Dying Light 2 is currently being developed at Techland, creators of the original
Dying Light &
Call of Juarez series, and Chris Avellone, who is working with the studio to design the main storyline. Yes, the writer responsible for
Fallout 2, Alpha Protocol, and many, many beloved games, is helping Techland to create genuine consequences which will change the future of a fictional European metropolis.
In an interview with EDGE, Tymon Smektała, lead designer on
Dying Light 2, revealed that embracing the player choice is one of the Polish team's main principles. “
We knew that we perhaps didn’t have the expertise, so we wanted to work with somebody who did,” Smektała said, speaking of Avellone. “
We have a whole wall in our narrative team’s room devoted to presenting the relationships – sticky notes, pictures, print-outs with arrows connecting them. We believe the combination of those small and big choices will let players create their own version of the city, their own sandbox, a version that not only has a different narrative but a different kind of gameplay.”
Set 15 years after the initial zombie outbreak,
Dying Light 2's post-apocalyptic setting is heading into more fantastic direction which is a big departure from the vaguely Middle-Eastern setting of the first game. “
When you think of medieval times, there are all those things that come to mind instantly,” Smektala said. “
Intrigue, infidelity, harsh laws; you steal something and your hand gets cut off. The relations between people, between the people in power and those not as fortunate, we’re using those archetypes in our story.”
To accomplish this ambitious goal, Techland also got some additional help in the form of the former
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt writing team. That's right, Techland has hired writers from CD Projekt RED who previously worked on
The Witcher 3’s
Bloody Baron quest. With the combined forces of
Blood Baron's writers and Avellone, there's no reason to not expect (at the very least) a well-crafted and intriguing story.
The fate of a decaying City is in your hands. Every choice matters. Discover the bold sequel to a best-selling open-world phenomenon.
Dying Light 2 is coming out in 2019.