The survival horror adventure Dying Light: The Beast launches today (18 September 2025), dropping players into a world overrun by dangerous zombies. Developer Techland moved the release a day earlier after revealing this week that the game had reached 1-million pre-orders.
The story follows Kyle Crane, who was captured for years by the Baron and subjected to agonising experiments that left zombie DNA warring with his humanity. Having escaped, Crane wants revenge, but survival depends on taming the monster within.
Castor Woods serves as the player’s hunting ground, an open world where the series’ hallmark day–night cycle is merged into one relentless, time-driven rhythm. Daylight allows for exploration and scavenging against the clock, while nightfall brings escalating horrors that force a choice: run, hide, or fight.
Crane can freely switch between two playstyles that reflect his dual nature, facing a fierce internal conflict that leads to accepting (and mastering) the beast inside. Combat pushes Dying Light’s brutality to an extreme: crush skulls, rip heads off, and tear enemies in half as evolving beastly powers surge and threaten to take control.
Movement is built around first-person parkour that the studio positions as best-in-class, defining it as easy to pick up and rewarding to master. When speed on foot isn’t enough, players can jump behind the wheel of an off-road vehicle and plough through hordes of enemies.
Next-gen visuals aim to bring a hand-crafted zombie apocalypse to life, with details telling a story of survival. Castor Woods spans a tourist town, industrial zone, national park, farmland, and swamps. The experience can be played solo or in four-player online co-op.
Players who purchased the Ultimate Edition of Dying Light 2 Stay Human will receive Dying Light: The Beast at no additional cost. The game will automatically appear in their library at launch. Ultimate Edition owners will receive the Hero of Harran bundle for free, with no action required.
The developer says prior knowledge can deepen players’ connection to Crane, but the story is designed to work for newcomers as well. The team adds that after Kyle’s years in captivity, the world of Dying Light feels as new to him as it does to players.
Where to play Dying Light: The Beast?
Dying Light: The Beast is available on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro, and Xbox Series X|S. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions remain in development; Techland says it has prioritised current hardware for launch on 18 September 2025 and is committed to releasing the previous-gen versions by the end of 2025.
* Visit the ‘Dying Light: The Beast’ website here.