The Dead Island 2 release date has suffered at the hands of many setbacks, from jumping between developers, to being hit with delays, and finally to being the subject of circulating launch rumours that didn’t seem to come to fruition, until now.
Dambuster Studios has taken over the development of the long-awaited sequel to one of the best zombie games ever, and in August 2022, Gamescom Opening Night Live was treated to Dead Island 2’s world premiere with two epic trailers and an official release date. With more gameplay details now available, including just how Alexa Game Control will work, we’re here to slash, punch, and burst through everything you need to know about the “ultimate zombie slaying experience” coming to PC and consoles this year. With voice control, gorgeous graphics, and a brutal gore system, we think Dead Island 2 will be well worth wait – and surely one of the best PC games of 2023.
Dead Island 2 release date
The Dead Island 2 release date is April 28, 2023, and it’s available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. This won’t sound like shocking news considering everything Dead Island 2 has been through, but the game has been delayed from the initial release date of February 3, 2023 as announced at Gamescom.
We’ve been introduced to three player characters so far: Jacob, Amy, and, most recently, Ryan. You can play as any of these sexy zombie-slaying machines when the Dead Island 2 release date arrives, but we’re not sure there aren’t more to come – with Dambuster having hinted at at least one more: Dani.
Amy is a paralypic runner, so you know you’ll have speed on your side with her. The chillest person you could hope to meet in HELL-A, Amy is always cool under pressure – just as well in a city full of undead.
Effortlessly cool, charming, and sexy, Jacob is Dead Island’s “antihero with rockstar flair.” Originally from London, Jacob moved to Hollywood to become a stunt man, so while his dream may no longer become a reality, at least his disregard for his own safety should come in handy.
You’d think, as a fire fighter, Ryan would have a multitude of skills and weapons at his disposal. That costume might actually be tear-away though, as this hunk of muscle is an exotic dancer, and definitely has some moves to show off when it comes to fighting off hordes of zombies – he’s probably had some practise fighting off hordes of screaming women, after all.
Dead Island 2 trailers
Dead Island 2 is set in a colourful Los Angeles devastated by an outbreak of the undead. The first Dead Island game itself can’t exactly be considered dull, with the fictional island of Banoi’s crystal-blue seas and bright-green palm trees giving a unique aesthetic over other dark, dingy survival horror games. HELL-A takes this up a notch though, and we’ll take pleasure in taking in the sun-kissed scenery as much as squishing zombie skulls.
The main gameplay aspect fans have been revelling in from various gameplay teasers is Dead Island 2’s advanced gore system that has players melting down zombies’ skin, punching clean through their skulls, or simply squishing them to a pulp. Deep Silver is also keen to add that this time around, players can look forward to “the most advanced dismemberment system in games.” So, maybe wait to play it until after your food has gone down. In an interview with PCGamesN, creative director James Worrall talked about the focus on the zombie bloodshed: “We’re going to lean heavily into the gore, but that isn’t just for shock purposes. That’s because every hit means something, every weapon choice. We focused on the whole game being designed on that up-close-and-personal gameplay.”
Alexa Game Control debut
Announced at Gamescom alongside Dead Island 2, Alexa Game Control is a new voice-activated gameplay system that will debut with the zombie slasher. We now have a bit more of an idea about how this mechanic works, and it’s set to streamline your FPS experience. Free up your fingers to do more of the hard work by using your voice to swap weapons, and even heckle zombies to grab their attention. While we’re actually pretty excited about this immersive new experience, Alexa Game Control is only going to be available in North America on launch, with no information yet as to when it rolls out to the rest of the world.
Zombie games offer the perfect environment for teaming up with friends, and while the original had online-only co-op with up to four players, it seems Dead Island 2 is dropping that number down to three.
