Console Ultimate Members Gain Access, While PC Subscribers Must Wait in Dead Island 2
Today marks the unexpected release of Dead Island 2 on Xbox Game Pass, a development that has excited fans. However, access to the well-received zombie survival game comes with a catch: it’s exclusively available to Ultimate members on consoles. This limitation is likely due to the PC edition’s current exclusivity on the Epic Games Store until later in the year.
Despite Dead Island 2’s sudden appearance on Game Pass, neither Microsoft nor developer Dambuster Studios provided any prior marketing for the release. This approach echoes recent additions to Game Pass, such as Tales of Arise, which similarly debuted without much fanfare. Nonetheless, Dead Island 2’s reputation as a solid follow-up to the original Dead Island, coupled with its ongoing updates, makes it a promising addition to Xbox’s subscription service. Yet, a significant portion of Game Pass subscribers find themselves excluded from this offering.
PC Game Pass Ultimate subscribers may gain access to Dead Island 2 on April 22, coinciding with the end of its Epic Games Store exclusivity period. However, there’s no guarantee that Dead Island 2 will still be available on Game Pass by then, although a short lifespan on the platform would be surprising. As it stands, console Ultimate subscribers can enjoy the base game on Game Pass and claim additional rewards, such as the Trickster’s Smile knife, by linking their account to Dead Island 2’s PROS platform. Moreover, they can earn the legendary-tier Malibu Nightstick bat by dismembering 1,000 limbs.
Regarding the availability of Dead Island 2 for PC Game Pass subscribers, the game is not currently accessible. However, there is hope that it may join the PC Game Pass library after April 22.
For those eager for more content, the Sola Festival DLC for Dead Island II is slated for a Q2 2024 release, promising a post-apocalyptic rave community experience. While details are scarce, people anticipate it to follow the success of the previous Haus expansion, which introduced engaging human characters.
Looking ahead, Dead Island II might expand its reach further in 2024, potentially including a release on the Nintendo Switch. The game’s parent company hinted at a new platform release this year, though it’s possible that the upcoming Steam release was the focus of this announcement.
In addition to Dead Island II, Game Pass subscribers can anticipate a lineup of exciting additions in the near future, including Maneater on February 27, Indivisible on February 28, Space Engineers on February 29, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun on March 5, and Diablo 4 on March 28.
