Dead Island 2, one of the last great citizens of development hell, finally has a firm release date. The major surprise was announced during Gamescom 2022 Opening Night Live, with publisher Deep Silver confirming that the game will finally arrive on 3 February 2023 for PC and consoles.
While this was lightly spoiled ahead of the showcase – an online retail listing spoiled preorder details and the description for the game – it was still a major shock to see Dead Island 2 pop up after several years in development. The game was officially announced in 2014 as a sequel to 2011’s Dead Island, but went through several years of challenges, and multiple development studios.
It was originally in the works at Yager (Spec Ops: The Line) but then transitioned to Sumo Digital, before finally being taken over by Deep Silver’s own Dambuster in 2019. This process led many to believe the game would never come out, but it appears Deep Silver is finally ready to unleash the zombie hordes.
In this gory adventure, you’ll be tasked with beating back infected zombies, surviving with a small band of immune humans, and winning back the entire city of Los Angeles through bloody and desperate fights. You’ll have a range of weapons at your disposal to complete your mission, including a deadly katana, glass bottles, and a shotgun.
According to new gameplay previews, Dead Island 2 includes brutal melee combat filled with plenty of guts and gore, as well as the ability to literally tear zombies apart with your hands. It certainly won’t be for the faint of heart, but for everyone else – it’s nearly time to get cracking (skulls).
Read: Lollipop Chainsaw remake set to launch in 2023
You can check out the trailer for the newly-dated game below:
And here’s the official game description, per its leaked Amazon listing:
Los Angeles is in quarantine and the military have retreated. Only you, and the handful of others who happen to be resistant to the pathogen, holds the future of the city (and humanity), in the balance.
Dead Island 2 is stylish, vibrant and flooded with zombie infection. Explore iconic, gore-drenched Los Angeles. Meet larger-than-life characters. Slay countless foes in exquisitely bloody detail. And evolve to become the ultimate Zombie Slayer!
Dead Island 2 will officially launch for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PC via the Epic Games Store on 3 February 2023.
For more Gamescom 2022 news, visit our roundup of all the big game announcements and news from Gamescom 2022.
