Dead Island 3 Development Begins After Dead Island 2’s Success: Here’s When It Could Release

Dead Island 3 is officially in development at Dambuster Studios, with the studio confirming that the long-awaited sequel is now its main project. The information comes from the company’s latest annual report, which quietly revealed that work on the next Dead Island title is underway and that the game is tracking toward an early 2028 launch window. This marks the first concrete mention of the sequel, as the studio had not previously announced Dead Island 3.

Development Shifts Fully to Dead Island 3

The details were first spotted by X user @bogorad222, who pointed out that Dambuster’s financial statements for the year ending March 31, 2025, include clear references to the sequel. According to the report, the studio moved its full focus to Dead Island 3 soon after Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition launched in October 2024. The sequel has now entered early production, with teams working on features, characters, world-building, and story elements at a steady pace.

The document also notes that developers across the studio have been assigned to the project, indicating that Dead Island 3 is now the priority internally as Dambuster works toward its planned 2028 release window.

Earlier Hints Now Come Into Focus

Back in September, Dambuster Studios teasingly hinted at what might be next for the franchise without outright mentioning Dead Island 3. In a Steam post celebrating Dead Island 2 reaching 20 million players, the studio wrote that the team was “already carving out what comes next.” The note also referenced past locations from the series – “From Banoi to HELL-A…” – further fuelling speculation that a third entry was in development.

Dead Island 2 originally launched in April 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X, followed by a macOS release in July 2025. With confirmation now emerging from official documents, fans of the zombie action series finally have a clearer picture of when to expect its next chapter.