The Casting of Frank Stoneis an upcoming collaborative project between Supermassive Games and Behaviour Interactive. It’s poised to be a single-player entry set in the expandedworld ofDead by Daylight, all set for a 2024 release.The upcomingDead by Daylightspinoff has been described as “a gruesome mystery where every decision matters, shaping the story and its outcome.” AlthoughDirective 8020was earlier expected to be the first installment ofThe Dark Pictures AnthologySeason 2 and therefore Supermassive’s next project, the release window in the recent trailer forThe Casting of Frank Stoneindicates that it might be coming first.
Its story revolves around the main antagonist, Frank, a psychopathic serial killer who lives in Cedar Hills. A group of friends visit the Oregon steel mill where they end up falling into Frank Stone’s domain. The interactive storytelling format of thisDead by Daylightspinoff, where player choices significantly affect the storyline and outcomes, is similar to that of games inThe Dark PicturesAnthologySeason 1, as one would expect from a Supermassive project. However, this story is very different from the anticipated direction forTDPASeason 2, which is expected to explore a new space-focused narrative, owing to the post-credits scene at the end ofThe Devil in Me.
The Shift in Release Schedule for The Dark Pictures Anthology Season 2
The last game inThe Dark Pictures AnthologySeason 1,The Devil in Me, gave its community a lot to interpret about the first upcoming game ofThe Dark Pictures AnthologySeason 2 (Directive 8020) through its post-credit scene. ThisDark PicturesSeason 2 premiere was expected to be available to play for the community by 2024. However, sinceDirective 8020neither has an official release date nor a trailer yet, it’s safe to assume thatThe Casting of Frank Stone, which has released two trailers — a first-look reveal and a gameplay trailer — and is listed for 2024 release, might be coming first. By extension, it’s possible thatDirective 8020might be taking a backseat for a bit. The exact reasons for the release rearrangement from the studios' end, however, are not yet clear.
How The Devil in Me Teased Directive 8020 As the First Game of The Dark Pictures Anthology Season 2
The Devil in Me’s teaserunveiled a somewhat disturbing scenario during its post-credit scene. It showed a damaged space shuttle in deep space in front of a weird-looking planet named Tau Ceti F. To add to the spookiness of it all, there was audio playing in the background talking about someone’s current situation and being humanist as the last hope.
This is followed by the flabbergasted voice of a man who is being killed by a woman named Sims. The post-credit scene ends by broadcasting and confirming the upcoming game of theDark Pictures AnthologySeason 2’s first game,Directive 8020.There was no mention ofThe Casting of Frank Stone,which is why Supermassive Games choosing to release the latter first is ultimately a surprise, as it was a previously unannounced game in a completely different franchise.
Directive 8020 is an actual directive used by NASA, regarding “Biological Contamination control for outbound and inbound planetary spacecraft.”
Does The Casting of Frank Stone Set the Tone for The Dark Pictures Anthology Season 2?
The extended wait forDirective 8020has sparked curiosity among the community, but it’s too early to say anything about why things unfolded the way they did. While it’s unclear if this shift was planned or an improvisation, the new trailers suggest thatThe Casting of Frank Stonewill maintain the same suspense and horror elements that the community enjoyed inTDPASeason 1.
Whether there will be a post-credit scene or an Easter egg linkingThe Casting of Frank StonetoDirective 8020remains to be seen, although it’s unlikely, since they don’t share a universe. Until then, the community has another narrative-focused game to look forward to regardless. In the meantime, the gap in releases could mean thatTDPASeason 2 will have a mix of more fleshed-out narratives, since Supermassive is providing something of a stopgap ahead ofTPDA’s return withgames likeThe Casting of Frank Stone.
The Studio’s Tradition of Post-Credit Scenes Could Come With a Surprise
Games in theDark PicturesSeason 1 have long followed a tradition of post-credit scenes or significant incidents that hint at future installments. For instance, the first game in the series,Man of Medan’spost-credit scenehints at the next game in the anthology,Little Hope. In the scene, players witness a mysterious figure who appears to be analyzing the events ofMan of Medan, and that’s exactly what sets the stage for the overarching narrative thread that ties the anthology together.
The Casting of Frank Stonecould follow a similar pattern but twist things on its head, instead using any post-credit sequences or mechanical changes to hint at howTDPASeason 2 might differ from the first season. Supermassive has already said that the game will differ from its usual fare in some big ways, so howThe Casting of Frank Stonehandles its story structure might say a lot aboutTPDA’s future.
Dead by Daylight
WHERE TO PLAY
Ever wished to play as one of the characters from your favorite horror movies? Dead by Daylight is a 1v4 multiplayer game that draws from all corners of the horror world from a powerful slasher to a terrifying paranormal entity.Choose between playing an unstoppable Killer and one of 4 Survivors trying to evade a gruesome death. Each character has their own deep progression system and plenty of unlockables that can be customized to fit your personal strategy. Work together to escape, or stalk and sacrifice every Survivor.This Edition of Dead by Daylight gives you access to a roster of 7 Killers (The Trapper, The Hillbilly, The Wraith, The Nurse, The Hag, The Huntress and The Doctor) and 9 Survivors (Meg Thomas, Claudette Morel, Jake Park, Dwight Fairfield, Ace Visconti, Nea Karlsson, Bill Overbeck, Feng Min and David King). It also includes two cosmetic add-ons packed with outfits for various characters.
