Techland Stepped Away from Dead Island Due to Creative Differences

Esmeralda Portillo

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Techland Stepped Away from Dead Island Due to Creative Differences



Techland cites creative differences as the reason why they're not working on Dead Island 2.

Dying Light [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/dead%20island%202], with publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

Binkowski explains how the IP belonged to Deep Silver from the very beginning, as most deals between publishers and developers go. "It's like playing poker: you have to make a decision with the information you have now. If you play the game thinking that something might happen, you're going to lose the game. At that point, that was the best decision we could do."

Dead Island went on to become one of Deep Silver's and Techland's best selling games, with 5 million copies sold worldwide. Even with that success, Binkowski explains that "... there were a lot of moments where we would disagree on the creative vision of the project." Techland then created Dead Island: Riptide, which didn't sell as well as the original. Still, Deep Silver announced Dead Island 2 at E3 this year, but with Spec Ops developer Yager now in control.

When speaking directly about the relationship between Deep Silver and Techland, Binkowski states there were many ups and downs. "There's always tension between the publisher and developer." It's been tough because Techland did want to make a direct sequel to Dead Island, "but at some point a decision was made."

Either way, "For us [Techland] it turned out well, because being forced to come up with a new IP... We can't just make a Dead Island 2 and change the name; it's got to be something fresh, it's got to be something unique." Techland is keeping a close eye on what Dead Island 2 is doing to make sure the games stand on their own merit, and to remind the fans that they're doing something new now.

Source: GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/original-dead-island-developer-explains-why-its-ma/1100-6422304/]

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Esmeralda Portillo

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MarsAtlas said:
Esmeralda Portillo said:
Techland cites creative differences as the reason why they're not working on Deep Silver 2.
Deep Silver 2, huh? Is this new one going to be better than the previous Deep Silver Publishing? Maybe they'll put more resources into Saint's Row. :p
Long days are long. Changed!
 

Barbas

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Good. A direct sequel sounds frankly boring as hell. Sorry, Techland, but you weren't great. :C

I tell you what, DI 2 is certainly looking a lot more interesting and colourful.
 

laggyteabag

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Techalnd said:
We can't just make a Dead Island 2 and change the name; it's got to be something fresh, it's got to be something unique.
So they made Dying Light, a game that looks like the would-be Dead Island 2 but with a different name. Sure, Dying Light looks like it could be fun, but in no way is it "fresh" or "unique". Then again, what zombie game is these days?
 

NickBrahz

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Laggyteabag said:
Techalnd said:
We can't just make a Dead Island 2 and change the name; it's got to be something fresh, it's got to be something unique.
So they made Dying Light, a game that looks like the would-be Dead Island 2 but with a different name. Sure, Dying Light looks like it could be fun, but in no way is it "fresh" or "unique". Then again, what zombie game is these days?
Have you seen gameplay of Dying Light, it's gameplay looks pretty fresh and somewhat unique to me, more then just the generic stand there and shoot/stab/bash like Dead Island 1 + Reptide was like.
 

MrHide-Patten

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I'm honestly wondering how Yeager will handle this, just a paint by numbers sequel to keep the studio open, or a subversion of the Zombie Game? Hoping for the later, but I ain't giving my hopes up.
 

SecondPrize

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As often as I ***** about how the developers of dead rising games after the first missed the point and didn't really understand the original, I like Yager so this could be cool. Also Dreadnought seems interesting.
 

Grabehn

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A direct sequel to the original because the characters and story were SO interesting and deep, right? Oh hang on... isn't Riptide like that exact same thing?
 

CardinalPiggles

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Oh I didn't know the devs for DI2 were different, I'm suddenly interested.

DI1 was a pretty good concept but some aspects were so laughably bad, and the combat was very samey I got sick of that game fairly quickly.

Maybe this new studio can turn the IP into something with a bit more quality.
 

WhiteTigerShiro

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Laggyteabag said:
Then again, what zombie game is these days?
What NON-zombie game is these days? Seriously, I get that some people just don't like zombie games, but you don't see me trolling on the racing game news posts about how no racing game is "fresh" and "unique".
 

WhiteTigerShiro

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It'll be interesting to see how Dead Island 2 and Dying Light end-up comparing to each other. On the one hand, Techland has had a bit of practice in the area with the Dead Island games, and looks to be improving on their melee combat if those videos are anything to go by. On the other, Yager has a reputation to live-up to after Spec Ops pulled the rug out from everyone's feet with a fantastic storyline that subverted its own genre. I'd say both games have a lot of potential, and both developers have a lot to prove. Techland needs to show that they're better-off without Deep Silver, while Yager needs to prove that they didn't blow their entire load with Spec Ops.

Esmeralda Portillo said:
Dead Island went on to become one of Deep Silver's and Techland's best selling game,
I'm going to assume that you meant "games" here.
 

james.sponge

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It is now possible that DI2 will evolve into a deconstruction of that overrated zombie apocalypse genre, please Yager oblige us :D
 

Rednog

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So Techland wants to make something fresh and unique but pretty much turned around and basically Dead Island 2 but called it Dying Light....and then locked away a multiplayer mode as a preorder exclusive. Yea fuck these guys.
 

AndrewC

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Does this mean Dead Island 2 *might* actually have a slight level of quality to it? And be made by people who actually know how to make a game?