Dying Light 2 has been out of the limelight for quite some time. Developer Techland has been largely silent on its progress since an indefinite delay in 2020, but it looks like that silence may finally come to an end. Recently, Redditors found a Czech listing for the Dying Light 2 Collector’s Edition on the retailer Xzone shortly before it was taken down. It’s not hard to assume, then, that a release date is just around the corner — maybe.
The original game was well-received and had a real sense of challenge when attempting to navigate the world past dusk. Combine this base concept with Dying Light getting years of DLC that added extra single-player and multiplayer modes, and the resulting game is one of the PS4/Xbox One generation's sleeper hits.
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Boasting a city 4 times larger than the original, Dying Light 2 takes place 15 years after the first game and features both more entrenched human settlements for daytime interaction and more Infected action at night — or in whatever dark corner they happen to be resting in. Announced during Microsoft’s keynote during E3 2018, Techland provided steady progress updates on Dying Light 2 until it was delayed out of its spring 2020 release window indefinitely. The game’s exact status has been a mystery since then, but it seems like it could be ready to receive a solid release date.
The "leaked" Dying Light 2 Collector’s Edition will include a copy of the game, a collector’s box, six UV stickers, a UV flashlight, an art book, SteelBook, secret locations map, a limited figurine depicting protagonist Aidan, and a pack of three cards showing artwork from the game. The PC version of this edition was priced at CZK 5,555, which equates to just under $260. It’s unknown whether versions for consoles will cost a similar amount, and this appearing out of the blue suggests that a release window announcement accompanied by preorders opening could be just around the corner. Indeed, just a couple weeks prior, Techland announced that it would have news on Dying Light 2 this year. However, there’s just as much reason to expect that it will remain in development for a while longer.
This is also dependent upon this "leak" being legit. It seems oddly detailed for it to not be, it was taken down like it ought to be, but stranger things have certainly happened. While nothing disproves this leak, Techland hasn't acknowledged it yet either, so fans should take it with cautious optimism.
Since the indefinite delay last year, development has been rumored to be somewhat messy, though Techland denied any large problems as a result of internal shuffling. Reports of internal disagreements and a high staff turnover have abounded, with the departure of Narration Designer Pawel Selinger at the beginning of this year throwing fuel on the fire. Despite all of this, the game is reportedly in the last stretch of development, which lines up with the Collector’s Edition appearing now. Techland has also stated in the past that it had plans for four years of post-launch support, but it’s up in the air if that will happen now.
The Dying Light franchise has had its ups and downs, and while fans have been quietly waiting for news on the sequel, the ongoing pandemic and alleged development troubles might mean it’s still a ways off. There is a growing chance that Dying Light 2 could release in a much different form than what was shown in older previews. All that’s left is to wait and see what, exactly, Techland was hinting at earlier this month. After all, this could mean big things, but at the same time, it may mean nothing.
Dying Light 2 is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.