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Dead Island 2 exceeds internal expectations after topping 2 million sales

The survival title has delivered the largest launch in the history of publisher Deep Silver.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

May 24, 2023

1 Min Read
A screenshot from Dead Island 2 showing a survivor holding back a zombie

Dead Island 2 has sold over 2 million copies worldwide since launching on April 21, 2023.

The long-gestating sequel had already topped 1 million sales in three days, but has now sold more than double that total.

Embracer Group, the parent company of publisher Deep Silver, announced the milestone in its latest fiscal report and said the title has surpassed internal expectations.

Dead Island success

"When measured over the initial seven-day sales period, Dead Island 2 has become the largest launch in both units sold and revenue generated in the history of Deep Silver and Plaion," it added.

Dead Island 2 is the second mainline entry in the series–which includes a spin-off called Dead Island: Riptide–and launched over a decade after the original Dead Island made its debut in 2011.

The project spent years in development limbo at multiple studios, including Yager Development and Sumo Digital, before Deep Silver eventually took charge in 2019.

For Embracer, the launch of Dead Island 2 represents a welcome success amid mixed results for its new releases, with other titles such as SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake and Scars Above failing to hit the ground running.

About the Author

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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