Dead Island 3 Confirmed for 2028 Release, Dambuster Studios Aims to Avoid Development Hell
Dambuster Studios has confirmed that Dead Island 3 is officially in development. Following the hard-fought success of its predecessor, the developer has set an ambitious target release window of Q1/Q2 2028.
Importantly for fans, Dambuster Studios is attempting to avoid the decade-long development hell that plagued Dead Island 2 by outlining its intention to launch Dead Island 3 in 2028.
This early confirmation comes directly from a recent financial report for Dambuster Studios. Given that Dead Island 2 was exclusive to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, it’s a fair bet that the 2028 release of Dead Island 3 will be a next-generation-only title.
Development Status for Dead Island 3: The “7-Year Less” Schedule
The entire focus of Dambuster Studios has shifted. Following the delivery of the Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition and the final Luna and Mac ports, the team is now wholly dedicated to Dead Island 3.
The good news is the game is past the drawing board stage and confirmed to be in “early production,” with the core elements, including feature design, character concepts, world building, and the overall story already being worked on.
For anyone who followed the 12-year saga of Dead Island 2, the significance of a 2028 target cannot be overstated. It signals the studio’s clear intent to avoid the previous development turbulence.
Dambuster Studios’ financial statements are out (as of March 2025) The company employed 194 employees Dead Island 3 is in development The current predicted release window for the project is Q1/2 2028 [image or embed]
— Timur222 (@timur222.bsky.social) 16 December 2025 at 07:21
👉 READ ALSO: Dead Island 2 – Do the Effects Take the Game to the Next Level?
Key Features & Setting: What to Expect from Dead Island 3
The setting is always the star of the show in this franchise, and I’m eager to see where they take us next. Will Dead Island 3 return to the exotic island locales that defined the original entries, or will it expand the American apocalypse beyond the ‘LA Hell-A’ of the second game?
Whatever the location, fans can expect the series’ trademark visceral co-op combat to return. Critically, we should see an evolution of the game-changing FLESH System (Fully Localescent Emergency System for the Simulation of Human-like Injury).
This system was the technical highlight of Dead Island 2, making the damage you inflicted feel incredibly realistic and satisfying.
Verdict: Is Dead Island 3 Worth the 2028 Wait?
While 2028 seems like a long wait, the quick pivot by Dambuster Studios following the critically and commercially successful launch of Dead Island 2 is an incredibly positive sign for the series’ health. This long development window, in my opinion, guarantees a highly polished, next-gen-only experience that avoids the turbulent history of its predecessor.
Does the 2028 target make you feel optimistic about the game’s quality, or is it too long to wait? What city do you want to see destroyed by the zombie apocalypse next?
Fueled by a passion for gaming and the ever-evolving world of gaming news, Daniel loves connecting with seasoned and new players to bring games to life on the page, exploring their narratives and gaming trends. A self-published fiction and fantasy author, Daniel has nearly 20 years of experience writing gaming news and a love for storytelling that drives his enthusiasm to deliver breaking news, in-depth analysis, and industry innovations. You will find him in-game as "Windfell."
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