Summary
The recently releasedDying Light 2andDead Island 2have been locked in a sort of rivalry ever since both titles launched, fostering a tense level of comparison between the two that has led to a lot of discussions within the industry. Whether intentional or not, both releases have been periodically one-upping each other via their post-launch updates and expansions, with it being clear that the race to be crowned the top zombie slasher of the past few years is still in full swing.
WithDying Light 2releasing in early 2022 andDead Island 2launching in early 2023, the year difference between both titles has made it quite difficult to make fair comparisons between the two. As both games move deeper into their post-launch states and introduce a range of improvements and DLCs, the rivalry between them will reach a fever pitch that may finally settle things once and for all. Both games have fairly big plans for 2024, and when the dust settles at the end of the year, one title may reign supreme.
The connections betweenDying LightandDead Islandgo far beyond the similar gameplay that both franchises share, with both IPs essentially coming from the same core group of developers. Following the release ofDead Islandin 2011, Techland began work on a new zombie slasher with an emphasis on parkour that would eventually becomeDying Light. Allegedly, due to significant creative differences between Techland and Deep Silver, Techland would end up splitting from the company and developDying Lightas a completely separate entity from theDead Islandfranchise.
Both IPs have a lot of inherent similarities because of this, and a competitive air immediately surrounded the news ofDead Island 2releasing so close toDying Light 2, with this having persisted to this day. WhileDead Islandhas its strengths in its humor and atmosphere, theDying Lightfranchise has always set itself apart via its parkour mechanics, making it the key difference between both IPs.
2024 is set to be a big year for both titles, with the end of the year essentially marking the end of post-launch support and putting both releases in their final states. WhileDying Light 2has already introduced a wide spate of post-launch contentsince its 2022 release, 2024 is set to introduce the game’s second major DLC expansion. Techland has already confirmed that this DLC will involve things like a fresh map and new core game mechanics, and will be a huge boost to the overall content that the game offers.
While this sets upDying Light 2for a strong 2024,Dead Island 2of course has plans of its own for the year. These 2024 introductions forDead Island 2are quite similar toDying Light 2’s plans, with the game being set tolaunch its Sola Festival DLCin the second quarter of the year. This DLC will be the final major story expansion forDead Island 2, and is expected to add fresh gameplay elements in the same way that its recent Haus DLC did.
While DLC for Dying Light 2 and Dead Island 2 is currently set for a 2024 release, delays could easily move their release dates to 2025.
Once thesefinal story expansions release forDying Light 2andDead Island 2in 2024, fans will finally be able to see what the finished products of both games look like. With the titles being fairly evenly matched in public opinion as things stand, 2024 will finally give both releases an even platform to settle their rivalry once and for all.
