2011 video game

Dead Island is a 2011 action role-playing game developed by Techland and published by Deep Silver. Released for Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the game is centered on the challenge of surviving a zombie-infested open world with an important emphasis on melee combat. The plot focuses on four playable survivors trying to survive and escape off the fictional island of Banoi.

The game was announced at the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo, but delayed until 2011. The game's cinematic announcement trailer was met with controversy over its depiction of a dead child. However reception was nonetheless positive, with praise going towards the emotional impact, animation and story, with the trailer being held as one of the best in any medium.

The game was released on September 2011 in North America and Europe and in October for Japan. Despite the pre-release acclaim, the game received generally lukewarm reviews. While praised for its atmosphere, gameplay and playable characters, it was also criticized for large technical difficulties and in-game glitches, graphics and most notably being hampered for lacking the emotional themes presented in the trailer. It sold over 5 million units by February 2013.

A standalone DLC expansion, Dead Island: Riptide, was released in 2013; a spin-off, Escape Dead Island, was released on 18 November 2014; and a sequel, Dead Island 2, was set to be released in 2015, but was delayed and eventually released on April 21, 2023.

A remastered version of the game, titled Dead Island Definitive Edition, was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on May 31, 2016, with a Linux version following on June 3, 2016. The remastered version was also bundled as part of the Dead Island Definitive Collection along with Dead Island Riptide: Definitive Edition, all DLC and a 16-bit side-scrolling spin-off game called Dead Island: Retro Revenge.

Source: Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.