A former communications lead for Deep Silver, the publisher of Dead Island 2, has discussed the game's "eight-year delay," which followed early playtests that delivered "disastrous feedback."
As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Martin Wein—now with GameFlex Consultants—shared candid insights during a Develop:Brighton talk about the sequel's difficult development. He explained that at a major milestone review with the original developer, Yager, it became clear the game in its current state "was simply not working."
Dead Island 2 was first announced at E3 2014 but soon went quiet after Yager and Deep Silver parted ways due to "creative differences." Development subsequently shifted to Sumo Digital before moving once more in 2019 to Dambuster Studios, where the game was finalized. A new trailer and gameplay footage debuted on December 6, 2022, during a dedicated showcase, though the release was pushed back another 12 weeks to April 2023. This marked the first substantial look at the game since its re-reveal in August 2022, following years of development turmoil.
"I worked closely with the creative team on that trailer, and we were incredibly proud of it," Wein recalled. "But just a few weeks later, we held a major milestone review with the development studio in charge at the time. And honestly, the game was in a terrible state."
"It lacked the magic that made the original Dead Island so much fun. We organized a playtest, and the feedback we received was brutal. We sat down with the development team and asked, 'What’s the plan?' Their response was, 'Just give us some time.'"
However, by the next review, Wein noted that little had improved. Playtesters continued to report that the sequel felt "uninspired, unengaging, and unlike the Dead Island experience they remembered."
"Ultimately, we had no choice but to move the project away from that external studio and find a new partner. That decision set the game on a new path—one that lasted much longer than anticipated. It was originally slated for a 2015 launch. When did it finally come out? 2023."
"Sometimes you have to make tough calls," Wein added. "We could have released a mediocre game. It might have turned a profit, but it would have damaged the franchise irreparably."
"I wasn't directly involved in the talks between the production team and the developer, but it became clear that the developer was committed to their own vision rather than incorporating player feedback. In the end, the only solution was to part ways."
When Dead Island 2 finally launched in 2023, IGN's review scored it a 7/10, noting: "Dead Island 2 offers a hugely entertaining gore-filled romp and solid zombie-slaying action, though it falls short in innovation outside of its sharp comedic tone."
