Dead Island 2 is a first-person action-RPG set in a glorious sun and blood-drenched setting – a hellish, yet stylish and vibrant, gore-ridden version of Los Angeles, nicknamed HELL-A. The series’ unique formula, dark humor, and over the top zombie-slaying returns, with all the swagger and charisma you’d expect from the Dead Island series.

A deadly virus is spreading across Los Angeles, turning its inhabitants into ravenous zombies. The city is under quarantine and the military have retreated. Bitten, infected, but more than just immune, you learn to harness the tainted zombie powers running through your veins. Only you, and the handful of other swaggering assholes who happen to be resistant to the pathogen, hold the future of Los Angeles (and humanity), in the balance. You were born for this.

As you uncover the truth behind the outbreak you’ll also discover just who – or what – you are. Survive, evolve, save the world – just another day in HELL-A.

Publisher Deep Silver and developer Dambuster Studios announced the first wave of DLC for Dead Island 2, with a number of free and paid for additions to the game’s zombie-infested world, along with a quality of life patch that improves an already bloody brilliant game.

Giving a hint of what’s to come gameplay-wise, two expansions will feature brand new missions, weapons and skills, and areas to explore, with its first titled Haus. How does a billionaire prepare for the zompocalypse? With a techno-death cult and a healthy splash of debauchery and gore. Haus is slated for a Q4 2023 release.

The second expansion will welcome players to the "SOLA" festival, where LA's party people can greenwash their way to ecstasy and save the planet in true LA fashion, one rave at a time. SOLA Festival will launch in Q2 2024. Haus and SOLA Festival are included in Dead Island 2’s Expansion Pass and will also be available to purchase separately.

Starting with today's update, players will be able to access the new Cosplay feature. This feature is unlocked during the "Call The Cavalry" quest, after which players can select cosplay via the main menu or by visiting any storage locker in the game. Cosplay houses a brand-new collection of character skins to customize slayers:

• Premium Character Packs: These include a unique skin for the slayer named in the pack and a weapon that can be used by any of the slayers, from the HELL-A Catwalk Collection. There is a total of six character packs, all available to purchase from digital stores today:
• Character Packs 1 (Silver Star Jacob) and Pack 2 (Cyber Slayer Amy) are included for owners of the Deluxe, Gold, and HELL-A Editions of Dead Island 2.
• Four further character packs – Gaelic Queen Dani (included for owners of the Expansion Pass), Jungle Fantasy Ryan, Steel Horse Carla, and Venice Vogue Bruno – are also available to further enhance your Slayer’s stylish look.
• “Til Dawn” Collection: Features a brand-new skin for each of the six slayers, free for all players. These will automatically appear in the cosplay section after the latest update has been downloaded and players have reached the unlock point for Cosplay.

Additionally, players will be able to get "From Dusk" Collection skins through Prime Gaming Rewards (for Amazon Prime members) throughout 2023. From Dusk Dani is first and available from June 15 to July 17. This collection includes the Legless FOMOrian skin which can be selected when playing as Dani, and the FOMOrian Claws, which can be used with any of the six slayers. Keep an eye on social channels for more details.

Finally, two community-led activities round up today’s new content and further bolster the Dead Island 2 experience for players:

• From June 14 to July 10 viewers can redeem this drop by tuning into participating channels streaming Dead Island 2 on Twitch for as little as 20 minutes and claim the Maulibu Panga machete.
• Sign up to our mailing list and bisect 1,000 limbs for your chance to win the Maulibu Nights(tick). 

Today’s quality of life patch includes several bug fixes and improvements, including the added Cosplay feature, client co-op improvements, performance and stability improvements, and various fixes.

Key Features:

• Explore HELL-A – Dead Island 2 takes players across the most iconic locations of the City of Angels, stained with horror, in an exciting journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.
• Brutal Melee Sandbox – Combat delivers the most intense, visceral, and gory first person experience possible, with plenty of weapons and brutally tactical options to chew your way through the zombie horde. Whether you’re slicing, smashing, burning, or ripping, we want you to truly feel it.
• Be the Ultimate Zombie Slayer – There are six characters to choose from, each with their own unique personality and dialogue. You can fully customize the abilities of each Slayer, with our brand-new skill system allowing you to re-spec instantly and try out the craziest builds.
• Zombie Infestation – Ready to experience the most advanced dismemberment system in games? HELL-A is crawling with zombies that look and react realistically. These mutated wretches are the reanimated, rotten heart of Dead Island 2, coming in dozens of distinct zombie types, each with their own mutations, attacks, and hundreds of visual LA-themed variants. Our monsters are relentless, challenging, and true Los Angelinos. Will you be able to survive?
• A Cinematic Co-op Adventure – As a proper RPG experience, Dead Island 2 offers plenty of exciting quests, a crazy cast of characters, and a thrilling story packed with dark comedy to truly immerse you in its twisted universe. Re-playability is guaranteed. Add an over-the-top co-op mode for up to three players, and you’ll stay in HELL-A for a very long and gory trip.

Dead Island 2 is available for Xbox Series X|S,  Xbox One, PS4,  PS5, Google Stadia, and PC (Epic Games Store).