the lore to support an all new story in that twisted universe. And sure there are horror themes and tropes we love and we leant on them for this story, the small town vibe, the group of kids about to stumble into a terrifying world just behind the curtain of the sane world we live in and the mind shattering cosmic horror they uncover…
We crafted a story we wanted to tell, themes and characters we wanted to explore – all built upon the deep and fascinating world we uncovered – drawing our approach and Behaviour’s creation together felt natural – a seamless melding together.
Gameranx: Will the gameplay experience be similar to past Supermassive Games titles, or should players expect something a bit different with the game being connected to Dead by Daylight?
Traci Tufte: We hope that it will feel a little familiar to fans of Supermassive Games, and also different and unique at the same time.
We have woven elements of our approach with mechanics and themes immediately familiar to a Dead by Daylight player. This combination gives The Casting of Frank Stone its own identity.
Gameranx: I understand this is an original story set within Dead by Daylight. So ideally, players who might have played Dead by Daylight will still be able to enjoy The Casting of Frank Stone?
Steve Goss: In the game our story explores many facets and elements of the Dead by Daylight lore, and yet is a stand-alone story, with authentic characters and a gripping narrative – we have held those two values throughout development.
It is important that anyone can enjoy The Casting of Frank Stone, not just those steeped in Dead by Daylight or those who play Supermassive Games.
Our goal was to combine our diverse approaches to create something together and that be a rich experience. And also be a gateway to the world of Dead by Daylight – perhaps you don’t play online multiplayer games – this game is another route into this rich universe.
So, if you’re not already a Dead by Daylight fan you are going to enjoy this game.
And if you love Dead by Daylight this will take you deeper into that world and the Entity’s Realm…
Gameranx: Fans have been pointing at different Dead by Daylight references in trailers. Can we expect references or cameos throughout the game, or are you hoping fans will keep an eye out for Easter Eggs?
Traci Tufte: The Casting of Frank Stone is a Dead by Daylight game – it occurs in that universe, so it is filled with connections to many of the core facets of it. There are many things to discover that link to and pay homage to the wider lore, to the characters, themes and creatures of that universe.
There are many surprises for players, and they resonate whether you are a Dead by Daylight fan or not. But if you are, then there is plenty of interesting stuff to discover.
Gameranx: With Dead by Daylight allowing players to play villainous characters, can we expect something similar with The Casting of Frank Stone, or are we strictly playing as survivors?
Traci Tufte: You will have to play the game to find that out!
Gameranx: Is this the start of potentially more Dead by Daylight projects from Supermassive Games?
Steve Goss: Right now we are focusing on The Casting of Frank Stone, but the door is open to future collaborations with Behaviour Interactive.
Gameranx: Can you update us on where we are in the development process?
Traci Tufte: We are hard at work and aiming to deliver the game in 2024.
Gameranx: We had recently had a new trailer drop for The Casting of Frank Stone, but when can fans expect to see this game again?
Steve Goss: You’ll have to stay tuned for that!
If you missed the recent behind-the-scenes video showcased this past weekend for The Casting of Frank Stone, then we have that embedded right above. This video highlights more of the upcoming game and the team behind the project. Unfortunately, we’re still left without a specific release date. Currently, The Casting of Frank Stone is slated to launch this year, and when it does, you’ll find it available for the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S platforms.
