Dead Island 2 Cross-Play And Co-Op Explained

When Dead Island 2 arrives on April 21, it will do so across most major platforms including current- and last-gen consoles (besides Switch) and PC. For some players, that means cross-play becomes a big question, as it may be the case that co-op buddies are spread across different platforms. Here's a full rundown of cross-play and co-op options in Dead Island 2.

Does Dead Island 2 have cross-play?

The answer to this burning question is short but not so sweet: Dead Island 2 does not have cross-play across console ecosystems, meaning those playing on PlayStation can't play with those on Xbox or PC, and vice versa. However, those playing on different generations of the same ecosystem can play together. PS4 and PS5 players can team up, as can Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S players. In case you're wondering, it doesn't have cross-save either, so you'll want to stick to one platform while you slice your way through Los Angeles.

There is an additional wrinkle to this feature, however. Those playing on last-gen base-model platforms including PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox One S, cannot currently host co-op games, they can only join them. This is meant to be addressed in a future patch, and if it is, we'll update this article. In the meantime, your plans won't be interrupted so long as you have someone on PS5, PS4 Pro, Xbox Series X|S, or Xbox One X to play with.

When does co-op unlock in Dead Island 2?

Co-op becomes available in Dead Island 2 during the main story quest called "Call The Cavalry," which you'll reach after the first 20-60 minutes spent in-game, depending on your playstyle. In co-op, you can choose from one of three settings, or play in single-player which will allow you to pause the game. The co-op modes include:

• Public
• Invite Only
• Friends Only

Dead Island 2 co-op explained

Once you've decided on which platform you'll play Dead Island 2, you can do so with up to two other players for a team size of three people. There are six characters, or Slayers, to choose from, each with their own starting build and personality, so you can do well to maximize team strengths and cover up weaknesses by assembling the zombie-slaying avengers of your dreams.

The game also stresses that the players far apart in the story can't always join each other. For example, if you are on the main story's third mission and your co-op partner is on the sixth mission, they can't host you, though you could host them. Basically, you aren't able to skip through parts of the story in order to play co-op. Progress carries over from co-op too, including inventory items, meaning the ideal scenario is to play with a tight-knit team of one or two others, and when you do separate into solo mode, try to maintain similar progress so you can rejoin whenever you'd like.

There's a lot more to learn about Dead Island 2, and we've compiled it all in one place for you. Here's everything we know about Dead Island 2. For our own hands-on impressions of the game's first five-plus hours, check out our thoughts here.