The developers at Dambuster Studios working on Dead Island 2 recently discussed one of the "most exciting" new features coming to the game. This would be none other than a skill deck, at least according to Creative Director James Worrall and Lead Narrative Designer Ayesha Khan.
The news comes from an interview by Game Informer with Worrall and Khan. The developers both noted how the highly anticipated and frequently delayed game will in fact be set in Los Angeles, California before diving into the details of the skill deck, basically an elaborate version of a skill tree. Dead Island 2 is apparently also going to be taking place a decade after the first entry in the series. Worrall and Khan called Los Angeles a character in its own right on account of the “amazing eccentrics and self-confidence of the city.”
The comments about the skill deck were made in the context of a question concerning skill trees. "There's a skill deck which is even better,” the developers noted. "The art is amazing and they're fun to look at and all of that, but they're just really fun to play with.” Players will be able to “change skills mid-air, you can take off, change a skill, and land with a different loadout and that's just amazing." Worrall added that “you can take some real risks with your loadout as well,” noting how "it really pays off and sometimes it goes horribly wrong." The developers referred to the new feature as "one of if not the most exciting additions to the game."
Dead Island 2 has become notorious for its numerous delays. The game has been in development for well over eight years at this particular point, having changed hands from one studio to another multiple times. Dead Island 2 was most recently entrusted to its present studio, Dambuster.
Dead Island 2 is currently scheduled to launch on April 28, 2023. This will in fact be three months later than previously anticipated, having been delayed towards the end of last year. The first game in the franchise, Dead Island, was released to mixed reviews on September 6, 2011. Dead Island on the other hand went on to attract a strong community of dedicated players.