We may earn a commission when you buy through links in our articles. Learn more.

Dead Island 2 is down a developer after Yager and Deep Silver split up

Dead Island 2 loses Yager

Update: Yager has now given a brief explanation of why it is no longer working on Dead Island 2, which you can read below.

Dead Island 2 has been an interesting prospect ever since its extremely swish trailer was rammed into our eyeballs. A sequel to the over-the-top zombiefest, developed by the team behind one of the most poignant shooters in recent memory. What would Yager’s vision for a zombie apocalypse look like. 

Lamentably, we’ll never know, as Deep Silver and Yager have split up.

Update: Yager has made a brief statement explaining why it’s broken up with Deep Silver. Details are still sparse, but Yager’s CEO Timo Ullmann puts it down to a difference in their vision for Dead Island 2.

“Our team is made of the best creative minds and tech specialists, who all share a common identity,” Ullmann explained in a statement. “The team worked with enthusiasm to take Dead Island 2 to a new level of quality. However, Yager and Deep Silver’s respective visions of the project fell out of alignment, which led to the decision that has been made.”

Original story: Deep Silver’s announcement of the breakup was short and cool, containing a slight jab at their one-time partner.

“With Dead Island 2, Deep Silver has always been dedicated to delivering the sequel that Dead Island fans deserve. After careful consideration, today we announce the decision to part ways with development partner YAGER.”

There was trouble in zombie paradise before this. Dead Island 2 was originally slated for a spring 2015 launch, but that date was pushed back. Far back. Back to 2016. Yager said that they hadn’t hit their goals for the game, and wanted to take more time to reach what they wanted to achieve.

Although Yager is no longer involved, development on Dead Island will apparently continue. The question is, with who?

Guessing time!

A couple of months back, Techland, the original Dead Island developer, announced that it was putting Hellraid, their first-person slasher, on the backburner. The line was that Techland wanted to focus all of its energy on DLC for their other undead game, Dying Light. Will they step in, perhaps? Coming back to the franchise that they started?

Whoever ends up putting together Dead Island 2, it’s a shame that we never got to see what Yager had in store for us.