The original Dying Light was one of the most innovative takes on the zombie genre that fans had seen in a generation, and Dying Light 2 seeks to evolve on that in every possible way. Developer Techland has been upfront about what to expect in the new game, releasing video updates about the various content and mechanics players can expect in Dying Light 2. Since before E3, the developer has been releasing this information in a web series called Dying 2 Know, with the first episode revealing more details about the story, consequences of choice, and the open-world environment of The City.

The next Dying 2 Know showcase will be on July 1st and is set to provide a whole new set of information about The City. It was already revealed in an earlier interview that players will see a new type of zombie, although Techland plans to keep a couple of surprises about the infected until players encounter them.  If the rest of that interview is any indication, then fans can also expect to learn more about the factions around The City as well as the drug that helps the infected survivors stay human. Whatever new information Dying Light 2 shows, it will likely only be a smaller truth of what this game has to offer.

Dying Light 2's Factions and Map Layout

player over looking the main city

Society has long since fallen by the beginning of Dying Light 2, with the remnants of humanity reverting back to tribalism. This is no more true than in The City, where factions war with each other over land and resources inside the quarantine walls. The city will be split into territories between the Peacekeepers, the Survivors, and the Renegades, each with their own interesting characters and motives. It'll be up to the player to decide who they want to help or ignore, as they try to get what they need from each tribe.

The Survivors are neutral nomads, known for being expertly skilled at setting up new settlements wherever they go. Their main focus is on using the resources around them to improve their circumstance, and so they aren't as strong as the other factions. The Peacekeepers are made up of ex-soldiers attempting to create a sense of order within The City, by brute force if need be. They're feared around the in-game world because of the number of settlements that are under the Peacekeeper's control. The Renegades are the opposite of the Peacekeepers, attaining power by whatever means necessary. They follow the word of the Colonel very closely and want to rid The City of all the other factions.

New Zombie Types in Dying Light 2

A zombie can be seen from behind with a glowing spine and arms growing out of his back

The survivors aren't the only ones who've learned how to evolve in order to survive the new post-apocalyptic world. The infected of The City have also been through a series of evolutions from the creatures that players encountered in the first Dying Light. It was revealed in a recent interview that the next Dying 2 Know episode will show one of the new types of zombies coming in Dying Light 2. Nothing else has been revealed, but fans might be able to finally hear what that glowing multi-armed zombie is all about.

There's no better sign of a game that is progressing healthily than the developer behind it being forthcoming with information. The fact that Techland feels confident enough in the upcoming title to do monthly information drops probably means good things for Dying Light 2. That being said, sequels can be tricky for fans, and it will be hard to do better than the original Dying Light. Whatever the game has to offer when it comes out, at least the Dying Light 2 release is ahead of the still unannounced Dead Island 2.

Dying Light 2: Stay Human launches December 7th, 2021, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.