Eventually, every survivor in Dead by Daylight gets a key and asks themselves “what is a black lock?”. To be blunt, the Black Lock in Dead by Daylight is just another term for the hatch. Some call it the trap-door, but mostly it is referred to as the hatch.
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Why is the hatch called a black lock? Well, it was originally named that in-game and eventually, the devs did a three-sixty and called it the hatch but never changed certain items and addons that called it a black lock.
We will be exploring everything about the hatch in this DBD hatch guide, so hold on to your butt.
How to Unlock/Open the Black Lock/Hatch
To open the hatch or unlock the black lock, the hatch must be spawned in the game (check the next section on how to spawn the hatch). Afterward, you will need to use the key on the black lock/hatch.
What do Keys do in Dead by Daylight?
Keys are used to unlock the Hatch/Black lock in Dead by Daylight. With certain add-ons, they can be used to see various auras including that of the killer.
There are three kinds of keys in Dead by Daylight. Here are all of them:
What are the uses of the skeleton key and the dull key? It can open the hatch/black lock.
What does the broken key do in Dead by Daylight? Nothing without add-ons.
When does the Hatch Spawn?
The hatch spawns at the very beginning of the game, although it is invisible. For it to become visible it needs to meet certain requirements.
(Old)Spawn Hatch Requirements
The Hatch will become visible whenever the number of fully repaired Generators exceeds the number of living Survivors by 1:
- 4 Survivors remaining: 5 repaired Generators / Exit Gates are powered
- 3 Survivors remaining: 4 repaired Generators / 1 Generator left
- 2 Survivors remaining: 3 repaired Generators / 2 Generators left
- 1 Survivor remaining: Spawns and opens regardless of how many generators remain.
This doesn’t mean you can use the hatch when it spawns. Only that it will be visible. Once it is open, it will make a very noticeable sound that both the killer and survivor can hear.
New Spawn Hatch Requirements
The hatch will only be open when there is ONE survivor left alive on the map. Whether this means the others escaped or were killed does not matter.
This was a change that made keys (somewhat) useless. Mainly due to the fact that when the hatch spawns, it is always open, so you don’t need a key to escape. The only way that a hatch is closed is if the killer closes it.
With this change, keys and hatch escapes are much more RNG. This benefits the killer tremendously, but survivors are at a disadvantage.
Hatch Sound
Here is the sound that the hatch makes.
Where does the Hatch Spawn?
The hatch in Dead by Daylight will spawn randomly across the map. There are no set locations for it to spawn, however, it will never spawn in certain areas like on the second story of a two-story house.
So if you are looking for all the hatch locations in the game you will be disappointed to know, they are completely random.
How Many Survivors can use a Hatch?
There is no limit to how many survivors may use the hatch. If you have a key, you can open the hatch for your teammates, and they can all leave without having to have a key themselves.
That being said, if the killer closes the hatch, they will need a key to re-unlock it.
Can the Hatch be Closed?
The hatch/black lock can be closed by the killer. Once he closes the hatch, the end-game collapse will begin, and your teammates will have to open the exit gates or re-open the closed hatch to escape.
Can you Open a Closed Hatch?
Yes, you can open a closed hatch with a key, regardless of how often it has been closed or used.
What are Dark Locks?
There are no dark locks in Dead by Daylight, only black ones.
Tracking/Finding Black Locks
If you are trying to find black locks/hatch with the map, you should know that you will not find it unless the hatch has spawned. Check the section above to see the requirements for the hatch to spawn in the game.
That is all there is to black locks in Dead by Daylight. If you have any questions about how black locks work, make sure to comment below.
Maybe check out our killer tier list while you’re at it.
