Why so few killers for 2v8

I don't get why it's so slow. killer content directly correlates to survivor enjoyment. I cannot stand facing the same crappy killers I already dislike like Wraith and Huntress. Wake me up when I can start looping a springtrap or one of the vecnas

I mean, we're getting to the point where the remaining Killers to add are either likely to be loudly complained about like Clown, Skull Merchant, Ghoul and Legion (again) or they put stuff on the map that will require a lot of work and adjustments. As you say, some of those Killers are licensed too, so there are negotiations that need to take place with the rights holders and maybe certain Killers like Freddy can't be reworked to fit the mode at all (like with Lights Out). Even relatively popular Killers like Pig could be badly received when there will be another Killer present to harass Survivors interacting with the Jigsaw boxes.

BHVR tend to make an event out of 2V8, so they probably look to add Killers that can be added together to maximise interest and revenue. I think the next iteration is very likely to see The Henry and Demo be added with a Stranger Things themed 2V8. Not sure that free characters like The Unknown or Dredge would be prioritised when they can make more money by adding licensed IP instead.

why would it have anything to do with licensing? If a killer is already playable in the main game then there's nothing about the licensing agreements that say anything like "oh but you can only use this character for regular 1v4 but not a model that doubles the amount of killers and survivors." Doesn't make any sense.

That logic is also already flawed by the fact we can use every single licensed survivor in 2v8, so why would it be any different for killers ulle?

Well, I imagine if there is a Predator chapter in the works then Disney will probably want the Xeno and Predator to be added to 2V8 at the same time to maximise their potential profits. Same logic applies to the two Stranger Things Killers. Then there might be a reason an IP holder wouldn't want their character in 2V8 because it wouldn't be a good fit or might "dilute the brand" in their eyes. I think that kind of thinking could keep Myers out of 2V8, since he's known to be a character who's more of a lone wolf that stalks his prey alone. We might think that Myers in DBD wouldn't take away sales from his upcoming game but he was likely removed anyway for similar reasons.

Chucky and Ghostie on the other hand might be easier to add because they have established partners in lore (I know DBD's Ghostie is his own thing and unrelated to the films, but you get what I mean). None of this stuff matters at all to us but it is the way IP holders think sometimes.

I bet video game companies are a lot more relaxed and easier to work with than companies from other types of media because they understand the culture better and collaborations tend to be a lot more common. This is probably why the Capcom and Konami Killers were among the first to be added.

The survivor licensing would already have included statements about allowing them to work together with characters from other franchises and original dbd characters, you can't include them in the game without that happening.

Killer licensing wouldn't have needed such a clause and without one you can't have them work together. Myers license holders, as an example, may not want him to appear alongside other killers and may especially not like them cooperating with another killer. Terms like that would likely already be in place for newer killers unless the license holder refused to allow the killer to be added with such terms.

Aside from having to adjust every Killer's power to make them viable for 2 v 8, you have to also take into account that these Killers need a functioning bot in case of a disconnect. That bot has to be able to properly use power and navigate every available map. I can imagine that this too takes up a chunk of resources, so you can't just copypaste Clown for example into that mode.

BHVR also have a really good relationship with Konami, hence why we could have Castlevania-themed Lights Out, a Konami-celebration 2V8, and a lot more licenced skins than we usually get. They have a good relationship with Capcom, too, evidenced by the multiple chapters, the Rese-themed 2V8, and the skins. We can take a safe guess they don't have a great relationship with ANOES, since Freddy and Quentin have been given dust since their release (and we know from Demo's removal, Pinhead's removal, and now Myers' removal, that anything which impacts the power of the killer, including add-ons, is BHVR's to change unilaterally, while anything affecting their appearance requires licenced sign-off). It's entirely possible Konami said yes, absolutely we're fine with that, same with Capcom, especially as they've already got multiple character in DBD, and these agreements could have been negotiated when they were in talks for establishing the 2nd chapter from them (Castlevania and Project W respectfully). I could see something very similar happening with Xeno if they ever negotiate a 2nd Disney chapter.

We know they've got a good relationship with the SAW franchise, too, so I'd be shocked if Pig doesn't make an appearance at some point, and I don't know about Onryo's but they had a good relationship when Sadako Rising first released. I could see her making an appearance, and same with Bubba since TCSM shut down, though I could also see them being on much shakier ground. Tokyo Ghoul I believe has been received roughly by the licence holders and so we're unlikely to see much content for that licence going forwards, too.

So while this is all speculation from things we've just sort of picked up over the years, it doesn't seem too far fetched to suggest it's entirely about licensing. After all, DBD was pitched as a 1v4 game, so maybe their "standard" licencing agreements specified it would be 1 killer against 4 survivors, and adding them to 2V8 would technically breach this term and leave them open to a legal challenge, so even if there's nothing explicitly against it they'd err on the side of caution. We just don't know for sure.

See above, it's the most likely explanation. Chekhov's gun and all that

They are able to go to each license holder and discuss changes to the licensing agreement. It's a lot harder if the relationship with the license holder is shaky (or the license holder just doesn't care). Certain license holders may simply not want their character appearing alongside another killer for whatever reason. This can't apply to a survivor character who must appear alongside others in order to be included in the game, license holders that won't budge on this are either getting a killer only chapter or won't be added at all. Same goes if they are not OK with the killer attacking characters from other frachises, they just won't get added at all.