Dead Island 2 gets a surprise release on Xbox Game Pass

Dead Island 2 has received a surprise release on Xbox Game Pass.

The title is now available for Game Pass on console, but not on PC.

First announced in 2014, the zombie action RPG suffered a series of delays and changes of developer during a turbulent production cycle.

Dambuster, an internal Deep Silver studio, took over development in 2019 and the game was finally released last April for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store.

Dead Island 2 exceeded expectations at launch, selling one million copies in three days and two million in its first month, making it Deep Silver’s “biggest launch in history in both units and revenue”, according to parent company Embracer Group.

Dead Island 2 will be released on Steam on April 22, Deep Silver confirmed last week.

VGC’s 4/5 Dead Island 2 review said “a slightly bland campaign is eclipsed by brilliantly entertaining, gory combat.”

Deep Silver released the first of two Dead Island 2 story expansions last November, with another, SOLA Festival, scheduled to launch in the second quarter of 2024. Both are included in the game’s $29.99 / £24.99 Expansion Pass.