After a long and arduous development cycle, Techland Games finally released Dying Light 2 in 2022, and fans simply couldn’t get enough of the game’s parkour, and zombie action. Almost one full year later, the team is still going strong, as they’re still updating the game with lots of interesting new features and quality-of-life mechanics.
To celebrate the upcoming First Anniversary update for Dying Light 2, I spoke with the game’s Director, Tymon Smektala, where we discussed the future of the franchise, what fans can expect from the latest update, and how he’d fair in the harsh post-apocalyptic setting of Villedor.
Twinfinite Features Editor Andrew McMahon: Is there anything that wasn’t in Dying Light 2 Stay Human that was in Dying Light 1 that you plan to implement in the future? I know a lot of fans are really looking for more Body Physic Simulations and enemy Ragdolling for one.
Tymon Smektała: It’s an extremely well-timed question, as we’re just releasing an update which changes the physics for some of our enemies – and it’s just a first step in a bigger plan to take some of our core systems even higher this year. We’re listening to our community very carefully, and it’s obvious that there are few areas that our fans want to see upgraded – brutality and physicality of combat, flow, and realism of parkour, the scariness of the night experience.
The strategy for 2nd year of Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a direct answer for that – we’ll focus on these areas first and then move ahead with adding big new features. Therefore it’s very important for us that our community stays vocal – we want to hear your voices and respond to them with in-game tweaks and updates.
Andrew: What was your favorite story moment in Dying Light 2 Stay Human?
Tymon Smektała: There are a few scenes which I like very much, but if I had to name just one, I’d say it’s probably the elevator scene. But there are definitely more strong, engaging, exciting scenes in our narrative – the execution at the PK ship, the big windmill explosion, or the encounter with dr. Veronika… But hey, aren’t we venturing into spoiler territory right now?
Andrew: What update/feature are you proudest of that was added to the game after launch?
Tymon Smektała: I think I’m most proud of the sheer amount of the content we managed to add. The New Game+, Photo Mode, two great Chapters full of new stuff and content – come to think of it Dying Light 2 Stay Human received about three times more content in its first year than Dying Light 1.
But again – if I had to choose just one, I’d point to the first iteration of our Dev Tools for Dying Light 2 Stay Human. This way we’re able to share our passion for making games – and for Dying Light 2! – with other creators, and we have great plans for the feature in the future.
Andrew: Can fans expect more in-depth narrative adventures from Dying Light 2 Stay Human DLCs?
Tymon Smektała: We don’t want to talk about the next DLC just yet, but I think it’s tailored directly to meet the community’s expectations – it’s open world, narrative-driven, focused on the Infected. Exactly what the doctor ordered!
Andrew: Any new gameplay upgrades or challenges coming soon that you’d like to share?
Tymon Smektała: The first half of the year will be focused on big improvements to the core systems I’ve mentioned already. The big focus is the new night experience – we plan to connect the strongest elements of Dying Light 1’s night… yes, the roaming Volatiles – with some elements of the Dying Light 2’s night. Keep your fingers crossed!
Andrew: If you had to pick one uncommon enemy you think you could take in a fight Dying Light 2 Stay Human, which one would it be? And how would you do it?
Tymon Smektała: That’s a tough one. I’m a pacifist, so whatever the enemy would be, I think I’d just choose the safe option and use my extraordinary parkour skills to run away to the closest Safe Zone!
Andrew: What does the future hold for Dying Light as a franchise over the next 5-10 years?
Tymon Smektała: Hopefully a lot, as we have quite interesting plans and full dedication to see them into fruition. But let’s approach it with baby steps; no need to get ahead of ourselves. First, we’d like to make sure that our community is happy with the state of the game. Then we’ll keep adding new DLCs and content, keeping with the spirit of the game.
Nowadays, there are a lot of options available to expand your franchise: spin-offs, venture into other media, and crossovers with other games and universes… But the appetite is there in us to make Dying Light a real survivor of various console generations – we believe that we can achieve that longevity if we keep the core of the series intact and stay in touch with our community.
Andrew: Anything you’d like to say to fans?
Tymon Smektała: If this didn’t sound loud enough in the interview, I want to once again reassure our community that we’re listening to their requests and expectations, and we will continue doing so. This year we want to stay even closer to our community, and we’ll be actively asking our players about their feelings about the game, responding to as many requests as possible.
I strongly believe this year’s going to be fun for all of us!
Dying Light 2 Anniversary update is available now for anyone that owns the game on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S for free.
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