TL;DR: No, The Pig is not leaving Dead by Daylight in 2026. The panic started when Lionsgate and Bloober Team announced Saw: Genesis on June 5, 2026, and a chunk of the community immediately slotted Amanda Young into the same removal pattern that took out Pinhead (April 4, 2025) and Michael Myers (January 19, 2026). The pattern is wrong. Saw: Genesis does not include Amanda, Blumhouse just bought 50% of Saw, Behaviour is co-producing the DBD movie with the same Blumhouse + Atomic Monster + Lionsgate trio, and BHVR shipped the Blighted Pig cosmetic in October 2024. The Pig is one of the safest licensed killers in the game. Below: the full breakdown, with US-facing patch timing notes, EU server behavior, and the exact license terms that did kill Pinhead and Myers.
Where the rumor comes from
The trigger is real: on June 5, 2026, at Summer Game Fest in Los Angeles, Lionsgate and Bloober Team officially unveiled Saw: Genesis, a 3v1 asymmetrical multiplayer horror game. Closed Alpha sign-ups opened the same day. PC Early Access is slated for Q4 2026. As soon as it dropped, the DBD community did the math they always do: Pinhead left, Myers left, therefore The Pig leaves next.
That math is the wrong math. Saw: Genesis is set in the aftermath of World War I, a full century before the Saw films. The player character is a "Judge," the philosophical precursor to Jigsaw. Amanda Young is not in Saw: Genesis. There is no narrative overlap that would force Behaviour Interactive to remove The Pig from Dead by Daylight. None. The new game is a side story, not a remake.
The community connection to the Pinhead and Myers exits is the bigger problem. Here is the actual reason those two killers left the store:
- Pinhead / The Cenobite (Hellraiser chapter) was delisted on April 4, 2025. BHVR's contract had been signed with Park Avenue Entertainment, the predecessor rights holder. In December 2021, Clive Barker reclaimed the Hellraiser rights, which meant the contract was with an entity that no longer held the IP. It could not be auto-renewed; a new deal with Barker would have been required. Multiple reports say Barker chose not to renew.
- Michael Myers / The Shape (Halloween chapter) was delisted on January 19, 2026. Compass International Pictures, the Halloween rights holder, chose not to renew the DBD license. This lined up with a standalone Halloween game from Gun Media launching in 2026, but the actual driver was the rights holder consolidating its brand.
Neither of those drivers exists in the Saw / Pig case. The actual cause of every licensed DBD removal so far has been a rights holder contract change, not a "new game in the franchise." Leatherface stayed in DBD after the Texas Chainsaw Massacre game launched in 2023. Ash Williams is still in DBD after multiple Evil Dead games. The new-game-in-the-franchise trigger that the panic discourse relies on is fiction.
Pig vs Pinhead vs Michael Myers: license situation at a glance
| Killer | Franchise | Delisted | Reason | July 2026 status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Pig (Amanda Young) | Saw | No | Rights holders actively engaged with BHVR; same companies co-producing the DBD movie | Purchasable; Blighted Pig cosmetic shipped October 2024 |
| Pinhead (The Cenobite) | Hellraiser | April 4, 2025 | Rights reverted to Clive Barker (Dec 2021); BHVR contract with prior holder voided; no renewal | Owned players keep; delisted for new buyers |
| Michael Myers (The Shape) | Halloween | January 19, 2026 | Compass International Pictures chose not to renew; standalone Halloween game consolidating brand | Owned players keep; delisted for new buyers |
| Leatherface | Texas Chainsaw | No | Texas Chainsaw game (2023) released; rights holder maintained DBD license | Purchasable |
Why The Pig is safe: the BHVR + Blumhouse + Lionsgate triangle
Three companies now share a working relationship with Behaviour Interactive that did not exist when Pinhead or Myers left. Each one of them has a commercial incentive to keep Amanda Young in Dead by Daylight.
1. The DBD movie is being made by the same people who own Saw
This is the strongest single piece of evidence. Behaviour Interactive, Blumhouse (Jason Blum), and James Wan's Atomic Monster officially announced a Dead by Daylight feature film back in March 2023. At the 10th Anniversary Broadcast on June 14, 2026, Blumhouse confirmed Icelandic filmmaker Thordur Palsson (The Damned, The Valhalla Murders) as director, with scripts by Alexandre Aja and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Filming starts in 2027.
Jason Blum's exact words on the partnership:
"We're really partnering 100 percent, or 50-50, whatever you want to call it, with Behaviour so that we make a movie that is for the fans."
That is not a studio that is about to ask BHVR to remove one of its most marketable licensed killers from the live game. The DBD movie is the exact opposite signal from the Pinhead and Myers exits: it is deepening the relationship, not severing it.
2. Blumhouse now co-owns the Saw franchise
In June 2025, Blumhouse Productions finalized a deal to acquire Twisted Pictures' 50% stake in the Saw franchise. Lionsgate kept its 50%. James Wan and Leigh Whannell are back in the fold as creative consultants. The franchise is now under the same parent structure as the DBD movie.
This matters because The Pig can only be removed if the rights holders collectively decide to pull the license. Under the old structure (Twisted Pictures + Lionsgate + BHVR), that conversation required two separate companies plus the studio. Under the new structure (Blumhouse + Lionsgate + BHVR), the same companies that are currently deepening their collaboration across the movie and the new game are the ones that would have to choose to sever the DBD licensing deal.
There is no commercial reason for them to do that. The Blighted Pig cosmetic (October 2024) is one of the most-engaged-with Hallowed Blight releases on record. The Pig is one of the most recognizable killers in the game. Pulling her would lose everyone money.
3. Saw: Genesis does not need The Pig removed
Saw: Genesis is built around Judges, an in-universe precursor to Jigsaw from a century before the films. The player-as-Judge dynamic is its own thing. Amanda Young is a Jigsaw apprentice from the modern-day Saw timeline. She has nothing to do with Saw: Genesis. The two properties can coexist entirely without BHVR needing to clear The Pig out of DBD.
Compare this to Michael Myers: Compass International Pictures consolidated its brand around the standalone Halloween: The Game and pulled Myers out of DBD to avoid brand dilution. There is no equivalent brand-consolidation story in Saw. Saw: Genesis is being made by a different studio (Bloober Team + Broken Mirror Games + Anshar Studios) on a completely different timeline.
4. BHVR is actively investing in The Pig
Companies do not spend development budget on characters they are about to remove. Behaviour shipped a Blighted Pig cosmetic in the Hallowed Blight Collection on October 8, 2024, during the Haunted by Daylight Halloween event. The Pig was featured prominently in the 2024 and 2025 anniversary artwork. There is an active Pig Masquerade cosmetic line. The Tome 10: SAW memory set (Vain Ambition) is still accessible through the Archives. There is a Youtooz Amanda Young vinyl figure in the merchandise store.
Pulling The Pig would mean BHVR has to write off all of that investment. There is no signal that they are willing to do that, and every signal that they are not.
The actual license-expiration triggers, in plain English
For US and EU players wondering what to actually watch for in future DBD license news, here is the framework. Behaviour Interactive's licensed killers have a finite contract window, and the contract has to be re-signed for the killer to remain in the store. The actual removal triggers are:
- The rights holder changes hands. This is what killed Pinhead. Clive Barker took back the Hellraiser rights from Park Avenue, and BHVR's contract was with Park Avenue. The contract could not be transferred. A new contract was needed. It was not signed.
- The rights holder chooses not to renew. This is what killed Michael Myers. Compass International Pictures, the Halloween rights holder, decided to consolidate the brand around its own game (Halloween: The Game from Gun Media). BHVR was not offered a renewal.
- The license term expires and the rights holder is unresponsive or actively declines. This is what would happen to any killer whose rights holder simply stops answering emails.
None of those three triggers applies to The Pig. Lionsgate (50%) and Blumhouse (50%, via the 2025 acquisition of Twisted Pictures' share) are both actively engaged with Behaviour Interactive. They are co-producing the DBD movie. They have a Saw: Genesis deal with Bloober Team that has no narrative overlap with The Pig's DBD presence. They have no commercial reason to refuse a renewal.
If you are a US player watching for signals: the patch dropped on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 11:00 AM Eastern. The Hallowed Blight Collection (which features the Blighted Pig) is still in the in-game store for players who missed it the first time. If you are an EU player on the Frankfurt or Paris shards: the Saw DLC, The Pig, David Tapp, and the Gideon Meat Plant map are all available in the store. Nothing has been announced as delisting.
What this means for US and EU Pig players going into patch 10.0.1
If you already own The Pig, nothing changes. The DLC stays in your account forever, and the Blighted Pig cosmetic is part of your wardrobe. If you have been on the fence about buying The Pig, this is the moment to buy. She is one of the best-value killers in the game right now, and there is no signal that her window is closing.
For US and EU perk combo players, The Pig's perk kit has been quietly buffed in recent patches:
- Hangman's Trick - reading survivor auras near hooks. Pairs well with Anti-Pallet Chaser builds that lock down the map around a hook.
- Surveillance - regression detection. Solid pairing with The Meta Squeeze slowdown stacks if you want a defensive regression build.
- Make Your Choice - injured survivor healing punish. Best on killers with strong chase kits that can capitalize on the unhook scenario.
If you main Pig, the new 10.0.1 indoor map re-enables (Badham Preschool, Grim Pantry, Pale Rose, covered in our 10.0.1 patch post) are a buff to your ambush playstyle. Smaller, indoor-heavy maps with tight corners are exactly where The Pig's crouch-and-ambush kit shines.
FAQ
Is The Pig being removed from Dead by Daylight in 2026?
No. As of July 4, 2026, Behaviour Interactive has not announced any delisting of The Pig, the Saw chapter, or the Gideon Meat Plant map. The chapter is still purchasable in the in-game store on every platform (Steam, Epic, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch) for US and EU players.
Why are people saying The Pig is leaving?
The rumor started after Lionsgate and Bloober Team announced Saw: Genesis on June 5, 2026. The community connected it to the Pinhead removal (April 4, 2025) and Michael Myers removal (January 19, 2026). The connection is wrong because Pinhead and Myers left due to rights holder contract changes, not because of new games in the franchise.
What does Blumhouse buying Saw mean for The Pig?
It makes her safer, not less safe. Blumhouse now controls 50% of the Saw franchise (June 2025). Blumhouse is also co-producing the DBD movie with Atomic Monster and Behaviour Interactive. The same parent companies now have a direct interest in keeping The Pig in DBD as part of a larger cross-media Saw + DBD partnership.
Does Saw: Genesis replace Amanda Young?
No. Saw: Genesis is set 100 years before the Saw films. Amanda Young is a modern-day Jigsaw apprentice. She does not appear in the new game. There is no narrative reason to remove her from DBD.
Could The Pig still be removed later?
Anything is possible in a license-expiration scenario, but the current signal is the opposite: BHVR is shipping new Pig cosmetics, the rights holders are deepening their BHVR partnership, and the licensed-killer removal pattern that killed Pinhead and Myers is structurally absent here. The Pig is one of the safest licensed killers in the current roster.
Should I buy The Pig now?
If you have been considering it, yes. There is no announced delisting window, and the chapter goes on sale regularly during the Saw Celebration Sale (typically around the anniversary event and Halloween). If you want to play her immediately, buy direct. If you want to wait for a 50% discount, the next likely sale is Halloween 2026.
The bottom line
The Pig is not leaving Dead by Daylight. The Saw: Genesis announcement is not a removal trigger. The Blumhouse-Lionsgate-Saw deal structure is the opposite of what it was when Pinhead and Myers left. The DBD movie is a deepening of the partnership, not a fracture. BHVR is actively investing in The Pig's content pipeline. If you want to read the deepest takes on what could change, follow the live patch notes at forums.bhvr.com and the official news at deadbydaylight.com/news. Nothing there, as of July 4, 2026, signals a Pig delisting.
For more on what is shipping in patch 10.0.1, see our map re-enable post, our DBD movie post, and our killer tier list for The Pig's current placement.
Sources
- Behaviour Interactive official news, "Halloween Is Leaving Dead by Daylight" - deadbydaylight.com/news/halloween-leaving-dead-by-daylight
- Behaviour Interactive official news, "Dead by Daylight Movie" - deadbydaylight.com/news/dead-by-daylight-movie
- Behaviour Interactive official news, "Saw Celebration Sale Begins" - deadbydaylight.com/news/saw-celebration-sale
- The Pig official character page - deadbydaylight.com/game/characters/the-pig
- Bloober Team and Lionsgate press release, "Saw: Genesis" - gamedeveloper.com, June 5, 2026
- Wikipedia, Saw: Genesis - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saw:_Genesis
- Reuters, "Bloober Team announces new horror games for Saw, Star Trek franchises" - reuters.com, June 8, 2026
- Deadline, "Blumhouse Closes Deal For 'Saw' Rights; Lionsgate Still Retains 50% Interest" - deadline.com, June 18, 2025
- Hollywood Reporter, "Blumhouse Buys Saw Stake from Twisted Pictures" - hollywoodreporter.com, June 2025
- Variety, "'Dead by Daylight' Movie Names Thordur Palsson as Director" - variety.com, June 14, 2026
- Gizmodo, "'Dead by Daylight' Movie Taps Rising Horror Filmmaker as Director" - gizmodo.com, June 2026
- CBR, "Blumhouse's Next Horror Video Game Adaptation Is Finally Moving Forward" - cbr.com, June 2026
- IndieWire, "Blumhouse and Atomic Monster Merger Is Complete" - indiewire.com
- TheGamer, "What's Happening To Pinhead In Dead By Daylight?" - thegamer.com
- PC Gamer, "'He came. And now he must go,' and that's why Pinhead is leaving Dead by Daylight" - pcgamer.com
- Eurogamer, "Leatherface won't be leaving Dead by Daylight" - eurogamer.net
- SlashFilm, "Why Saw 11 Was Canceled And The Franchise Rights Were Sold" - slashfilm.com
- Fangoria, "Here's Why SAW 11 Fell Apart (And What Could Happen Next)" - fangoria.com
- IGN, "Dead by Daylight x SAW Crossover Revealed" - ign.com, January 2022
- Dead by Daylight Fandom Wiki, "Amanda Young — The Pig" - deadbydaylight.fandom.com
- Dead by Daylight Fandom Wiki, "SAW Collection" - deadbydaylight.fandom.com
- Dead by Daylight Fandom Wiki, "Hallowed Blight Collection" - deadbydaylight.fandom.com
- Reddit r/deadbydaylight, "Saws future in dbd" - reddit.com
- Reddit r/deadbydaylight, "Will Pig eventually be removed from the store cause of Saw Genesis" - reddit.com
- Vortex Gaming, 2026 DBD Predictions - vortexgaming.io