Is 'Dead By Daylight's New Killer 'The Unknown' Transphobic? The Zoey Alexandria Controversy Explained

Behaviour Interactive just released the newest update for their massively popular survival horror video game Dead by Daylight, but some members of the trans community aren't happy with its new killer, The Unknown. Among those unhappy is the character's own voice actor, Zoey Alexandria, a trans voice actor who has expressed concerns over the character's appearance. Here's what you need to know.

Who Is 'Zoey Alexandria' And 'The Unknown' From 'Dead By Daylight?'

On March 12th, 2024, the "All Things Wicked" update was released for Dead by Daylight, an online survival horror game that has several human players attempt to survive against one "killer" player. There are several killers available to choose from, many of which resemble terrifying monsters. This is the case for the newest killer, The Unknown, voiced by trans actress Zoey Alexandria.

In its lore, The Unknown is described as a genderless shapeshifter that can "adapt its appearance as needed." Ultimately, it's a mysterious creature that's often depicted in the game as a twisted humanoid with a voice that fluctuates between masculine and feminine. It also has several costumes, some of which are more masculine and some more feminine, including one that depicts the creature in a pink cheerleader's outfit.

Why Are People Calling 'The Unknown' Transphobic?

In the days following the update's release, some members of the trans community and web users in general voiced concerns over The Unknown's model in relation to the fact that it's voiced by a trans voice actor. Some called The Unknown a "stereotype" and an offensive depiction of trans people.

Among those people were the voice actor, Zoey Alexandria, who made a lengthy post calling out the character model. According to Alexandria, she didn't know what the character would look like when voicing it, only seeing the model after the fact. She wrote that she would have never voiced it had she known, claims she received transphobic harassment after the character's release and wrote that she wants "reparations" from Behaviour Interactive over the incident.

Alexandria later clarified her statement through an additional X post, writing that some people "misunderstood" her original post and urging people not to call Behaviour or its employees transphobic. She writes that "Behavior is allegedly aware of the mass transphobic remarks and memes being made, and the gaming community is not a reflection of the game developers."

She writes that she is upset because of the "lack of communication" between the company and herself regarding the appearance of The Unknown. She continues, writing, "It’s wrong to take bits of info and jump to your own conclusions. Behavior is a good company, and has been nothing but kind and supporting through this tough process of receiving mass harassment for my involvement in the character."

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For the full history of the Zoey Alexandria "The Unknown" Transphobia Controversy, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.