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The anonymous mode feature requires immediate attention and action.
I initially believed that the anonymous mode feature was introduced to support live streamers.
However, this feature is available to all users equally. Unfortunately, it is widely exploited by users engaging in illegal activities or toxic behavior. While many legitimate players also use this feature, it comes with a significant drawback.
The main issue lies in the in-game block function. When anonymous mode was first introduced, the block feature worked as intended. However, it is now impossible to block users who are in anonymous mode. From what I’ve heard, the block list is limited to 20 users, and once that limit is reached, no additional blocks can be made. This means that players engaging in toxic behavior—regardless of whether they are using illegal programs—cannot be identified or blocked, which is highly problematic.
To be honest, after observing this feature over time, I fail to understand why it was developed in the first place.
Some players argue that anonymous mode allows them to enjoy the game more comfortably by protecting their privacy, but it is clear that many users abuse it. Additionally, when players are reported in-game, there is no transparency about whether any action was taken against them or what the outcome of the report was.
This game has been running for eight years now, but it’s disappointing to see such fundamental issues remain unresolved. I sincerely hope this matter is addressed.
As someone who loves this game and has been playing since its early days, I believe that if there are no plans to take action regarding the anonymous mode, the unreasonable restriction of limiting the block list to just 20 players must be removed.
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The purpose of blocking someone using anonymous mode isn’t necessarily to report them but to avoid interacting with them or to recognize their profile for personal reference. However, it’s absurd that this feature prioritizes protecting their anonymity as if they are the victims, rather than allowing players like me to avoid them.
Of course, I’m not saying everything they do is inherently wrong. It’s just that what they aim for and what I aim for in the game may be different, and I simply want to avoid them. Yet, I’m unable to do even that. If I encounter a toxic player using anonymous mode, am I supposed to record a video, submit an in-game report, and then just wait indefinitely for action to be taken? Even then, what they’ve done might not be considered severe enough to warrant punishment by the game.
The block feature is supposed to be just that—a means to block someone. It’s not about punishing them but about creating a better experience for individual players. Not having the ability to block anonymous users undermines the purpose of this feature entirely.
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First and foremost, I respect players who choose to use anonymous mode. However, solely prioritizing "anonymity" has inevitably caused harm to others for years since this feature was introduced. The number of players using this feature continues to grow, and nowadays, it’s rare to find a game without both survivors and killers using anonymous mode.
Some players feel comfortable giving up on the game because their anonymity ensures no one can identify them. Others exploit this feature to repeatedly target and harass specific players without fear of being recognized. Meanwhile, those on the receiving end are left with no choice but to record videos, submit reports with detailed explanations to customer support, and then wait indefinitely—often without even receiving confirmation on whether action was taken—all while continuing to endure the same behavior.
This imbalance has persisted for far too long, and it’s clear that this system is being exploited at the expense of fair gameplay for others.
The core of this discussion is not about demanding the complete removal of anonymous mode. Instead, I believe there are a significant number of players who have expressed dissatisfaction with this feature since its introduction. Therefore, it would be greatly appreciated if a compromise could be reached and appropriate adjustments made to address these concerns.
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Meanwhile, those on the receiving end are left with no choice but to record videos, submit reports with detailed explanations to customer support, and then wait indefinitely—often without even receiving confirmation on whether action was taken—all while continuing to endure the same behavior.
You have always had to do this, even before anonymous mode. BHVR has always required a support ticket supplying video evidence, and I think in-game reporting was always required as well. People have complained since forever about the video evidence, but BHVR doesn't record matches on their end. BHVR used to provide no confirmation whatsoever about action being taken; nowadays, players do get a notification in-game if a player they marked has action taken against them for any reason, so at least there's that. It's more than the absolute nothing we used to get.
it would be greatly appreciated if a compromise could be reached and appropriate adjustments made to address these concerns.
What kind of compromise?
Anonymous mode is greatly appreciated by a lot of players. They can use anonymous mode so they don't have to make their Steam profile private to avoid harassment. PlayStation players can use anonymous mode so they don't get targeted (because they cannot change their names) and don't have to turn PMs off to avoid harassment. Back in the day, I'd get nasty messages because I didn't try to save someone with them in the basement and NOED up and they'd ruin my matches every time they saw my username after that.
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I wasn't aware of this 20 player limit existing that's news to me. The argument against having block lists in the first place is it being open to abuse, should people block because they are just better than them, play a killer they dislike, run builds they object to, etc. Things separate from "toxic" gameplay. This can then be problematic especially with SWF groups, as that could potentially mess with matchmaking as well.
Also their Anonymous Mode certainly is not equally available to all players, as those on Xbox cannot even use it for DBD.
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Removing Anon Mode wouldn't remove cheaters nor does anon mode make it harder to report them.
This is just looking for something to blame.
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I don’t understand why PlayStation, consoles, and PC are often grouped together in discussions.
PlayStation is PlayStation, consoles are consoles, and PC is PC. Whether PlayStation counts as a console is something I’m unsure of, but it’s been said that console players can’t view the profiles of PC players. However, the same is true for PC players—they can’t view console players’ profiles either.
If players can’t view each other’s profiles, there’s no way to know their Steam IDs. This makes the in-game block feature even more important. If anonymous mode is going to be used, the block feature must function properly—but it doesn’t.
While many have praised anonymous mode, that praise comes primarily from those who use it. What about the perspective of players who don’t use it? Personally, I dislike anonymous mode, and one of the main reasons is that the in-game block feature doesn’t work seamlessly. Even if I can’t see someone’s real nickname or unique ID, the block feature should still allow me to avoid interacting with them. If the block feature worked properly, I could block players who negatively affect my experience and move on.
It’s also hard to understand why anonymous mode receives such positive feedback when it’s clear that many players abuse it. Some quit games easily without consequences, inconveniencing others, while others use it to engage in toxic behavior repeatedly.
This discussion isn’t about bashing anonymous mode entirely but about the need to improve it. Some may argue, “Why don’t you just use anonymous mode too?” But if everyone used anonymous mode and the game became chaotic and unmanageable, wouldn’t that turn it into something akin to a random flash game rather than a proper one?
The core point is that anonymous mode requires meaningful improvements, not just blanket praise or criticism. The balance and fairness of the game depend on addressing these issues.
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I am also a Korean player and currently get matched with players from the Japan region.
When I searched the forums for discussions about anonymous mode, I noticed there are many posts on this topic. But among all those posts, are there really a lot of comments praising anonymous mode?
As a Korean player, I’m using translation tools to communicate with everyone here. While I don’t personally know the author, I came across a post written by another Korean player, and I found their thoughts align closely with mine.
This isn’t about demanding that anonymous mode be removed entirely or that players should be fully identifiable. Rather, it’s about hoping for improvements, and I believe this is something BHVR should take seriously.
https://forums.bhvr.com/dead-by-daylight/discussion/392630
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Currently, matchmaking works differently than before. Now, players are matched with others from their own country as well as neighboring countries. Since players from different regions have varying playtimes, it’s actually quite rare to encounter the same players repeatedly in the same trial.
Therefore, the concern that someone might block you or remember your ID to deliberately not save you is highly unlikely to happen.
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Additionally, I believe that if someone uses anonymous mode, they should also see other players' profiles and names as if those players are using anonymous mode as well.
It doesn’t seem fair for someone to hide behind anonymity while still being able to view others' nicknames and profiles.
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The answer I got from the famously smart ChatGPT.
Here are some reasons why this might be problematic:
- Asymmetry of Anonymity: While anonymity mode protects a player’s identity, it simultaneously allows them to view others’ information. This creates an asymmetrical situation where one side is shielded, but the other is exposed, raising questions about fairness.
- Erosion of Trust in the Game: Games are generally more enjoyable and fair when all players interact under equal conditions. Allowing anonymous players to view others’ information while remaining hidden could be perceived as unjust by the community.
- Potential for Misuse: Anonymity can be misused for toxic behavior or harassment. If anonymous players engage in misconduct, it becomes challenging to trace or penalize them, which could harm the overall community environment.
This system could benefit from a clearer explanation of the purpose and rationale behind anonymity mode from the developers, as well as feedback from the community.
Suggestions for Improvement:
- Restrict the ability to view others' profiles when using anonymity mode to eliminate asymmetry.
- Allow profile viewing only in specific circumstances (e.g., for reporting purposes).
- Introduce a separate queue for anonymous players, preventing them from being matched with regular players.
Since this issue touches on fairness in gameplay, it’s worth sharing feedback with the developers or discussing it within the community to bring more attention to the matter.
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Anonymous mode is good, because otherwise people do crap like this:
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Some quit games easily without consequences, inconveniencing others, while others use it to engage in toxic behavior repeatedly
There was not an increase in this behavior with anonymous mode, at least not in my region. People disconnected a ridiculous amount back when I started playing in 2018. Most players I see today are not using anonymous mode, but I still see just as many quitters and griefers; most are not using anonymous mode.
In my personal experience, the cheaters in my region almost never use anonymous mode. Thay all flaunt it. Many of their names point to social media accounts where they advertise cheating.
PlayStation is PlayStation, consoles are consoles, and PC is PC. Whether PlayStation counts as a console is something I’m unsure of, but it’s been said that console players can’t view the profiles of PC players. However, the same is true for PC players—they can’t view console players’ profiles either.
Huh? PlayStation is a console, of course. You can't see profiles of players not on the same platform. I'm pretty sure Steam players can't see profiles of Microsoft Store and Epic players. It's not PC vs console, it's platform-specific.
Xbox does not have anonymous mode. Switch has it but does not need it, Switch doesn't have chat and I can change my name between every trial should I choose to do so.
it’s actually quite rare to encounter the same players repeatedly in the same trial.
That's region dependent. I encounter the same players repeatedly.
While I don’t personally know the author, I came across a post written by another Korean player, and I found their thoughts align closely with mine.
I read that post. They ask for a way to avoid anonymous players. That would be akin to BHVR admitting anonymous mode is bad.
We can't even get BHVR to give us a console-only cross-play option so we don't get slammed by mouse and keyboard users with actual framerates, not to mention a lot of us choose console to avoid cheaters, but we get the worst of both worlds now because if you turn off cross-play altogether you don't get matches.
I believe that if someone uses anonymous mode, they should also see other players' profiles and names as if those players are using anonymous mode as well.
I'd prefer if all player names and profiles were permanently hidden for everyone. No player needs that information.
I'd rather see a personal (but still with the username hidden) profile players can view after the match which is specifically tied to DbD and gives info like time played, achievements, how many hatchet hits and Nurse blinks and gens repaired and zombies whipped, that kind of stuff.
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I believe that players using anonymity mode should also have anonymity applied to the other players (survivors and killers) in the match. For instance, survivors’ names should appear as their character names, and the killer’s name should be hidden, with no access to their profiles. This way, even if someone using anonymity mode causes distress to others, they won’t be able to share the victims’ usernames or profiles with others. Likewise, they won’t have the opportunity to take an interest in others’ usernames or profiles either.
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I don’t use profile viewing or blocking to simply block someone, but rather as a way to prevent future encounters with players who engage in intentional trolling, even if they aren’t using anonymity mode. In my region, the majority of players are on the PC platform, so it’s possible to block or take action against other PC players to avoid them in the future. However, when it comes to players on other platforms or PC players using anonymity mode, there’s absolutely no way to address the issue, and that’s my biggest frustration.
Honestly, it’s ridiculous that we even have to debate this topic. Perfect balance doesn’t exist in any aspect of life, and it definitely doesn’t exist in this game either, which has long been criticized for its balance issues on both sides. However, I wish the developers would pay more attention to these additional aspects outside of balance concerns.
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I may not actively participate in the community, but I’m sure there are plenty of people who are dissatisfied. In fact, there’s a lot of criticism about the anonymity mode in Korean player forums, and even streamers who play the game have voiced their frustrations. Of course, there are people who are satisfied with it as well. That said, I’m familiar with the community channels, and as a long-time player of this game, I think this is just me finally letting out the frustrations I’ve been holding in for a long time. 😂
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I'd like to see smart matchmaking handle this. If BHVR could create a better system that recognizes certain player behaviors, those players could be grouped together and kept out of the lobbies of the rest of us who just want to play a normal match. If a player does something once, it's not an issue. But if, for example, a player chronically kills themselves on their first hook, then that player is grouped with other survivors who do that, and they can go against killers who repeatedly slug everyone to death for no reason.
it’s possible to block or take action against other PC players to avoid them in the future
You mean by checking the player's info to see if you've blocked them? Because I'm pretty sure the game won't prevent you from being put into lobbies with players you've blocked. BHVR won't implement that because it always gets abused by people who want easy matches, and then it makes queue times worse for everyone. I've never blocked anyone because checking profiles manually seems like such a pain.
If people who chronically quit and troll others were separated from the rest of us, blocking players wouldn't really be needed (other than if you find someone to be rude in chat). And I think that's better than blocking, because at least you don't have to manually check every player in the lobby to see if you blocked them and if so then dodge the lobby.
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Indeed. It would be great if many things could improve in various ways.
After the sacrifice phase ends, I check the killer's perks and add-ons without saying anything special in the chat and go straight back to the lobby.
In my region, there surely are people who use chat for personal attacks, but I rarely see it myself.
It seems that other regions experience this kind of behavior quite frequently. It's quite unfortunate for them.0 -
I believe you're taking the position of just what a PC player sees and has for DBD. Who's on what platform does vary greatly by region (and even by MMR to a lesser extent) just as playstyles do.
However the devs have to take the entire playerbase into consideration, and by far most players are on one of the various consoles and not on a PC. This means the average DBD player cannot look around at profiles, has no chat box to use, and in the case of Xbox cannot even use their Anonymous Mode anyway.
Personally I believe no one should be able to sift through profiles at all for this game, and not being able to would greatly improve the matchmaking overall, just as not showing Prestiges did after testing.
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