Dead Island 3 Is Targeting a Q1 or Q2 2028 Release Window, According to Developer Filings
Dead Island 3 is now firmly on the timeline, with new information suggesting a launch window in the first half of 2028. While Dambuster Studios and publisher Deep Silver have not yet formally announced the game, recent discoveries indicate that development is already well underway and progressing at pace.
The information was uncovered by industry watcher Timur222, who identified key details within Dambuster Studios’ financial statements. According to the document, Dambuster Studios, a Nottingham based AAA developer employing 194 staff as of March 2025, has now fully transitioned its focus to Dead Island 3 following the release of Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition in October 2024.
The filing states that approximately 93 percent of the studio’s workforce is directly involved in development, with the remaining staff handling studio management and administrative support. Once the Luna and Mac versions of Dead Island 2 are finalized, the entirety of Dambuster’s quality assurance team will also be reassigned to Dead Island 3. The studio confirms that parts of the project have already entered early production, with feature development, character creation, world building, and story design all advancing steadily. The current predicted release window for the project is listed as Q1 or Q2 2028.
If this timeline holds, Dead Island 3 would arrive less than five years after the launch of Dead Island 2, which released on April 21, 2023. This represents a notably smoother development cadence compared to the turbulent production history of its predecessor.
Dead Island 2’s journey to release is well documented. Originally developed by Yager, the game was first revealed with a playable demo at Gamescom 2014. However, publisher Deep Silver ultimately decided that the project’s direction did not align with its vision and removed Yager from development. In March 2016, Sumo Digital was announced as the new developer, only for the project to be reassigned again three and a half years later to Dambuster Studios, an internal Deep Silver team.
These multiple transitions led to widespread skepticism regarding Dead Island 2’s eventual quality. Despite the concerns, Dambuster Studios delivered a polished and entertaining experience that resonated strongly with players. The game’s success was further reinforced when Dead Island 2 surpassed 20 million players, a figure that includes subscription based access and users who claimed the game during promotions such as the Epic Games Store MEGA Sale earlier this year.
That performance appears to have solidified Deep Silver’s confidence in Dambuster Studios, resulting in the studio being entrusted with Dead Island 3 as its next major project. With a clear leadership structure, a unified development team, and a defined production roadmap from an early stage, Dead Island 3 is positioned very differently from its predecessor.
While a Q1 or Q2 2028 launch window still leaves several years of development ahead and remains subject to change, the early indicators point to a far more stable production cycle. For fans of the franchise, this signals a cautious but meaningful reason for optimism that Dead Island 3 could avoid the pitfalls that once plagued the series.
Do you think Dambuster Studios can build on Dead Island 2’s momentum and deliver an even stronger sequel, or should fans remain cautious until gameplay is officially revealed?
