Techland would like another stab at making a Dead Island game

Things don't look promising for Dead Island 2. Publisher Deep Silver last month announced that it had dropped Yager Development as the studio responsible for the project, leaving the sequel in limbo. Meanwhile, the series' founders Techland managed to develop a much stronger version of the concept in Dying Light.

"I personally would love to go back to Dead Island because I really love that game," he said. "I don't know if there is a developer [attached to Dead Island 2] at all."

Smektala thinks there's enough room for Dead Island and Dying Light to co-exist. "As I said, I love Dead Island and I think there is a place for both franchises to strive in the market. As long as someone would be able to find something that would make them different, that would draw a clear line, 'Okay, here's Dead Island, here's Dying Light', and I think that's doable, then why not?"

According to Yager, the studio's split with Deep Silver was due to conflicting visions for the game. "The team worked with enthusiasm to take Dead Island 2 to a new level of quality," a spokesperson said. "However, YAGER and Deep Silver's respective visions of the project fell out of alignment, which led to the decision that has been made."

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.