This past July, Deep Silver announced they were ending their professional relationship with Yager, the development team still working on a nearly-finished Dead Island 2. The news shocked everyone. "Having a project cancelled in such a late state is a catastrophic event on so many different levels," Yager Managing Director Timo Ullmann told GamesIndustry International. "It really is the worst possible outcome. Everybody involved loses."
The removal resulted in lost jobs and sunk financial costs, but Yager remains optimistic. "I really don't blame them, and we wish them all the best," said Ullman. "It's tough, and not being given the chance to finish Dead Island 2, that… that hurts, you know? Right after the announcement a part of the team was a bit shell-shocked, of course, but you have to motivate yourself to keep going. Cancellation of projects, especially if the stakes are so high, is not unheard of. It hurt us, yes, but it happens."
Deep Silver has yet to announce who will take over development. This past summer, after delays, they simply stated that they have "always been dedicated to delivering the sequel that Dead Island fans deserve" and "will continue working towards bringing our version of Dead Island to life."
Dead Island 2 was announced at E3 2014 for PS4 and will also come to Xbox One and PC. Deep Silver plans to release the game in 2016.