Given all of the delays that have plagued the long-tortured Dead Island 2, it would seem hardly a surprise that when the game finally receives a solid release date, that it would again be delayed further. Once a February 3, 2023 release, it was today announced on the official Dead Island 2 website, that the game would indeed be sliding back its release date, 12 weeks in fact, to an April 28, 2023 release date.
The post on the website reads,
We have some important news, so we will rip that band aid off straight away. We are delaying Dead Island 2. But not by very much! The new release date is already decided as April 28th 2023, which is just 12 short weeks after our original planned release date.
It’s not what we wanted to do. We wanted to do it right – announce the game in style, put a release date on it, launch on time and celebrate a job well done. We waited until we were SURE of our release date before we announced Dead Island 2. So the irony isn’t lost on us.
We’re on the final straight now; we’re going to take the time we need to make sure we can launch the game we’re proud to launch. For those of you who’ve been waiting for years – we’re sorry to make you wait a little longer.
You can see our exciting new trailers and gameplay which is absolutely 100% going to happen on December 6th at the Dead Island 2 showcase. You will be able to watch the showcase on our Twitch channel; our YouTube channel and here on our website.
The original February release date was previously announced at GamesCom Opening Night Live in August, and several rounds of previews had been run with media and influencer groups, leading many to think that the release date was quite secure. Obviously, this news serves as an indication that despite the overly positive response to the preview builds that have been made available, the game clearly needed some more time to sure up some of the game’s rougher edges, to ensure that it is ready for its new release date. The December 6, 2022 showcase will be the opportunity for Plaion, Deep Silver, and developer Dambuster.
Dead Island 2 is now scheduled for launch on April 28, 2023 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.