Dead Island 3 is officially confirmed to be in development, and the game currently has an expected release window of Q1/Q2 2028.
In its annual report and financial statements (via bogorad222 on Twitter/X) for the year ended 31 March, 2025, Dambuster Studios has officially confirmed that Dead Island 3 is in development, with an estimated release window of Q1/Q2 2028. The report mentioned that the UK-based developer is employing 194 people as of March, 2025. The vast majority i.e. 93 percent, of staff is directly involved in development, with the remainder supporting studio management and administrative functions. Following the release of Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition in October, 2024, the studio’s priorities have shifted decisively towards this upcoming project.
According to the report, “after release of Dead Island 2 Ultimate Edition in October 2024, the primary focus for Dambuster Studios is now Dead Island 3.” It further clarified that all developers are currently assigned to the project, with the studio’s QA team also expected to transition fully once work on the Luna and Mac versions of Dead Island 2 is complete.
Dambuster Studios also outlined the current development status of Dead Island 3, noting that “parts of the game are now in early production with feature, character, world and story design moving at pace.” As of writing, no details on gameplay or information regarding target platforms have been disclosed.
The report provided a projected launch time-frame, stating that “the current predicted release window for the project is Q1/2 2028.” That said, it remains an estimate and is subject to change.
From a financial perspective, Dambuster Studios reported a profit before tax of 370,686 Pound Sterling for the year, down from 702,988 Pound Sterling in 2024, while net assets increased to 2,399,985 Pound Sterling. The report also highlighted ongoing risks typical of AAA development, including maintaining engineering standards, securing top-tier talent, and accurately anticipating market trends several years in advance.
The previous entry in the series, Dead Island 2, was released on April 21, 2023, across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
