Deep Silver kicks Yager off Dead Island 2 project

Deep Silver has announced that it has kicked developer Yager from upcoming zombie-themed first-person action role-play shooter Dead Island 2, following an earlier decision to delay the title to 2016.

The latest title in publisher Deep Silver's Dead Island franchise, Dead Island 2 was under development by Yager - the company most famous for its Heart of Darkness-inspired psychological shooter Spec Ops: The Line. News that the game was being pushed back to a 2016 release, however, suggested that all was not well with its development - and now things have come to a head, with Deep Silver kicking Yager off the project altogether.

'With Dead Island 2, Deep Silver has always been dedicated to delivering the sequel that Dead Island fans deserve,' a Deep Silver spokesperson explained in a statement to press this week. 'After careful consideration, today we announce the decision to part ways with development partner Yager. We will continue working towards bringing our vision of Dead Island 2 to life, and we will share further information at a later stage.'

The Dead Island franchise launched in September 2011, having drummed up considerable interest thanks to an intriguing reverse-time teaser trailer showcasing the fall of the holiday resort setting to the zombie hordes - a trailer to which Lionsgate purchased the film rights, with plans to create a feature film based on the premise. Its developer, Techland, followed the game up with Dead Island: Riptide, a stand-alone expansion, while Deep Silver hit up Stunlock Studios and Fatshark for spin-off titles Dead Island: Epidemic and Escape Dead Island. While Techland was originally tipped to build the sequel, the company opted to create a rival zombie game, Dying Light, instead - leading to Yager's appointment.

Deep Silver has yet to name Yager's successor on the project, nor confirm that the revised 2016 launch schedule will remain intact as a result of the move.