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Dead Island 2 System Requirements: Can Your PC Run This Zombie Paradise?

Dead Island 2 finally rises from its grave on April 21. See if your gaming rig can handle the walking dead.

 & Jordan Minor Principal Writer, Software

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Zombies teach us that just because something looks dead doesn’t mean it can’t come back. After going dormant for a decade, the Dead Island series returns for more open-world, undead carnage—this time in sunny California. Read on to ensure that this PC game won’t slay your rig as you slay zombies.


Why the Dead Island 2 Hype?

Despite its infamously solemn trailer, the original Dead Island delivered tons of gory, zombie-bashing fun in 2011. The open-world RPG elements brought a novel sense of depth and progression to what could’ve been a mindless experience. The original developers at Techland went on to make Dying Light, a similar series of open-world zombie action games. Dead Island 2 was announced in 2014, but we had to wait until this year for a true follow-up game, as the sequel bounced between developers. This final version comes from Dambuster Studios, makers of Homefront: The Revolution. 

Dead Island 2

Where Can I Buy Dead Island 2?

On PC, Dead Island 2 is an Epic Games Store exclusive, at least for now. Starting April 21, you can buy the $59.99 base version, the $64.99 Deluxe Edition with extra character and weapon packs, or the $79.99 Gold Edition that comes with a season pass. The game is also slated for release on the PlayStation and Xbox consoles.


Dead Island 2 Minimum System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10
  • CPUCPU: AMD FX-9590 or Intel Core i7-7700HQ
  • MemoryMemory: 10GB of RAM
  • GPUGPU: AMD Radeon R9 390X (with 8192MB of VRAM) or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 (with 6144MB of VRAM)
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Available Storage: 70GB
Dead Island 2

Dead Island 2 Recommended System Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i9-9900k
  • Memory: 10GB of RAM
  • GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT (16384MB of VRAM) / Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super (8192MB of VRAM)
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Available Storage: 70GB

How Can You Play Dead Island 2?

Dead Island 2 supports controllers, as well as mouse and keyboard on PC. That pairs well with the game’s first-person shooter elements. The game isn’t available on Steam, so we don’t know how well it will run on Steam Deck. Still, with some effort, you can play non-Steam games on Valve’s portable gaming pc.  


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About Our Expert

Jordan Minor

Jordan Minor

Principal Writer, Software

My PCMag career began in 2013 as an intern. Now, I'm a senior writer, using the skills I acquired at Northwestern University to write about dating apps, meal kits, programming software, website builders, video streaming services, and video games. I was previously a senior editor at Geek.com and have written for The A.V. Club, Kotaku, and Paste Magazine. I'm the author of the gaming history book Video Game of the Year: A Year-by-Year Guide to the Best, Boldest, and Most Bizarre Games from Every Year Since 1977, and the reason everything you know about Street Sharks is a lie.

The Technology I Use

I use the newest Android and iOS smartphones for testing, but I currently use an iPhone 14 as my personal phone. I just hate that we gave up headphone jacks.

I've always favored gaming laptops over desktops. On that note, I have a 16-inch HP Envy with an Intel Core i9-13900H CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. No matter what machine I’m working on, an alarming amount of my personal and professional life revolves around cloud-synced Google Drive files.

For food subscriptions, my household sticks with CookUnity and HelloFresh for meals. Video streaming is a bit more complicated. While there are too many services to list, we're subscribed to most of the major ones. These days, I find myself drawn to HBO Max's movies and shows, as well as Peacock's reality trash.

I've been a lifelong Nintendo fan, and I sincerely believe the Nintendo Switch will go down as one of the best gaming consoles of all time. It has an unbelievable library of new and old games from Nintendo and third-party companies. The handheld/console hybrid approach makes playing games so much more flexible, a legacy that continues with the Nintendo Switch 2 and Valve’s Steam Deck.

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