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Dead Island 3 Now Dambuster’s Sole Priority, Eyes Early 2028 Launch
December 17, 2025Dead Island 3 is officially in production, and Dambuster Studios has gone all-in. Major details from an annual financial report confirm the zombie action sequel is now the studio’s main project, with a targeted release window set for the first half of 2028.
Users on X spotted and shared these findings straight from Dambuster’s financials. As of October 2024, after shipping Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition, Dambuster shifted every developer onto Dead Island 3. The report says: “All developers are assigned to the project, and once the Luna and Mac versions of Dead Island 2 are complete, all of Dambuster’s QA team will also be assigned to Dead Island 3.” That’s not just talk; this is full steam ahead.
‘Game On’ for Dead Island 3, but It’s Early
The report lays out where development stands: “Parts of the game are now in early production with feature, character, world and story design moving at pace.” In other words, the foundations, new features, characters, narrative structure, and the game world are being established right now. That first-half 2028 launch target is still several years out, and it’s clear the project is firmly in early phases, not final polish.
Dambuster’s focus is absolute. Once support work on Dead Island 2’s Luna and Mac editions wraps up, even the entire QA team will pivot to Dead Island 3. For a studio that went through development hell getting Dead Island 2 across the finish line, this is a clear message; they’re betting big on the franchise’s future.
The financial report doesn’t just talk about milestones. It also reveals what could stand in the way. Dambuster identifies its biggest risks as threefold: predicting which games will be trending in 3-5 years, staying on top of AAA-engineering standards, and making sure the most talented crew stays onboard. With a 2028 release, that’s a long road and a rapidly shifting industry, so the vision needs to hold up, the tech must stay sharp, and the talent can’t jump ship.
Player Numbers and Teases Set the Stage
This isn’t the first time fans have heard hints about Dead Island 3. Back in September, when Dambuster celebrated 20 million Dead Island 2 players, the team cryptically posted that the outbreak was “far from over.” That had the community buzzing, with many wondering if an official announcement wasn’t far behind. Now, we know: the next chapter is absolutely on the way. All the signals suggest Dambuster is committed to bigger worlds, more ambitious gameplay, and staying ahead of the survival horror curve.
That’s significant, given how rocky the road was for the last instalment. Dead Island 2 struggled through a notorious development cycle, but the sales proved there’s still a massive appetite for zombie action RPGs. Critical reception was decent, but not spectacular; as Eurogamer put it, “A straightforwardly accomplished zombie action-RPG that doesn’t quite make the most of its Californian setting.”
Still, those 20 million players and the studio’s renewed focus show Dambuster is ready to go bigger and bolder. They won’t be juggling side projects or shifting resources to other games. From now until that tentative 2028 release window, Dead Island 3 is the headline act.
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