Dead Island 2 has been in development for an incredibly long time, it was first revealed in 2014. Since then, it has undergone many changes and even jumped between different studios that were being worked on. Fortunately, it looks like it will actually launch this year. Anyway, there is hope.
From what we’ve seen, Dead Island 2 is exactly what you’d expect as a sequel to the really really fun Dead Island and its DLC. This time you are not on an island at all, and instead you will be making your way through LA after the infection. There are six playable characters, hundreds of weapons, and even some zombie powers that you can use against the undead littering the streets.
Now that we’ve finally seen what Dead Island 2 will look like at launch, here’s what you need to know about the upcoming zombie game. This includes trailers, a look at gameplay, and all the latest news and rumors.
Dead Island 2: get to the point
- What is this? The long-delayed sequel to Dead Island
- When can I play it? April 28, 2023
- What can I play it on? PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Dead Island 2 trailers
For a very long time, the only Dead Island 2 trailer we had was the original trailer from 2014. It was a tasty thing, showing a rapidly decomposing runner running along Venice Beach in Los Angeles.
While it didn’t really reveal anything about the game, it set the stage for what we could expect from Dead Island 2’s tone.
Fast forward eight years, and now we have three new trailers for the Zombies open-world survival game. The new video, in the spirit of the original, giving a tasty for this apocalyptic version of LA, can be viewed below.
Although after waiting eight years between theatrical trailers, it’s understandable that fans might want to see Dead Island 2 in action. Fortunately, developer Dambuster Studios was happy to cooperate and released a gameplay trailer showing just how brutal this long-awaited sequel is going to be.
The showcase aired on December 6, 2022 and will provide us with a few minutes of brand new gameplay footage. It was more of the same, but showed off some new weapons that could be used to beat up the undead. In addition, zombie abilities are shown that allow the player to use his infection to drive himself into a kind of madness. You can watch it below.
Dead Island 2 release date and platforms
Dambuster Studios has once again delayed the release of Dead Island 2. It will be released on April 28, 2023. This is a 12-week delay from the previous release date. In the Twitter post you can see below, the team states that this is now the final release date. We’ll see.
Fans will be waiting with bated breath. Dead Island 2’s development has changed hands twice since the sequel was originally announced eight years ago, leaving gamers disillusioned with the past. It was first developed at Yager, the same studio that created Spec Ops: The Line, and was originally scheduled for release in 2015. But it never materialized.
In 2016, it was announced that development had gone to Sumo Digital. Three years later, the game changed studios again, and Dambuster announced that it had taken over development of the game. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this time I’ll be able to cross the finish line.
In terms of platforms, Dead Island 2 will arrive on next-gen and old-gen consoles, with PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC confirmed.
The delay is only 12 short weeks and the development is now on the final stretch. Dead Island 2’s new release date is April 28, 2023. #DeadIsland #SeeYouInHELLA pic.twitter.com/Vf1NARTECoNovember 17, 2022
Dead Island 2 gameplay and plot
Game
Now that Dead Island 2 has received what appears to be a definitive release date, we’re starting to see more and more gameplay. A few minutes of new gameplay footage was shown in a recent demo. Melee combat was emphasized, featuring hammers, blades, and DIY-modified equipment. There are also pistols in the game, and so far we’ve seen pistols, shotguns, and assault rifles/submachine guns.
One of the interesting mechanics that was shown in gameplay trailers is the insanity skill. It comes from a zombie bite on your character’s arm and allows them to enter a state where they become zombies for a while. It looks like a useful tool that allows you to wade through hordes of zombies with ease.
In an interview with Computer playercreative director James Worrall revealed that while the game lacks a branching narrative, the six-player characters offer different perspectives.
“Each player character has their own voice and their own dialogue,” he said. “So you can get one character who is particularly motivated, energetic or optimistic. You can get another character who is a little more of a cynical person. Some characters are quite low, subtle. We wrote these characters to reflect broad playstyles. “
As for the zombies, there will also be variety, with Dambuster confirming that there will be “dozens of different types of zombies, each with their own mutations, attacks, and hundreds of LA-themed variants.”
In the game preview IGN touched on the game’s “FLESH” or “Fully Locational Evisceration System for Humanoids” which “procedurally destroys zombies on every hit” and makes the game a truly bloody experience. We saw it ourselves in the trailer.
Regarding the combat, IGN said the game “encourages constant movement, with dodging, kicking, and jumping all integral parts” and while there is a stamina system, it’s not overly restrictive, allowing you to “experiment with a variety of different techniques.”
Plot
Dead Island 2’s story is still a bit of a mystery, although it sounds like you’re playing as a survivor of a deadly virus that has devastated Los Angeles. By teaming up with other survivors, you’ll try to “uncover the truth behind the outbreak” by “taming the zombies within.”
As part of this tie-in, Dead Island 2 will support single-player gameplay, but there will also be a co-op mode for up to three players. However, we still have a lot to learn about how co-op will work.
Playable characters
Six playable characters will be available at launch. We’ve seen four of them so far. There’s Amy, a Paralympian, Dani, who’s a mosh-pit-loving rock star, Jacob, an English stuntman, and finally Ryan, an exotic dancer from Fresno.
Dead Island 2 news and rumors
Dead Island 2 presentation shown in December
Along with the news of the delay, a Dead Island 2 gameplay reveal was revealed. It took place on December 6, 2022. You can watch it via the links in the tweet below.
Can’t wait to show you more on December 6: – our Twitch channel: our YouTube channel: our website: https://t.co/Erh4Juv3fJNovember 17, 2022
Dead Island 2 consulted the diversity board for a more “representative” LA
During a recent interview with Dead Island 2 developer Dambuster Studios, art director Adam Olsson said Discharge (opens in a new tab) he explained how they handled his version of Los Angeles. While there are more comical exaggerations, such as Muscle Beach Hell-A with zombie bodybuilders, Olsson confirmed that the decisions were made after discussions with Dambuster’s diversity board.
“It was a really interesting exercise that tried to break down what makes something LA and what stands out as a truly unique LA experience. “We’ve been very careful to take anything that might seem like a painful stereotype, and that’s why we have a diversity board in the studio to help us understand if we’ve gone too far,” explains Olsson.
“The board has been working closely with us to make sure we’re setting the right tone as we want to make sure we bring Dead Island 2 into the 21st century. We want to be contemporary and we want to be representative.”
Alexa Game Control integration
Dead Island 2 will include an interesting feature: Alexa Game Control. Announced at Gamescom 2022, Alexa Game Control will give PC and console players the ability to use voice commands to perform various in-game actions. You don’t need an Amazon Echo device or an Amazon Prime account to use it. In fact, you don’t have to say “Alexa” either. All you need is “any mic or headset” connected to your PC or console, and a standard Amazon account linked to the game.
According to an Amazon blog post (opens in a new tab), thanks to Alexa Game Control, you’ll be able to say things like “where is the nearest workbench” and “swap for my best weapon” while playing, to do things like find the nearest workbench and, um, swap for your best weapon . The post even mentions the ability to “manipulate hordes of zombies” simply by saying “hey zombies.”
Dead Island 2 will be the first game to support this feature Frequently asked questions (opens in a new tab) reveals that it will be available in English in North America on PC and Xbox at launch, with more regions, languages, and possibly even platforms coming soon.
Dambuster Studios takes over development
In 2019, production of Dead Island 2 was transferred from Sumo Digital to Dambuster Studios. No further details were given at the time, but it indicated that a sequel was at least still in the works.