The original Dead Island game was trapped in development hell before finally launching in 2011. The original Dead Island had somewhat mixed reviews at the time of its release, but it still managed to earn a cult following of dedicated players who enjoyed its co-op zombie slaying and open world exploration. Now Dead Island 2 has suffered a similar fate, with the game first announced all the way back in 2014 with still no firm release date.
Dead Island 2 does not have a specific release date, and it's unclear exactly when one might come. Dead Island 2 development has been restarted more than once, with multiple developers working on the game at various points in time. However, a new rumor suggests that Dead Island 2 is finally on track and fans of the franchise could very well get their hands on it earlier than expected.
The latest official word on the Dead Island 2 release date is that it could release by March 2023, but the latest rumor claims it may come as early as September or October of this year. This information comes from Colin Moriarty of the Sacred Symbols podcast. Moriarty's sources believe that Dead Island 2 could launch this year following a fresh reveal. So while most aren't expecting to see Dead Island 2 until 2023 at the earliest, it seems there's a chance it could actually come out within the next six months.
Fans haven't seen anything substantial on Dead Island 2 since its initial reveal trailer in 2014. The Dead Island 2 reveal trailer showcased a tonal shift from the grim, serious vibe that the original game was going for, with the sequel leaning more into comedy. Since Dead Island 2 has changed developers multiple times and fans haven't seen a trailer in years, it's hard to say if it will still have this brighter, more lighthearted tone or if it will be something different.
It's unclear when exactly fans will get to see Dead Island 2 again, but there should be plenty of opportunities for the game to pop up again this summer. While E3 2022 is canceled, Summer Game Fest will be back this year, and it will include a kickoff show featuring game trailers and reveals. It's entirely possible that Dead Island 2 could be one of the featured games, though nothing to that effect has actually been announced at the time of this writing, so fans should keep their expectations in check.
Dead Island 2 is in development.
Source: ComicBook